BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The Gadget Show is a monster of a brand. The Channel 5 show has been running for years (now boasting over 14 series) and has spawned an all-conquering ‘Live’ show. A whopping 90,000 consumer visitors are expected to attend this year’s event, which runs from April 13th – 17th. So successful is the show that it has added a trade-only day this year.
All well and good, but where do bikes fit in with a show that is focused on consumer electronics? Event director Matt Hodgins explains: “We have an increasing number of bike, electric bike and personal transportation companies exhibiting at the show – given that they have always had a strong presence on The Gadget Show TV programme, it is natural that they form a popular addition to the live show.”
The reason that bike companies should get involved in the show is down to the Gadget Show’s wide appeal, he says: “The event is now the UK’s largest consumer electronics event by some way, and it is a great chance for exhibitors to meet a fantastic audience who are passionate about tech. From a retail perspective the event now forms a key part of many companies’ marketing strategies, with a host of at-show launches planned from key manufacturers. It offers an ideal opportunity for retailers to see the latest must-have tech, network with key suppliers and get a real chance to see what is going to be popular among consumers in 2011.”
Keep it professional
This year The Gadget Show Live has added a Professional trade day on Tuesday April 12th, the day before the five-day consumer exhibition takes place at the Birmingham NEC. The Pro day arrives due to popular demand, Hodgins explains: “Over the last two years we have had increasing requests from both the exhibitors and potential trade visitors interested in having a professional element to the show.
“We have been delighted with the response we’ve had to the launch, with a phenomenal response from visitors looking forward to attending the show to network and do business – within a calmer and more professional atmosphere than was previously possible when attending on the very busy consumer days.”
The Show aims to attract at least 4,000 trade visitors in GSL Pro’s first year. Making sure that audience is right for exhibitors is just as important as mere numbers, the firm tells BikeBiz: “Each exhibitor is looking to meet a very specific audience and therefore we have had a very targeted marketing campaign to ensure each sector is catered for. The success will be measured on a combination of numbers and post-show exhibitor and visitor feedback.”
Inevitably, the test track is one of the key focuses for the bike trade: “This is one of the show’s most popular features and is constantly inundated with visitors. This year we have dramatically increased the test track to cater for visitor demand. We are once again looking forward to it being a great space in which visitors can get to grips with the latest bikes, e-bikes and personal transportation devices on the market.”
Among the bike brands at the show are E-Lifestylebikes, Big BMX, Create, Contour, Bicygnals, Veho, Big Cat, Pacific Europe and even Cycle Show.
For more on the show click here.
