The rationale behind hiring a trade show
model is simple – nail
the first impression by leveraging the old advertising maxim
of sex selling. And for years the trade show model was a
staple, pulling show-going crowds towards booths and hopefully
towards products. Recently, though, trade show models, or
as they are more commonly known “booth babes,” have
been going the way of the caribou. Case-in-point, the
2008 SHOT Show, previously known for its pairing of guns
and babes, was so lacking in trade show models that Field
and Stream Magazine was forced to pad their annual review
of models with pictures of men sporting unusually long beards,
and causing many readers to question, why are exhibitors
messing with a good thing?
In 2006, the Electronic Software Association (ESA), the
trade group behind the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
issued a press release stating that for the first time, the
dress code, typically flouted by models, would be enforced.
And by “enforced” the ESA meant a warning followed
by a $5000 fine. Common motives associated with this new
rule enforcement stemmed from the reputation of the trade
show (previously described by IGN's David Adams as “ribald”),
the fear that the ESA was marketing sexually-explicit content
to children, and the fact that the video game industry was
reaching sales parity with Hollywood. There is, of course,
a common thread between these arguments: the product didn't
need the sex, instead it needed to be viewed as professional.
For the ESA, the video game had matured beyond the quick,
impulsive sell that sex grants, and was finally a legitimate
part of living rooms around the world.
The ESA was telling exhibitors to do something every trade
show exhibitor should be doing anyways, they should be considering
their brand. Whether you are an entrepreneur, an executive,
or merely an employee, trade shows are worked with the explicit intent of drawing quality attention to your brand. The trade
show exhibitor is there to build excitement that should ultimately
turn a booth visitor into a repeat customer. The booth is
a means to forging a lasting relationship on a personal basis.
Working a booth allows a company to press the flesh and promote
with a passion that simply can't be found in traditional
advertising. So, why would a company risk potentially isolating
half the attendees at a conference with a booth babe?
Half? Well, close to it. According to a survey conducted
by AffiliateTip.com, 70% of the female respondents and 41%
of the male respondents (56% overall) said that they were
less likely to visit a booth that used a booth babe. Conversely,
29% of the overall respondents said that a booth babe caused
a null opinion, and a mere 15% said that a booth babe would
positively impact their opinion of a booth. Perusing
blogs will lead to an even larger mountain of anecdotal evidence
that suggests that not only are individuals less likely to
visit your trade show
displays if a booth babe is present, but they
are actually more likely to form a negative opinion of your
company to boot.
Of course, not all trade shows are following the trend presented
by the ESA, yet booth babes seem to be disappearing just
the same. The use of booth babes at YAPC (Yet Another Perl
Convention) sparked a thread on the Use Perl official message
board regarding whether or not booth babes should be used
at other conference. The quote that seemed to sum the experience
up was “that is so auto show.”
The
debate surrounding the use of booth babes even leaves the
trade show, with various media outlets debating about whether
they should continue to feature photos of the “best” babes,
often opening up the discussion to readers. Tom's Hardware,
a forum and media outlet focusing on technology posed the
question to their readership and the first response cut to
the heart of the issue – juxtaposing the 'for' being
juvenile and mainstream against the 'opposed' being adult
and technical. Tech Republic, also opened the question up
to their readers, and gathered likewise responses. It seemed
that even the media was turning their backs on booth babes.
There is, of course, one final theory on why exhibitors
were shying away from tradeshow models. At the 2006 E3,
Disney was there presenting the video game tie in for their
Pixar animated feature “Cars.” There between
near-life-size examples of the film's star cars was, you
guessed it, a trade show model. The model in question was
decked out from head to toe in skintight black jumpsuit,
complete with plunging neckline and a checkered-flag racking
stripe running up her sides, and covering just enough to
show that Disney could play by the new E3 rules. Perhaps
the world at large saw Disney's display as truly jumping
the shark and everyone simply moved on.
Whichever theory you
subscribe to – maintaining an
professional image, fear of isolating potential clients,
or merely staying one step ahead of Disney, the use of trade
show models are certainly on the decline. And as John Davis,
editorial director for Ziff Davis Media Game Group told ABC
News, "Not having the booth babes isn't going to make
any difference." Instead, of babes, the new trend seems
to be presenting your products in a professional manner,
with booth workers who go beyond gimmick or sex and instead
have a passion for your brand and a knowledge base to match.
Guess which one leads to more quality sales?
Well organized conventions can generate big profits and keep exhibitors signing up year after year. A surefire way to creating lucrative conventions is to work with verified contractors that won’t let you down.
Do you need to find a convention center that can hold 4,000 people? No problem! Just visit the conventions center section of our site and you’ll have instant access to the details of convention centers right around the country. You’ll even find detailed information on parking and valet facilities, visitor bureaus, and even find a list of reputable security firms to keep your conventions safe.
Need help finding a keynote speaker or celebrity? You’ve come to the right place. We have a list of the Nation’s best speakers and celebrities that will make your conventions sell outs.
For Conventions Exhibitors
There are so many elements to conventions that can dramatically affect a conventions success. Marketing, Public Relations, Exhibit Construction, and even the Furniture, need to attract the attention of every single potential customer.
Conventions.com have done the hard yards for you. We’ve filtered out the good contractors from the bad, the money making marketing methods from the money guzzlers and put them all in our easy to use directory.
If you want to turn your exhibit into a jungle, a magician’s stage, or a cinema, find an exhibit construction firm with the imagination and the skills to make it happen. If you want to attract attention and draw a crowd, find a money machine cash cube or prize wheel vendor to entertain while you sell.
To maximize your investment at your conventions, search our comprehensive database for a Public Relations firm to peak media attention and stretch your marketing dollar further.
We understand the need to create an impeccable conventions VIP guest experience. We’ve found the best hotels, corporate charter flights, and banquet rooms to make it quick and easy to plan an itinerary to make your VIPs feel very special.
Explore Conventions.com today -- a virtual treasure trove of proven ways to turn your conventions into a goldmine of opportunity.
