US Correspondent Stephanie Selesnick covers October 2022’s Ascential Money 20/20 USA for Exhibition World
Ascential’s Money 20/20 USA was held October 2022 at the Venetian Expo (formerly Sands Expo) in Las Vegas. The company also produces Money 20/20 at the RAI in Amsterdam and has announced plans for a third edition in Bangkok in 2024. Most stands are 9-18sqm in size and set up for meetings and the show floor is laid out in a concentric circular pattern instead of a grid, designed to keep visitors on a journey. Some stands are triangular-shaped, and exhibitors made them work well.
Many trends we’ve been hearing about this year Money 20/20 has been doing successfully for years and include featuring curated content, matchmaking and appointment setting for exhibitors to attendees, attendees to exhibitors, and attendees to attendees. Event locales are chosen for bleisure purposes.
Complimentary upscale food and drink is available all over the expo floor. At one point before a sponsored concert with the band Foreigner, I sat under a ‘money tree’ listening to a recording of birds chirping. It was subtle and cool.
Money 20/20 USA is a gathering of the financial community. As Denise Medved, SVP Money 20/20 USA, Futures Division, explained: “We have a creative team who plan everything on the show floor. It includes every component, from chair and sign placement to food and drink choices, to exhibit space design, to all six stages – everything has a purpose and meaning. All decisions are based on the question ‘is this on brand for us?’” If expo floor ideas don’t contribute to community building and delivering on experience, they are discarded.
The show’s revenue stream is not solely dependent on sponsors and exhibit space. Delegates are charged a high gate (entrance fee), so you know they want to be there. And with high prices, there are high expectations. Medved added: “Throughout the event, the Connections Lounge with 200+ tables is packed with meetings, normally lasting 20 minutes each. Our App has a high rate of adoption and is used to book those meetings.”
Big parties are held nightly keeping delegates and sponsors. Medved concluded: “When the financial ecosystem meets annually in Las Vegas, we want them to know they are somewhere else. They want to do business and celebrate their special community.” That energy was palpable.
