220 executives at Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) have heard Consumer Cechnology Association SVP Karen Chupka discuss Innovative Routes to Growing Events.
Chupka discussed what events can offer a company that has money to spend, but no product, no booth, and no use for exhibit space.
When CES decided it had no choice but to turn the company away, Karen Chupka vowed not to let it happen again.
“Because she has been instrumental in the evolution of CES, Karen is the ideal person to discuss the rewards of unorthodox thinking,” said Sam Lippman, president of Lippman Connects, which produces ECEF.
Chupka’s remarks resonated later in the day when closing keynoter Frank Supovitz discussed what he learned producing the Super Bowl.
Supovitz is now president and chief experience officer, Fast Traffic Events & Entertainment. Lippman observed, “Frank distilled the drivers of growth into distinct mega-trends that executives can identify, use, and test.”
ECEF 2016, held on June 1 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C., celebrated its 15th year by setting two new records: selling out five weeks in advance and signing up 220 registrants.
Registrants were top-tier executives at associations and independent organisers of exhibitions and conventions, as well as sponsors, participating publications, and industry associations. ECEF will return to the JW Marriott next year, on 31 May 2017.
ECEF’s one-day programme also featured presentations by Randal Acker, president and COO of EXHIBITOR Media Group; Diane Benson, Americas Exhibits leader, GE Healthcare; Dominique Cook, trade show manager, Marvin Windows and Doors; Sam Lippman; David Loechner, CEO, Emerald Expositions; Charlie McCurdy, CEO, Informa Exhibitions; Rob Mesirow, partner, PwC, Technology, Information, Communications, Media and Entertainment; Galen Poss, vice chairman, dmg events; Deborah Sexton, president and CEO, Professional Convention Management Association.
Sponsors of ECEF 2016 were PSAV (Gold), Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (Silver), Marketing Design Group (Silver), a2z (Bronze), Freeman (Bronze), AlliedPRA, Ascend Integrated Media, asp, Bandwagon, CadmiumCD, CompuSystems, Convention Data Services, Direct Hit Marketing, Exhibit Surveys, Exhibitor Invites, Experient, The Expo Group, EXPOCAD, Fern Exposition & Event Services, Global Experience Specialists/GES, Hargrove, ITN International, JW Marriott Washington DC, Kuehne+Nagel, Map Your Show, Metro MultiMedia, Naylor, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Providence, onPeak, Reed Exhibitions, Showcycle, Trade Show Ready, Tradeshow Logic, Ungerboeck Software, and Vetted Solutions.
