Issue link: https://tradeshowexecutive.epubxp.com/i/107551
P OW E R LU N CH Chris Brown is a superb idea man. In this interview, he talks about his predictions for the future of face-toface and gives us a dire warning if we fail to heed the danger signs that are all around us. It will give you much to think about as a trade show executive. BOB: All indicators for the 2013 NAB Show are well ahead of last year. What's your secret to keeping the show so hot? CHRIS: We frst decipher where the industry is headed, its trends, and then refect that in all aspects of the show: the theme, conference content and exhibit foor focus. Since we are in Las Vegas year-in and year-out, we constantly "remake" the show wherever possible. We do this by introducing new exhibit foor features, new conference components, new networking events and events-withinthe-event, and new messaging via the look and feel of each year's theme. Tis year's theme is "MEtamorphosis: Te Changing Face of Media & Entertainment." SPONSORED BY BOB: My compliments to you and your successful NAB team. What are your biggest challenges this year? CHRIS: First and foremost is keeping the content fresh and relevant. Next is the challenge of driving attendance growth in a relatively tough economic environment with a core audience representing a mature industry. We constantly seek new and related audience segments, while at the same time, serve our core audience — television and radio broadcasters. Some time ago, we rebranded the NAB Show as a global media and entertainment event, representing all forms of content distribution from broadcast to feature flm to Internet and everything in between. Yet many still view us as a broadcast event, so we are continually educating those newer segments of media and entertainment. BOB: How do you manage social media, particularly with so many attendee and visitor silos? CHRIS: Two key steps here: we dedicated internal resources to focus on digital and interactive media, including social media; and secondly, we added outside help. Having an internal resource that is constantly thinking about this stuf is critical. Most folks know that social media is not a part-time gig, nor can it be maximized with one set of eyes. We've had a dedicated outside agency for several years, helping us with everything from analysis to execution. Tis has been critical to not only achieving some great results, but also to accelerating our learning curve relative to what works and what doesn't. For example, as it relates to breadth of the industry sectors we serve, we learned that there are a number of segments that are quite active on social networks and by reaching out to key "rock stars" within those communities with signifcant online presence, we created a valuable bridge. Outreach to bloggers and key online outlets has proven very fruitful. Making Air-Waves. Chris Brown accepts the TSE "Marketing Genius" Grand Award from TSE President Darlene Gudea at the 2012 Gold 100 Awards & Summit. Despite the challenging economy and ever-changing sector dynamics, Brown and NAB reinvigorate The NAB Show every year and draw new decision makers from at home and abroad. 38 February 2013 | Trade Show Executive BOB: Any social media innovations planned for 2013? CHRIS: Our very creative team is doing some unique things on the social media side: we are actually utilizing Salesforce to manage our outreach to key bloggers and online infuencers in our space — this is the crowdsourcing aspect of our campaign. Behind the scenes, we are using Wildfre Apps and its new Social Marketing Suite to enable us to pull in-depth analytics, run contests, create schedules and take things like informational landing pages, that traditionally live on brochure websites, and bring them into our Facebook page as dynamic tabs. We are also engaging in both Facebook and Twitter's online advertising programs, where we do comprehensive advertising testing to refne our strategy and optimize our ad spend continuously. BOB: That's exciting. Your exhibitor ACE Awards program, to me, reflects your sense of humor: Awesome Cool Exhibits. Please describe it. ? CHRIS: It's a great idea that came from our Exhibitor Advisory Committee. It recognizes and promotes outstanding exhibits and exhibiting techniques within our show, encourages creative and efective exhibit design which keeps the show fresh, and recognizes the work done by the professional exhibit and event managers from our exhibiting companies. Our Exhibitor Advisory Committee acts as judges for a frst round of evaluation, based on product type, booth size, etc. Teir choices are then passed to a hand-picked judging panel that selects a top winner in each of three booth size categories. We wrap the ACE Awards with a trophy presentation to the winners at a special ceremony on the third day of the show. We've only done this once, so the program is still evolving. BOB: Do you have other award programs for attendees? CHRIS: We have no shortage of them on the attendee side. Each year, we induct shows and/or people into the NAB Television and Radio Halls of Fame. We present an NAB Distinguished Service Award, our highest honor. Tere are various Continued on page 40