The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has released “Change in Value over Next Two Years and Effects of the Great Recession and Online Media.”
The report is the second in a series to be released over the next quarter from the CEIR’s study, “The Role and Value of Face-to-Face Interaction.” Results suggest that exhibitions have the strongest value among attendees, with 48 percent noting that face-to-face interactions experienced at exhibits at exhibitions, conventions and annual meetings are more valuable today than two years ago. Another 43 percent anticipate this setting will be more valuable looking out to the next two years. No other face-to-face interaction alternative comes close to these results.
“This second report provides detail on the strength of the value attendees and exhibitors place on exhibitions compared to alternatives and results point to exhibitions enjoying high value ratings among both audiences,” said Nancy Drapeau, research director, CEIR. “This report also affirms that exhibition activity is vulnerable to economic downswings, though other findings in the study as well as other CEIR research point to a positive outlook moving forward. Online digital activity has minimal impact.”
The top two face-to-face activities that have increased in value among most exhibitors are sales calls and exhibitions and conventions. Previewing the next two years, these two face-to-face settings capture the largest percentage of exhibitors anticipating increased value.
Detailed insights are provided on the extent of value attendees and exhibitors place on face-to-face interactions at exhibits at exhibitions, conventions and annual meetings relative to other face-to-face settings. Findings also detail the impact of the economy and digital media on face-to-face interaction activities.
The Role and Value of Face-to-Face Interaction study series examines the long-term value of face-to-face marketing and exhibitions in particular in light of major economic fluctuations and the influx of technology and alternative marketing tactics, including digital media. More than 9,000 attendees and 800 exhibitors participated in this initiative. The study was made possible by a grant from the Exhibition Industry Foundation and is available online at www.ceir.org.
