-Los Angeles Convention Center
With low attendance at many of the nation’s trade shows, perhaps the management of the California Gift Show knew they had to try a little harder this year to make this a better experience than usual.
Indeed attending the winter show was a new experience. The following are some details that were unexpected after walking the summer & winter versions many times.
The registration area was heavily staffed- Buyers were escorted to smaller lines depending on their paperwork or special needs. The front line team seemed to enjoy their work and produced badges quickly with a smile.
As I walked up to the main hall Friday morning at about 11.00, I was scanned in and also welcomed by a group of people offering catalogs. A ribbon cutting ceremony was underway in the first row with press and video cameras. Glasses of Champagne were passed around by a team of people wearing tuxedos while Frank Sinatra was being played through the public address system. This sort of treatment is more fitting for what one would expect at the VIP lounge at Maison-Objet Show in Paris.
The look and feel of the wider aisles was also new. White felt carpeting helped bump up the lighting significantly and every few aisles offered some open seating- modern cardboard chairs and desk equipped with lap-top computers provided by Twitter.
An all day TWITTER workshop was going on, packed with Buyers and shop owners wanting to jump on board the social media frenzy. Lastly in the middle of the hall was a large cocktail lounge with full bar and deep sofas certain to be the center of activity later - or sooner depending on how well the order writing goes.
With such added attention it was a welcomed shift in both attitude and outlook. As far as new product being offered, individual post to follow with some of my highlights.
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