Landscape Juice

Why Volvo's marketing decision is significant to all traditionally marketed companies

I think traditional marketers are starting to get the message. The internet has become so much a part of our daily lives now that it's a natural pathway for commerce to use it more and more in the future. Volvo has decided that it will ditch expensive trade shows in favour of internet marketing and intends to up its digital advertising spend. Whilst Volvo say there are no immediate plans to scrap their traditional dealerships, this decision clearly puts them on the path to change the conventional business model over time. Volvo already sells 80% od its vehicles online. I... Read more →

2014 Saltex visitor numbers decline 12.95% on last year

2014 Saltex visitor numbers released by the IOG show that the rate of decline has slowed slightly but remain within a downward trend. The year's last ever show from Windsor saw, 7,485 (unaudited) people pass through the doors over the four days. However, 2014 represents the second lowest number of visitors in the last ten years. 2014 Total visitors - 7,485 2013 Total visitors - 8,599 2012 Total visitors - 6,405 2011 Total visitors - 9,500 2010 Total visitors - 8,958 2009 Total visitors - 13,402 2008 Total visitors - 11,564 2007 Total visitors - 13,504 2006 Total visitors -... Read more →

Saltex future looking more uncertain

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) said farewell to Windsor last week with its last ever show to be held on real turf. Saltex will now move to Birmingham's NEC and into a critical three year phase that will see it surve or fail. The IOG have admitted that the move from Windsor was necessary. In an interview with Hort Week, IOG Chairman David Teasdale, said: "the IOG saw the decision as necessary after both visitor and exhibitor numbers had dwindled" and added "It's been a miracle in many ways that we have kept this show alive". Indeed this year saw... Read more →

Helen Gazeley reviews Futurescape 2013

Yesterday was the second annual Futurescape one-day garden design show from Kempton Park. With the problems faced by shows in recent times, the question remains as to how useful an event like this is to the industry. It was certainly an enjoyable day out, the chance to interact with well-known figures, make acquaintances, exchange stories, meet suppliers. The feeling in The Beauty is in the Build was that everyone attending would be interested in progressing, expanding knowledge and business. But, said Mark Gregory, “Seventy-five to eighty percent of the industry isn’t interested in innovation, research, health and safety.” Harsh, or... Read more →

Saltex 2013 struggles to regain visitors despite a 34% rise on last year

Despite a 34% rise on last year's visitor numbers IOG Saltex has continued to lose visitors and exhibitors, with numbers down 43% in the last 9 years. 2013 saw (unaudited: source IOG) 8,599 visitors pass through the turnstiles compared with just 6,402 in 2012. Last year was seen as a bit of a blip due to preparations for the Olympics with part of the Windsor race course being closed off. Comparing 2013 visitor figures to 2010/2011 shows clearly that a downward spiral still remains. Exhibitor numbers have also fallen from 500 in 2009 to 250 in 2013 (source IOG) a... Read more →

Paving Expert reviews The Natural Stone Show 2013

He's not known for shyness and the man behind the Paving Expert, Tony McCormack, doesn't duck and dive with his review of the 2013 Stone Show. Tony's opening paragraph doesn't fill the reader, and potential stone enthusiast, with much hope: "Why do I keep going to these shows? When was the last time I went to a show or exhibition and came away feeling that it had been a valuable use of my time? I'm not completely sure, but it's a good while, and the day spent at The Natural Stone Show in that London's ExCel centre today is not... Read more →

Brintex MD says BALI Landscape Show visitor numbers were 'lamentable'

We decided to give it a go in 2011. It didn't wash its face but was quite well received, so we tried again in 2012 and doubled the size of the show, but the visitor attendance was lamentable. The official line from BALI was that economic conditions were the cause of their flagship landscape show being postponed. On announcing that the show would not go ahead in 2013, Chief Operating officer Wayne Grills was reported as saying: "Indications from other sectors and our own suggest the appeal of traditional trade shows is on the decline and that biennial events may... Read more →

Landscape Show moves from Olympia

The Landscape Show was caught on the hop today after I exclusively revealed that Olympia will not be hosting their event on 28 February, 01 March and 02 March 2013 as scheduled on their website. Olympia Ltd confirmed to me that they were not contracted to the event and referred me to the events section of their website. An unconfirmed report says the event will now move to the Evolution Centre at Battersea At the end of last year I also exclusively revealed that the Landscape Show's previous owner, Thirty Forty-Nine was faced with a winding up order by Olympia... Read more →

BALI cancels 2013 landscape show

British Association of Landscape Industries has cancelled next year's two-day trade show because of the sliding economy. BALI said the show would be "deferred" until market conditions improved and the wider landscape industry was better placed to benefit from the event. "Indications from other sectors and our own suggest the appeal of traditional trade shows is on the decline and that biennial events may be more useful in serving the needs of visitors and exhibitors" said chief operations officer Wayne Grills. A spokeswoman said: "I think probably the show will happen next in 2014 under new management unless, of course,... Read more →

Record bookings for APF International Forest Machinery Exhibition

APF 2012, the UK’s largest woodland, forestry and arboriculture exhibition, taking place this year on the 13/14/15th September at Ragley Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire, says it has received a record number of bookings. Commenting on the build up to date exhibition secretary, Ian Millward said “We are delighted with the response and bookings so far. We have sold over 3400m of demonstration frontage, that’s over two miles of working machinery. The original static display area has now sold out and we have had to extend it due to demand and there is still three months to go before the event. "The... Read more →