Trade Show PR

Ahhh trade shows. Four days of standing around a booth, late night dinners and sleepless nights in hotel rooms…what’s not to love! All kidding aside, trade shows are a wonderful venue to connect with customers and show off your latest products and services.

Whenever I consult with a client regarding a show, the list of objectives is pretty straight forward:

1. Invite retail buyers to view new product offering


2. Schedule meetings with current accounts to discuss plan-o-grams and retail programs for the upcoming year


3. Scout competitors’ products


4. Participate in industry meetings

The one thing that is typically overlooked when developing a trade show strategy is the media. All too often, the focus is entirely placed on how to connect with customers. But what about the editors and reporters who cover your industry (trade), as well as consumer media outlets looking for hot new products to cover?

At Celtic, we attend numerous trade shows throughout the year for our clients. At many of the shows, the registered media list numbers in the hundreds. As to be expected, the list contains trade magazines, e-zines and Web sites covering the industry. In addition, there are countless consumer media outlets walking the show. We regularly meet with the likes of Backpacker, Outside, Men’s Health, Maxim, Consumer Reports, Runner’s World, Shape, etc. Some of the world’s leading media outlets are walking right by your booth looking hot new products. What are you doing to stop them?

If you’re serious about connecting with the media at trade shows, here are some things to consider:

1. Acquire the registered media list from trade show organizers. If they don’t have a current list, ask to see who attended last year.


2. If the list is huge, prioritize it. Don’t reach out to everyone…only those who fit your business and make sense from an editorial standpoint.


3. Develop a media invite that grabs their attention and invites them to your booth for a line review.


4. Call your “Top 10” contacts to extend a personal invite


5. Develop a comprehensive media kit profiling your latest and greatest products. Include press releases, product shots and a company backgrounder. Make sure you have copies of the media kit in the press room.


6. Schedule one-on-one meetings with reporters during the show (the first two days are best).


7. Devote one staff member (preferably someone from Celtic) to conduct the meetings.


8. Host a press conference to announce a new product or service.


9. Follow up after the show to make sure reporters have everything they need (i.e. interviews, photos, releases, etc.).

If you need trade show PR support, give us a call. Our PR team has handled media relations at some of the country’s biggest shows, including: RSNA, Outdoor Retailer, The Super Show, SGMA, SGIA, NSGA, The SHOT Show, PGA Merchandise Show, etc.

-Brian M.

Memorial Day

When you fire up the grill this Memorial Day weekend, take some time to remember those men and women who have died in service to our country. Even advertisers have taken time off from pitching products to thank our troops and remember those who have fallen.

Here’s a classic spot from Budweiser….

-Brian M.

Let's Ride!

"Don't Worry. Be Happy." That's the underlying message that many of today's advertisers are running with. Why? It's their counter attack to the continued negative news we as Americans are bombarded with on a daily basis. From the New York Times to CNN, our daily news intake is continuously flooded with "gloom and doom" messaging. Whether it's economic or political, most news spins paint the picture as hopeless.

Are there good reasons for us to be concerned? Of course. Whether it's the war, job market, increasing gas prices or the threat that we face due to instability in certain parts of the world, we of course hope and pray for a better tomorrow. With that said, that doesn't mean we have to hide in fear. The advertising industry is an interesting animal when it comes to its initial response to a crisis.

After 9/11, there was an apprehension to advertise. But then advertisers slowly but surely came out with messaging that indicated we must, and will, move forward. Was it self serving at times? Perhaps. But let's face it, time and time again, Americans have shown they are extremely resilient and optimistic. From Depressions to World Wars to horrific terrorist attacks, our country bands together in the worst of times and comes out stronger.

So getting back to all the "doom and gloom" we're reading about in the news, we're seeing many advertisers take a defiant stand. One that I noticed recently, was Harley Davidson. Most recently, Harley's ads end with the tag line. SO SCREW IT. LET'S RIDE. To say these ads have an attitude is an understatement. Harley's chief marketing officer, Mark-Hans Richer, states - "Harley's customers are a little rebellious and resilient when they're told things aren't good. They say screw this. We've gone through this before and gotten through it: we're going to be fine." Check out Harley's latest ad.

The bottom line, it's always important to remember that we will purserveer. Or, as the folks at Harley Davidson simply say - Screw It. Let's Ride.

-Kurt L.

What Makes a Great Ad?

Often times I’m asked, “What makes a good ad?” That’s a tough question to answer since there are many variables that go into making and compelling advertisement. With that said, here are some of the golden rules:

1) Is the ad a reflection of your brand? If you’re a lighthearted, family brand, does the ad reflect your image? If you’re an industry leader, does the ad make you look like one?

2) Does your ad differentiate your brand, product or service? Take a good look at the competition and see what they’re saying and doing. Look for ways to highlight your differential advantage.

3) As my high school English teacher used to say…keep it simple stupid. Simple is always better.

4) Does the ad stop the reader/viewer in his or her tracks? Your message is competing against other ads and a consumer’s short attention span….don’t get lost in the clutter!

5) Is there are strong call to action? What do you want the consumer to do?

6) Last but not least….is it compelling? Some of the best ads make you laugh, cry or get pissed off. Great ads should hit you right in the heart and draw on your deepest emotions.

Here's a great ad from Budweiser that displays all of the golden rules. There's no voice over...no computer graphics...nothing. The message is simple, yet loud and clear.

Here are a series of spots from the Montana Meth Project promoting an anti-drug message to teens. These ads are shocking, yet extremely powerful.

So what are some of your favorite ads that display the "golden rules?" Are there additional rules that should be added to the list?

We'd love hear your thoughts.

-Brian M.

Tourism - An Economic Powerhouse

It’s National Tourism Week. And, while you may not be tempted to break out the Champagne or balloons, it is an ideal time to think about the significant impact of the tourism industry – both here in Wisconsin and across the nation.

Did you know?

• Tourism is one of America’s largest industries ($740 billion in direct travel expenditures
• Tourism is one of America’s largest employers (7.5 million direct travel-generated jobs
• Nearly 2.8 million hotel room nights are sold every day in the United States
• Nearly $10 billion in federal tax rebates are expected to be spent on travel this year
• Here in Wisconsin, total travel spending exceeded $12.78 billion in 2007

Without question, tourism is big business. But, it’s also a crowded field. So, it’s critical for destinations and attractions to continually monitor consumer trends and identify unique ways to differentiate themselves from the countless other options available to travelers today.

To view some of the unique work Celtic has implemented in the travel/tourism category, just click here. Enjoy your travels!

Bill B.

Does Bigger Always Mean Better?

I recently read an article in Adweek, "No Such Thing as a Free Lunch." Just as art speaks to people differently, so do words. This article in particular really emphasized the importance of brands needing to build genuine relationships with its core customer groups ... vs. simply taking a mainstream approach. And trust me, I'm not going to knock a company for spending a zillion dollars in a variety of mainstream channels if it truly helps build consideration and awareness for its brand. Just look at McDonald's. My three year old son simply needs to see the golden arches, and he instantly says "McDonald's." And trust me, McDonald's' marketing expenditures over the years justify that they've earned that kind of awareness.

But for some brands it's not fiscally possible, nor the smart thing for that matter, to take a mainstream approach. Let's face it, it's always about being as targeted as you possibly can ... even if you're a McDonald's or General Motors. But in some instances, as the article points out, it truly isn't worth the time, energy and money trying to search out customers in what can be a needle in a haystack. It's all about finding ways to engage consumers in a way that gets them to trust and believe in you.

Our agency, Celtic, ran into a similar situation not so long ago. Our client - Lakefront Brewery - had the first FDA approved gluten free beer to address Celiac Disease. Rather than go mainstream, we built product buzz by leveraging the strength of a strong "underground" Celiac community. Through online video commercials and banner ads posted on Celiac specific Web site, we quickly generated excitement and sales for a product we coined as, "It's Beer Genius." The campaign worked because it was honest, and it hit directly at the heart of people with Celiac disease. Check out one of the online commericals we posted on YouTube.

Lessons from 2001

I was going through my “miscellaneous” file last night and came across an ad from 2001. It stopped me in my tracks. The ad was produced by Dow Jones & Company (Wall Street Journal) and ran in Adweek magazine on June 4, 2001, just as the economy started to slide into recession.

The ad shows New York’s Times Square void of all advertising except for one billboard for a fictional company called Bill’s Cab Company. For those of you who have walked Time Square, you know full well you can’t go two feet without being bombarded by larger than life electronic signage selling everything under the sun. The point Dow Jones is trying to make is clear – when times get tough, most companies cut back. However, if you’re smart like Bill’s Cab Company, you can own Times Square. You can dominate your market.

The message from this ad still resonates today (nearly eight years after it originally ran). Now as we’re faced with another economic downturn, many marketers are bunkering down, waiting for the storm to pass. I say we can all learn a lot from Bill’s Cab Company and the message that's communicated in this ad. Here’s an excerpt worth reading:

When the going gets tough, most simply run and hide. Any time our economy takes a downturn, the need to cut costs can lead to hasty decisions. Like cutting your marketing budget. The findings from an important study of recessions provide clear evidence that cutting advertising budgets during an economic slowdown can cause both an immediate and long-term decrease in profit levels and brand awareness.

By maintaining your ad spending, however, what seems like a crisis can turn into an opportunity to increase market share, even dominate the market. Hey world, look at me. While your competitors reduce adverting, you can seize the moment.

If you continue your marketing efforts, brand awareness stays constant. In fact, it can even increase. In a less cluttered media environment your message stands out as never before. Almost by default, you are top of mind. And consumers start to see your brand as a winner, as enduring, as somehow above the fray of current market conditions. You gain market share, brand awareness and sales.

Well done Dow Jones…I couldn’t have said it better myself.

-Brian M.

TV's Back

Are people back to watching TV now that the writers’ strike is over? According to our recent poll, the answer is a resounding “YES!” Approximately 73 percent of our readers are back to watching TV at the same rate as before the strike. While another 18 percent are watching even more than before. The remaining 9 percent have turned the tube off.

During the strike, many critics said it would take years for TV to bounce back. Not with our readers. Sounds like all of you are “back on the box.”

-Brian M.

The Crazy World of Promotions

The world of marketing communications is pretty crazy. One doesn’t have to be in the business to realize that marketers are constantly thinking of new and creative ideas to help get the word out about a particular product and service. There are some block and tackle methods that have proven to be very effective over the course of time such as print and broadcast advertising, direct marketing, public relations, etc. But sometimes to truly concoct a unique and fun idea that puts your client in front of a large number of people, you have to roll up your sleeves and partake in something that is equal parts crazy, effective, genius and fun.

We developed program mascots, Rex the Exclamation Point and Tony Tuition, for a client of ours that we took all around the state of Illinois as part of a "10-Stop Tour.” Some of the places we stopped at were a zoo, a college football game, the Abe Lincoln historical landmarks, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Wrigley Field and a morning news show.

Before hitting the road with the mascots, we would make a handful of calls and conduct a healthy amount of Internet research, figuring out where a good place within the state would be to show up with the mascots. But once we pinpointed a date, time and place, we would have the mascots stroll around while a countless amount of people snapped photos. It was a great way to keep the brand name and logo in front of our client's core audience.

While a radio ad might promptly remind someone driving in their car to check out the program, it also might be forgotten by the listen by the time they are at their computer. But forgetting the 8-foot exclamation point you saw at Millennium Park is not very likely at all!

Todd F.

Why Does It Have to Be So Hard!

Just read an interesting article in AdAge - it was about how one particular airline - Virgin America - was using Interactive technology to make their customers' flight experience superior to the competition. Virgin America calls this technology "Red."

In addition to providing customers with movie and shows on demand, music and video games, Virgin takes it one step further. Using a touch-screen interface, travelers are given a virtual refrigerator that they access anytime they get thirsty or hungry. Should you want a soda or coffee you select it via a full-color photographic menu ... in a matter of no time, a flight attendant delivers it. Same thing with paid food and alcohol ... just add it to your shopping cart, swipe your credit card and whatever you ordered is delivered shortly.

The reason I enjoyed the article so much is that it simply made sense. It was an example of an airline addressing a gripe that pretty much every traveler has had at some point with the airline industry- their lack of flexibility. What a brilliant concept - you choose what you want to eat and drink, when you want it. Sometimes figuring out what your customer wants simply begins with good old fashion common sense - go figure.

Show Me!

The Web is a wonderful tool to help launch a new product. Why? Because it’s a cost effective, visual medium and your information can be passed along very quickly and easily from one interested consumer to the next.

Here’s an example of a Web-based presentation Celtic recently developed to help generate excitement for a new product from Tippmann Sports – one the leading names in paintball. Just click on this YouTube video, turn up the volume on your computer speakers and enjoy! But, more importantly, please think about how your company could be utilizing the Web to visually demonstrate the many benefits of its products or services.

-Bill B.

What Happened to May Day?

Today is May 1st -- Happy May Day everyone!

Apparently, it’s also RSS Awareness Day…I can hardly contain my excitement.

While an RSS holiday definitely strikes me as over-the-top, it does provide a good opportunity to spread the word about this wonderful tool. In short, RSS is a format used to deliver information from Web sites, Blogs and other pages that get updated regularly. The information is sent directly to your computer so you don't have to go out and search for it, saving you valuable time!

To learn more, check out this great Web site for a detailed overview on RSS. It also has a helpful little video. Then, be sure to subscribe to the feed for this Blog as well as your other favorites. It’ll change the way you view the Web!

-Bill B.