While much of the attention has focused on the needs of vendor and retailers, the earlier dates, combined winter show and Outdoor Retailer’s move to Denver will also impact the wide range of media attending the shows. But they don’t solve the challenges caused by the shows becoming more consumer-oriented.
Traditionally, trade shows were only open to trade and new products weren’t reported to the public until they were available. With the emergence of bloggers, review sites and other digital media, however, consumers are learning about products far earlier than ever before.
“Everything from the show is consumer-facing immediately,” said Ian Anderson, partner, director of public relations at Backbone Media. “In the past, the OR show was for trade and we could stage/time communications to retailers versus consumers. Brands certainly have to be more thoughtful about how they introduce new products.”
“There’s not really any such thing as a B2B launch in the industry anymore,” added Dave Simpson, agency director, Verde Brand Communications. “You have to expect that it can or will get reported to consumers well ahead of when it’s actually happening or available.”
While media coverage is generally always positive, the risk is that consumers may prefer to wait until the new product hits the shelves. Said Michael Collin, director, Pale Morning Media, “It does pose a challenge with current inventories and the possibility of consumers holding off on a purchase until the new product is available.”
The earlier show dates may exacerbate any related problems.
However, interviews with a few PR veterans who have long covered the shows indicate that the earlier show dates will likely have little impact on the attending media, perhaps even helping the “traditional media” who required long lead times.
Moreover, while some exhibitors at Outdoor Retailer are coinciding their launches and consumer releases at the shows, the majority are so far also sticking to the traditional launch calendar to support the trade media’s efforts.
DENVER OR BUST
As far as the move to Denver, many members of the media are likely to miss the easy access to the ski areas from Salt Lake City. Like other attendees, favorite haunts and friendships made with Salt Lake locals over the years will be missed.
“Personally I like Salt Lake,” said Boo Turner, owner of Footloose Communications. ”It’s quirky, easy to get to and feels like the right size for the show.”
Turner felt the exit was led by a “few industry leaders” and a more inclusive approach could have resolved the fight over public lands. Stated Turner, “I don’t think that was the best way to handle it and I don’t believe their approach was representative of what the industry might have accomplished as a whole through unified and collective outreach to the public.”
Still, the experience inside Colorado Convention Center will likely mimic the Salt Palace. And even though some media members have long been attending the Snow Show over the years, Denver represents a new adventure for many. There’s also hope the city can solve Salt Lake’s accommodation challenges.
“I think there’s a feeling among media that I have talked to that Denver will be a better place for the show, in part because the city is better set up to handle a large convention in terms of hotel rooms and restaurants,” said Simpson. “I also think more media than less are aligned with the idea that politically the show made more sense in Denver given the dynamics in Utah around land conservation, the importance of land conservation to the outdoor industry, and what was happening with state officials in Utah.”
“Everyone we’ve talked to is excited about the move to Denver,” added Anderson, “Of course, it doesn’t hurt that there’s such a large contingent of outdoor and active lifestyle media based in the Front Range. The move to Denver makes getting to the show easier and cheaper for a lot of journalists.”
Stated Julie Atherton, principal and founder, JAM Collective, “We’ve made so many great memories in Salt Lake City and we’re definitely looking forward to Outdoor Retailer moving to a state that fully supports the outdoor industry and the environment that sustains us.”
TWO WINTER SHOWS?
The jury is still out on the benefits of merging the SIA Snow Show to create the Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show in January amid the creation of three-show format. The two other shows are Winter Market in November and Summer Market in July. A combined ski/outdoor show could save costs for media if they head to one winter show. The SIA Snow Show generally drew less media than OR Winter Market. The big unknown is whether many in the media will attend both winter shows or if the earlier or later one will stand out for the media.
“I think the biggest issue for us, our clients and the media will be which of the two winter shows do we attend?,” said Angie Robinson, VP and senior account executive at Darby Communications. “Most media, smaller brands and agencies aren’t going to be able to send a full staff to both shows being only 1.5 months apart. I know we have brands asking us, ‘Which show will the media be going to in winter?’ so they can plan accordingly from a PR perspective.”
Overall, while continually adjusted to support the buying cycle, the show has become a bigger media and marketing vehicle over the years for brands of all sizes. Emerging brands particularly depend on OR to not only get their product in front of buyers but also to introduce themselves to the media.
Said Anderson, “The show remains really important for brands to launch new products, for media to see what new gear is coming, for athletes and influencers to connect with brands, for filmmakers and content producers to find new brand partners, and for the industry to come together as a force for change”
Said Collin, “The show attracts a large concentration of high value media and it is a great opportunity for our clients to get their brand and products in front of them.”
But the show continues to evolve from a media standpoint.
Atherton said that with the rise in digital media, brands have certainly come to expect faster turn-around in show coverage, not just product reviews. She elaborated, “I think that drives the need to up the ante at each show from a marketing perspective, whether it be a bigger and better booth or throwing an event that everyone wants to attend.”
Robinson suspects she’s spending more time on sponsorship and athlete meetings than in the past. With the onset of social media influencers and greater ambassador/athlete sponsorship, many appointments involve meetings to arrange collaborations, secure partnerships and layout plans to maximize partnerships for upcoming years. Said Robinson, “We also spend a lot of time meeting with like-minded brands for our clients to open up discussions around potential online collaborations in the future.”
TIME CONSTRAINTS
The major challenge for media continues to be not having enough time to see the diverse range of brands. An often-heard complaint is not being able to walk the floor to discover new brands. Said Atherton, “Spaces like Venture Out and The Ranger Station definitely open up the opportunity to sit down a relax with friends and colleagues, but the challenge is carving out time during the show.”
Said Anderson, “Between booth appointments, breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings, and invites to PR events pre- and post-show hours, it’s a lot to balance. We do our best to respect the media’s time and make every meeting worth their while.”
Verde’s Simpson noted that while the solution seems to be staying an extra day, most media members are ready to leave by the end of day three.
“It’s a relatively tiring experience to be inside a convention center for three days, but I’m not sure there’s a lot the show can do to fix that,” said Simpson. “It sort of is what it is. While it’s tiring, the main way to ‘fix’ that would be building in more recreational or fun time, and I think most people tend to want to get in, get their work done, and get home. or, if they are building in recreation time, they do it before or after the show.”
Darby Communications’ Robinson said her biggest challenge is overcoming the information overload. She said, “We have to figure out what is going to stick with them and work for their particular audience in an effort to help them remember the significant points at the end of the week.”
On the positive side, the show offers ample opportunities for the media to network, make new friends and deepen relationships with others to help offset the strain from the packed schedules.
“OR is the gathering of the clan,” said Collin. ‘It is always great to reconnect with friends who you may only see at shows.”
Another reason the media enjoys to OR experience, according to Simpson, is each show “serves as the hub of the outdoor industry” and aligns with the core passions of many in the media.
“I also like that, even though it is still a trade show, it’s a pretty fun one,” added Simpson. “Having attended a number of trade shows outside our industry, the people in the outdoor industry are definitely able to make something like this much more fun.”
Photo courtesy Outdoor Retailer
