A very European Conundrum

A rare occurrence in the UK sign industry is the birth of a new show, and there are a graveyard of both niche and general sector events that never quite happened, got off the ground once never to be seen again, or folded entirely. In addition to a host of open houses and manufacturer-hosted micro exhibitions, there is really only Sign and Digital UK, now in its 27th year, that remains as an annual tour de force on these shores.

So, it was with great happiness that our little island industry learnt that a new gun slinger was coming into town in the form of FESPA 2013, closely followed by the news that the European Sign Expo (ESE) was being launched alongside it at the Excel. Formed through an alliance between FESPA and the European Sign Federation, the new entity’s first move was to purchase the only other annual UK-based signage show Screen Media Expo.

This made FESPA 2013 something of a one-stop-shop for the international sign and graphics industry, as visitors could explore new wide-format print technology, visual communication materials, traditional signage mediums, and digital signage all under one roof.

Innova Solutions’ Linda Barrowclough felt well supported by the European Sign Expo organising team, but felt the exhibition was overshadowed by FESPA 2013

The concept is certainly a clever one, and the co-location with FESPA was designed to serve up a ready supply of visitor traffic through the new show’s doors. This combined with the pur-chase of ‘ready-made’ digital signage exhibition, Screen Media Expo, should have worked to make it a roaring success.

While the polling of visitors leaving the show garnered largely positive feedback about its setting and make-up, doing a broad poll of exhibitors during and in the wake of the three day show resulted in findings that pointed towards some initial teething troubles.

Speaking to exhibitor Innova Solutions’ company secretary, Linda Barrowclough, she highlights that there were some key issues  the ESE needs to address before its next outing:  “What we found about the show realistically was that FESPA was so big that the ESE was a little tucked away. They positioned the show behind the wall of fame and so there were some visitors we spoke to outside that didn’t realise you could actually come in and that it was part of the overall event.

We felt this made some visitors a little hesitant to come into the show. The other factor was that we felt it wasn’t particularly well sign-posted or publicised to the same extent as FESPA. We as exhibitors found it difficult to find a map with ESE on, so I am not sure how visitors faired”

“We felt this made some visitors a little hesitant to come into the show. The other factor was that we felt it wasn’t particularly well sign-posted or publicised to the same extent as FESPA. We as exhibitors found it difficult to find a map with ESE on, so I am not sure how visitors faired.”

The ESE’s managing director, Neil Felton, gave SignLink his views on the show’s first outing and outlined its development plans on this issue: “We always welcome feedback and there are lots of areas we can improve for the next show. One of the first things is that Munich will see ESE placed right in the heart of the front FESPA hall, coming in the entrance on the right will be FESPA and with no wall on the left hand side will be ESE.”

Learn and grow

     Applelec’s European Sign Expo stand was
     designed to encapsulate its products and
     services for both a UK and European audience
     at FESPA 2013

Speaking to Carl Eastwood, marketing director of ESE exhibitor Applelec and British Sign and Graphics Association committee  member, he expressed his enthusiasm for the ESE’s evolution: “When we were down at the show they had the floorplan for 2014 in Munich and the ESE was bang in the middle of FESPA, which was really encouraging.

“The exhibition is a really exciting development for both the UK and Europe, as it provides another conduit for business owners to research a very broad reach of technology when they are just starting up or thinking about expanding their products or services.”

The exhibition is a really exciting development for both the UK and Europe, as it provides another conduit for business owners to research a very broad reach of technology when they are just starting up or thinking about expanding their products or services”

Barrowclough continues: “The issues I have highlighted meant that overall the footfall was slow, but saying that we achieved what we essentially went for. We treated it as research exercise and were looking for European distributors and contacts. And while we only got 30 percent of the leads we would normally get at a three day show, they were well qualified and the type of people we wanted to meet.”

This last piece of positive exhibitor feedback is something that was like-wise experienced by Midwest Displays, with its managing director Mark Newman highlighting a similar mission and outcome: “Our goal in attending ESE was to broaden our ever growing European contacts, and it has done just that. We have a dedicated export sales executive who is gladly rushed off her feet by the doors that ESE has opened.”

Munich bound

With this praise ringing in their ears, ESE’s organisers still need to take note and move to address concerns to maximise its next edition, due to take place alongside FESPA in Munich, Germany. 

“The key areas for development is that we felt the overall organisation this time round was not the best and we got the impression it was an add-on to the main event without enough marketing prior to and during the show,” says Barrowclough, who adds: “Although its a different type of platform, ESE had good quality visitors but didn’t have that fast-paced buzz which you experience at the NEC in Birmingham. And if you talk to people who were exhibiting at FESPA they said it had a really good footfall and was a very busy time for them. It left us with the impression we were a little stuck on the end out of the way.”

Overall the show was good, one of the challenges we had with comparing ESE is that it was alongside a show such as FESPA which is so big and powerful. Any smaller show that goes alongside that is going to pale by comparison, but that does not accurately reflect what its output was”

Felton responded to this view: “Overall the show was good, one of the challenges we had with comparing ESE is that it was alongside a show such as FESPA which is so big and powerful. Any smaller show that goes alongside that is going to pale by comparison, but that does not accurately reflect what its output was.”

Speaking to Mid West Display’s graphic and marketing design manager, Sarah Neate, she likewise gave her view on the ESE’s first outing: “If the organisers are going to market separately then they perhaps need to organise the whole thing separately. I don’t mean that ESE shouldn’t be at the same time as FESPA, but they need to decide if they are a part of that show or not.

     (Above and Below) The team from Midwest
     Displays were able to connect with an
     international customer base at the European
     Sign Expo and were well placed to meet the
     needs of its digital signage visitors—but felt
     the show needed more concentrated marketing

“Bookings were through FESPA and the support from them was very, very good,” states Neate, adding: “But to only split the marketing and nothing else left the message from the ESE a little confusing for exhibitors and also the media reporting on it. So, I do think it should to be all or nothing and either have one chief marketing team for both events or create a separate ESE team to book stands. Even small things like putting, ‘this way to European Sign Expo’ on the FESPA map could have made all the difference.”

Neate highlights however that some elements of the show and its specific marketing worked well to attract a high-quality of visitors—especially from the continent—such as its VIP ticket system.

She concludes: “It was a good and productive show for us, but it could have been a great show. From my own design point of view I think their logo and branding is great, its bright, visually interesting and really stands out.”

Responding to the issue of marketing around the ESE, Felton concludes: “I still believe for ESE you need a separate and bespoke marketing campaign for that community. But I think there are ways we can integrate it into the FESPA marketing package as well to double its exposure. The show has its own specific team working on it, although some of its sales staff also work on FESPA.

“ The key thing is that the purpose of the ESE is two fold. Firstly it is there so we can engage with our existing FESPA audience to make sure they understand all the opportunities there are in traditional and digital signage. The second thing is to bring in a new community to have a centralised European show for this market.”

Looking towards ESE’s next instal-ment, it seems that all the ingredients for success are there, it is now just pulling them together to drive higher footfall volumes for exhibitors that will mark out its long-term success.
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