New Surf Industry Trade Shows Meet Demand, and Then Some
Be careful what you wish for.
After years of asking for a back-to-school trade show, surf industry manufacturers are having to get the lines and money ready to attend two.
Atlanta-based Surf Expo will launch a new back-to-school trade show in March in Anaheim. A week later, Laguna Beach-based ASR will raise the curtain on its new Back2Skool Trade Show in Huntington Beach.
For some companies, it may be a bit too much of a good thing. Foothill Ranch-based Oakley Inc. attends about 14 trade shows per year, including ASR’s and Surf Expo’s traditional shows in September and winter. And Jeffrey Fitzhugh, brand manager and national sales manager for footwear, says things add up.
“We go through so many different categories (as a brand) it makes it very difficult for us to pick and choose which trade shows to go to because obviously cost becomes a factor to us,” Fitzhugh said. “And we like to support the industries we’re in, for instance motocross, golf and surf.”
So far Oakley has signed up for ASR’s back-to-school event, but Fitzhugh says that doesn’t mean the company won’t decide to attend to Surf Expo’s March event as well.
Other industry manufacturers don’t mind.
Bob Hurley, president of Hurley International, Costa Mesa, said both new shows “will help us get our jobs done more efficiently” and are welcomed since both come at a time when product needs to be shown. He said both ASR and Surf Expo put on “great” shows.
“ASR is more established on this coast but it doesn’t mean that Surf Expo can’t do a great job, as well,” Hurley said.
The growing number of trade shows is one indication of the maturation of the surf industry, which never seems to have been afraid to ask trade show producers for changes.
ASR recently announced other changes in direct response to retailer and manufacturer demand, according to Court Overin, group vice president of VNU Expositions, which owns ASR.
In 2003, the summer-line show scheduled for Long Beach Convention Center in February is set to move to Jan. 23 to 25. In 2004, the show will shift to Jan. 16 to 18, but is set for the San Diego Convention Center,the current venue for ASR’s September spring-line shows.
The move returns ASR to dates it held about eight years ago, according to Overin. At that time a group of manufacturers suggested that ASR move its January show to March, and then changed their minds, which resulted in the show ending up in February (January dates were booked).
But the shifts in dates and venue put the show more in tune with buying patterns and gives ASR room to grow, according to Overin. The Long Beach Convention Center doesn’t allow ASR to host as many booths as the newly expanded San Diego Convention Center, he said.
Plus, ASR’s move to January will put its show about a week ahead of Surf Expo’s show in 2004, which Overin said “makes ASR the launch show for summer products. It bodes well for us.”
But the move isn’t expected to present a conflict, even though surf industry manufacturers will have barely packed up their marketing materials before having to unpack for another show across the country.
Hurley points out that companies already do that in September, when both ASR and Surf Expo offer shows. ASR has shows in San Diego and Atlantic City. Surf Expo holds one in Florida. And Hurley said “it works fantastic.”
“It’s perfect because it’s two different marketplaces,” Hurley said.
Lori Kisner, vice president of sports and leisure for dmg World Media, which owns Surf Expo, said ASR’s date switches aren’t an issue.
“It doesn’t really matter to us,” Kisner said. “We don’t get a lot of West Coast business at our January show,” which primarily caters to East Coast companies.
She said the bigger issue is whether manufacturers will be ready to present lines in early January.
“We just receive a lot of complaints from customers, both retailers and manufacturers, that it’s difficult to be ready the first week of January,” Kisner said. Consequently, she added, in the future Surf Expo will hold its show in late January.
Surf Expo, which features beach, surf and watersports products, and ASR, which focuses on youth culture, surf, skate, style and club, have co-existed for decades peacefully, according to Kisner. The shows have a different feel and are usually held on opposite coasts, she said.
Even so, friendly rivalry took a turn when Surf Expo announced it will hold its first West Coast show for back-to-school lines on March 11 and 12 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
“There’s a difference of opinion as to whether we should be doing a back-to-school show on their perceived turf,” Kisner said. “But as far as the other shows are concerned, we exhibit in each other’s shows, we have supported each other’s shows. It’s absolutely a peaceful relationship and it will continue to be.”
ASR will also offer a new Back2Skool Trade Show about a week later (March 20 and 21) at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach. Both producers said their shows were created because of industry demand.
And the events are described as a bit different, but they clearly are competing for many of the same exhibitors and attendees.
Surf Expo hopes to have about 300 booths and draw national surf apparel manufacturers as well as skate apparel and footwear companies. Dmg recently hired three industry veterans to oversee the new series, including field marketing manager Kelly Macrides, who will spearhead the launch of the inaugural event. Macrides is the former executive director of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association, a nonprofit organization that contributes funds to both Surf Expo and ASR.
“We’ve gotten all the major support,” said Kisner, adding that Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. has committed, among others.
Meanwhile, Overin said, ASR’s back-to-school show will be an invitation-only “boutique event,” with about 50 hand-picked manufacturers, about 300 retailers and up to 110 booths, with no corporate displays.
ASR, after exploring options on the East Coast, picked the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach for its venue. So far, Overin said, companies that have committed include Volcom, Hurley, Counter Culture, Stussy, Rusty, Realm, O’Neill and Oakley.
“The response has been great,” Overin said. “Out of 100 to 110 booths, we’ve already sold 70.”
Still, two new back-to-school shows on the same turf brings up the question: Will manufacturers and retailers want to take on the expense?
“It will be up to the retailers to decide if both shows are really vital and will go on,” Hurley said. “I, as a manufacturer, am very excited to see them both.” n
