by H. K. Wilson
Robert Redford once said, “Problems can become opportunities when the right people come together.” Over the past year, professionals in the events industry have proven that they rally together when challenges arise. As in-person events have been cancelled or limited in scope due to COVID, people have re-imagined the industry and engineered creative alternatives to keep colleagues working and commerce turning. From new events to new products to new educational programs, this week’s “On the Road” highlights what can happen when the right people come together.
ASD Takes Its Show on the Road in 2021
Due to the Nevada mandated lockdown limitations, the in-person ASD Market Week scheduled for February 28-March 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center has been canceled. But all is not lost! In an effort to maximize the value for buyers and sellers to do business in a live, face-to-face setting, ASD has decided to take its show “on the road.” Being held instead of the ASD Market Week in Las Vegas, the new ASD Road Show will be a three-city opportunity strategically designed to bring smaller, regional shows closer to the buyers, all done in controlled and safe settings.
The ASD Road Show will be a series of three, two-day trade events located in Dallas (March 24-25), Orlando (April 8-9) and Phoenix (April 28-29), showcasing more than 200 vendors. For more than 50 years, the ASD brand of events has been helping brick-and-mortar stores, online stores and distributors discover products (at up to 300 percent margins) and grow their businesses. The ASD Road Show is bringing the same value via a smaller, more intimate format that allows participants to connect with vendors and discover and buy products in just two days.
Through a safe and efficient shopping experience, the ASD Road Show has been designed to minimize travel risks and reduce travel costs, while helping participants to refresh their product mix and get back to business.
The re-imagined online marketplace will also bring buyers together with sellers and their products. The ASD + IGES Online Market is free and allows buyers to design their own event and shopping experience on their own time-frame in the comfort of their home or office.
This one-stop resource will allow buyers to make appointments online and source new suppliers, talk directly to vendors and connect with past vendors. The Online Market will showcase vendors who will be participating at live IGES or ASD events, as well as virtual-only exhibitors who may not be able to join in-person.
Whether you are local or want to make a road trip out of it, you’ll find fresh, new merchandise at the ASD Road Show in 2021. Three Shows. Three Locations. Same Great High Margins.
Dallas, TX | March 24-25
Orlando, FL | April 8-9
Phoenix, AZ | April 28-29
For show and registration info, visit: https://asdonline.com.
Make 2021 POP with New Exhibit Solutions from beMatrix
Retail experiences, outdoor roadshows and live streaming will be center stage in 2021. With the new beMatrix POP line, you can be the star of the show. Create a retail pop-up structure, enhanced showroom and more with the new pop-IN™ solution. pop-OUT™ lets you bring your products outside or to anywhere your customers are. The pop-I™ studio lets you livestream your next event and reach customers around the world.
Do you need a great looking (but temporary) structure? Pop into the future of retail
and experience showrooms with the new pop-IN solutions beMatrix has to offer. With its new glass and corner profiles, beMatrix offers a new world of possibilities when combined with its existing product range. Take your store to the next level and fully customize it to your own style.
Do you dream about bringing the same look and feel of an indoor exhibition to an outdoor event? With the new pop-OUT solution, you’re no longer limited to a shipping container or large truck. Simply connect the “pop-outs” together to create an expansive space. Utilize your beMatrix inventory to spice up and finish your outdoor showpiece.
Due to the increase in online events, there is now a need to elevate exhibit content on a new scale. The beMatrix pop-I solution is a digital studio that uses storytelling software and LEDskin® screens to bring your story to life.
Ready to create attention grabbing moments? For more info, visit, https://connect.bematrix.com/.
Temple Launches New Undergraduate Degree in Event and Entertainment Management
Thanks to COVID-19, the event and entertainment industries looked a bit different in 2020. Concerts moved from stadiums to living rooms. Live crowds were replaced by Zoom audiences, but the thirst for live, in-person events remains.
The pandemic has also created new opportunities. Hybrid events have a strong future moving forward and virtual events aren’t going anywhere, either. According to
“Trends Exchange,” the virtual event industry is expected to grow from $78 billion to $774 billion by 2030. In-person events are also expected to recover following the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine, meaning that the event and entertainment industries could soon be bigger than ever before.
To help prepare its students to take advantage of the rising demand, Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management has launched the Bachelor of Science in Event and Entertainment Management.
“If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we all need to be agile and flexible, and that’s especially true for anyone who wants to work in the event or entertainment industries,” says Christine Cleaver (pictured left), an assistant professor in the school and founder of the new program. “This new program will equip our students with the knowledge and skills needed, so they can become leaders and adapt as these industries continue to evolve and grow.”
In the event and entertainment program, students will learn all aspects of event management from inception to implementation including risk management, sustainability, marketing, finance and logistics. The curriculum incorporates the newest technologies and emerging trends coupled with essential business principles.
Applications are now being accepted for the Fall semester. For more information on the Bachelor of Science in Event and Entertainment Management, visit the program’s webpage or contact Samantha McGrady, assistant director of enrollment, at: samantha.mcgrady@temple.edu.
A special launch event for the new program will be held Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. via Zoom. It is free and open to the public. Register at https://temple.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3eGa9WjYRjS11fF-Tlmwjw.
Upcoming stories in this series will feature companies and individuals who have pivoted or created new products to survive these difficult and challenging times. Please email us at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com for inclusion in future stories in this series.
