Regional News: Revamped SAAC Show Earns Positive Feedback


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Regional News: Revamped SAAC Show Earns Positive Feedback

Issue: 2009aug

The Specialty Advertising Association of California (SAAC) unveiled an updated show to enthusiastic exhibitors and attendees in Long Beach last week. “This year we had the rare opportunity to reinvent and rebrand the show from the ground up, with PPAI’s assistance” says Rick Green, MAS, president of SAAC and regional vice president for Sterling, Illinois-based distributor HALO/Lee Wayne (UPIC: LEEWAYNE). “PPAI was a tremendous help, and people were blown away by the new look and layout. The first day was fantastic.”

The show’s new entrance proved a worthy prop for this year’s theme: “It’s Show Time!” Green says walking down a red carpet set the mood for the two-day event. “A red carpet just looks different. We wanted attendees to know it was the same warm and friendly event, with some new twists.”

Greg Armstrong, a SAAC director and regional sales manager for Neenah, Wisconsin-based distributor Adventures In Advertising (UPIC: ADVINADV), said the minor tweaks to the show’s appearance and the introduction of new technological elements were well received.

“We offered a widget that allowed people to download education Power Points, and we had an interview booth where you could record a 30-second infomercial,” says Armstrong. “We’re putting those clips online in the next few weeks.”

Armstrong spent time talking with suppliers both as a SAAC representative and as a distributor attendee. For the latter purpose, says Armstrong, the show was fruitful. He says he was able to make new connections and build on current relationships.

“At some shows all you can do is run around getting badges scanned—it’s chaos. Here, there was foot traffic on the floor, but if you wanted to stop and talk to a supplier, you could,” he says.

Theresa Land, national sales manager for Costa Mesa, California-based supplier Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc. (UPIC: PHC), says she appreciated the updated layout of the show floor. “They did an excellent job planning and laying it out. The booths were easier to get to,” she says. She also appreciates SAAC’s efforts to recognize every company that donated to the show.

The number and quality of distributors who visited Land’s booth also were commendable. “We had a good turnout; good, qualifying distributors came to our booth,” says Land. While she feels the downtime at the show might be reduced if the second day were eliminated or limited to just a half-day, overall “it was a good regional show.”

Despite a flat economy and the knowledge that many companies are paring down tradeshow visits, the 600 exhibitors who lent their presence to the show were a welcome number, as was the overall number of attendees, says Green.

Green adds that individual responses were overwhelmingly positive as well. “Many suppliers said over and over that the quality of the folks they saw was just tremendous,” he says. “I thought it was a tremendous success.”

And at the end, show organizers have come away with ideas for the next show. “We do have some plans to make it even better next year,” says Green.

http://www.saac.net
http://exploreaia.com
http://www.handycutterline.com

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