The Great Graphic Barrier Display system can be used in many ways including Exhibition Displays, queue control and retail display. The graphics retract inside the cross rail like a roller blind for safe easy transportation. Graphics can be 1m, 1.5m or 2m wide x 1m, 1.5m or 2m tall and come with base options for indoor or out door use. Everything is supplied with fabric carry bags.Telephone: 0800 2983838Email: sales@boldscan.co.ukwww.boldscanshop.comTHE GREAT GRAPHIC BARRIER DISPLAY SYSTEMwhatever you want it to be.The east of england's leading, multi-purpose events complex - Call 01733 363500or visit: www.peterborougharena.com7 indoor exhibitionand entertainment venues250 acresof outdoor spaceWithin 2 hours travelling distance for over 25% of the UK's populationExcellent road, rail and air linksParking for 22,000 vehiclesPeterborough Arena, East of England Showground, Peterborough PE2 6XE

RESEARCH32 www.exhibitionnews.co.ukLive in a digitaL agea new study into the visitor marketing behaviours of exhibition organisers highlights the growing influence of digital platforms. Yet as UBM's CPhi team claims, this should be a complement to live events. EN reports ike most industries, the exhibition sector is embracing digital media to communicate to current customers and appeal to new ones. While visitor registration and show marketing are major areas being transformed by the digital age, questions are also being raised about the complementary avenues an exhibition brand can stretch into on behalf of its exhibitors outside the face-to-face environment.Research firm Vivid Interface embarked on a fresh survey of UK trade exhibition organisers this year in a bid to gauge to what extent digital marketing is influencing visitor marketing strategies today. The research followed on from a similar survey conducted in 2009 and took into account new marketing streams such as social networking. According to Vivid Interface MD Geoffrey Dixon, the research found the reliance by trade show organisers on email communication is likely to continue, though with some levelling off in performance.In the original visitor marketing survey conducted in conjunction with International Confex and the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), 29 per cent Lof trade show online spend was devoted to email marketing campaigns. The follow-up survey of 20 trade show organisers in 2012 showed this figure increased to 34 per cent of budget. However Dixon claimed the ratio looks set to decline over the next 12 months, with social media spend increasing from five per cent of the current online budget to 15 per cent, pushing email marketing back to less than 30 per cent of budget.At the same time, social media is yet to arrive as a truly effective recruiter for trade show audiences. The 2012 findings and supporting Vivid event research showed five per cent of visitors are influenced through social media platforms to register for trade shows today.Against this, email marketing increased its performance in generating registrations between 2009 and 2012, providing 50 per cent of visitors in 2012 (2009: 34 per cent). This increase is mirrored by a decline in direct marketing, generating 25 per cent of visitors to trade shows from a high 43 per cent in the 2009 survey.Dixon said a similar impact can be seen by looking at the overall effectiveness of online communications. When compared to offline in converting registrations to visitors, 59 per cent were found to be registering for trade shows from online marketing activity in 2009. This has increased to 69 per cent in 2012.At a wider level, organisers are also embracing digital media to extend their brand reach into their chosen markets. This is opening up new lines of communication as well as sales opportunities for organisers. In 2012, 16 out of the 20 organisers surveyed said they use email newsletters to communicate to their markets. Of these, 13 provide searchable databases of exhibitors and half say they deliver white papers about industry issues.DigitaL in context: cPhiAs a way of detailing the digital trend emerging across marketing strategies, UBM's peripatetic pharmaceuticals trade show CPhI tested its exhibitors' desire to utilise various digital media to communicate to its audience. The survey saw Vivid examine the 'brand permissions' CPhI held with its exhibitors to occupy a digital communication space. The starting point was to measure