This blog unpacks the facets that contribute to the essence of B2B events and examines standout examples that underscore their continued value in a digitally transformed world.

Networking: Beyond Virtual Screens

In an age where a firm handshake seems nostalgic, trade shows and conferences offer a refreshing break from the digital monotony. The top takeaway from our analysis resonates loud and clear: face-to-face networking spawns enduring connections. In a realm where virtual connections often lack the personal touch, in-person events stand as a testament to the power of genuine conversations. Whether exchanged during panel discussions, breakout sessions, or casual mixers, these interactions often mature into profound collaborations and partnerships. The impact of a heartfelt conversation cannot be overstated, and it is in these real-world interactions that business relationships find their roots.

In many sectors, revenues from sponsorships and events have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. For example, the BIO International Convention returned to in person events 2022 after two years of virtual conventions. The 2023 advertising revenue is a 20% YoY increase from last year and also a 5% increase of the pre-COVID convention spend during 2019.

Insights Beyond Boundaries

Beyond the allure of handshakes, B2B events host a treasure trove of insights. Professionals from diverse sectors converge, forming an amalgamation of industry expertise. Keynote speeches, workshops, and presentations deliver unparalleled learning experiences. Through these events, attendees gain access to the latest industry trends, groundbreaking strategies, and transformative best practices. This wealth of knowledge equips professionals with tools to navigate an ever-evolving business landscape. The role of B2B events as conduits of insights fosters growth, innovation, and resilience within industries.

Branding in the Limelight

Elevating brand visibility in a crowded market is a perpetual challenge. Here again, in-person events prove their worth. Exhibitors, whether through interactive booths, product demonstrations, or engaging speaking engagements, seize the opportunity to showcase their products, services, and innovations. The impact of a live and interactive engagement on potential leads cannot be overstated. These events offer a stage where brands can imprint their identities beyond the confines of digital and print marketing efforts. In a world saturated with advertisements, B2B events provide the space for brands to be experienced, not just observed.

Exemplary Case Studies: Events That Transcend

As the analysis of B2B events unfolds, several instances stand out, highlighting the undiminished power of these gatherings.

NAHB IBS 2023: Building Connections

The National Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show (IBS) is a testament to the enduring allure of B2B events. The Las Vegas Convention Center hosted the event, attracting over 70k attendees – the highest in more than a decade as reported by MedaRadar. The presence of over 1.2k companies showcasing 1.3k brands indicates a remarkable 55% YoY increase from the previous year. The re-engagement of 54% of these companies echoes the show’s consistent value proposition. This year’s event saw the arrival of newcomers such as Houzz and Clearlake Capital Group, alongside stalwarts like Haier Group, Fortune Brands, and Berkshire Hathaway. The event’s ad spend surged by 51% YoY, reflecting both confidence and market momentum.

NRF Retail’s Big Show 2023: The Retail Renaissance

The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Retail’s Big Show 2023 was marked by attendance that exceeded 90% of pre-covid levels, with over 35,000 attendees gathering to glean insights. MediaRadar observed that the event’s 900 exhibitors, presenting 940 brands, showcased a 27% YoY increase from the previous year. The participation of 59% of previous years’ companies, coupled with the inclusion of prominent newcomers like Databricks and FreedomPay, underscores the event’s evergreen relevance. Notably, ad spend for the event surged by 43% YoY, propelled by segments like retailer software, payment technology, and eCommerce software.

BIO International Convention: A Biotechnological Odyssey

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) International Convention 2023 painted a vivid picture of the biotechnological landscape. Hosting over 20k registrants and featuring more than 100 interactive sessions, this event was a haven for insights exchange. The participation of nearly 1.4k companies showcasing 1.5k brands marked a 28% YoY increase in brands exhibited according to MediaRadar data. Returning exhibitors like Sanofi, Merck & Co., and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) contributed significantly to the convention’s essence. Impressively, the convention’s advertising spend escalated by 20% YoY, surpassing even the pre-COVID levels of 2019.

The Intersection of Impact and Opportunity

As the curtain draws on the analysis of B2B event trends, it’s evident that these gatherings stand as intersections of impact and opportunity. The power of personal connections, the wealth of insights, and the canvas for brand visibility converge to form a compelling case for trade shows’ and conferences’ enduring relevance. In-person events offer a multidimensional avenue for success: from expanding professional networks to remaining abreast of industry currents and creating lasting brand impressions. In a world of evolving communication channels, B2B events shine as bastions of human connection, learning, and brand resonance.

As if returning to events wasn’t hard enough, we now have Delta on our hands. Even though events have already started taking place, companies and participants are getting nervous again. 

The event industry is ready—dare we say desperate—for in-person events to fully return. But sponsors and participants might not be on the same page. 

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Facing Delta, event stakeholders try to make it seem like everything’s fine

The event industry is enduring another round of pandemic-pain. As if last year weren’t enough, Delta is throwing a major wrench in the industry’s recovery. 

Major industry events ranging from the New York International Auto Show to T3 Conferences have been cancelled or postponed. Similarly, tourist and consumer events have been cancelled in areas that don’t have high vaccination rates and are experiencing overrun hospitals. 

“Down here in Louisiana, we are in our fourth and most dangerous surge to date, fueled by our insufficient vaccination rate and the highly transmissible Delta variant,” said a Louisiana Department of Health spokesperson. “Our hospitals are overwhelmed.” 

In the investor relation (IR) space, 90% of IR leaders have changed their plans for in-person meetings. “‘Our recent conversations with clients suggest the spread of the Delta variant has certainly tempered the overall enthusiasm for in-person events in the back half of the year,” told Thierry Elmaleh, IR partner at Q4 to IR Magazine.

Even though it seems that major events are being cancelled left and right, the event industry is doing its best to assure companies it’s safe to return.

The Trade Shows News Network released an article based on research claiming in-person events are safe. 

“We recognize the current rise in Delta variant cases has led some event organizers and exhibitors to consider cancellations,” said John Cordier, CEO and co-founder of Epistemix, a computational modeling software company. “Our modeling and data can help show organizers and public health officials replace that uncertainty with confidence to plan safe events.”

At events, most participants (if not all due to protocols) are vaccinated, which drastically reduces transmission. And more than 90% of participants are not opposed to additional safety protocols.

With the participants showing proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, the health and safety risks of events are arguably less than activities taking place outside the convention centers. 

But even if this research is accurate, the CDC also has a long list of risk factors and things to consider beyond vaccinations. There’s travel to consider, spacing, event settings, attendee behavior and more. Plus, Delta is breaking through vaccines. Though vaccinated people might not react strongly to Delta, they can spread it to others without knowing. 

The bottom line is that though events might be safer than they were a year ago, Delta is spreading fast. And event professionals are struggling to overcome that reality.

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Even with a limited cap on participants, the marathon will attract 33,000 runners from around the world. 

It’s not just a celebratory moment for the running community, but it’s a hopeful sign for others ready for in-person events to return. 

In the business world, conferences and trade shows are already gearing up. 

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In-person events are waking up, but the virtual element continues

In-person events are returning with limited capacities and safety measures in place. 

Tobacco Plus Expo was one of the first trade shows to return to Las Vegas in May. It attracted more than 4,000 people and went off smoothly. 

“Everybody’s hyped to be here,” said Ryan Puentes of Afghan Hemp to Las Vegas Sun. “I think a lot of people are happy to have that vibe of getting out and doing stuff again. It’s good to see it.”

Even though businesses learned how to switch to virtual events last year, online experiences can’t fully replace the buzz, networking and element of discovery that in-person shows offer. At the same time, industries want to hold onto the benefits that virtual events offer.

Virtual events are more cost-effective for the organizers and participants, they allow more people to join and, with well-designed UI, they enable participants to attend more keynotes and to select more meaningful sessions. 

Because virtual events proved effective last year, leaders believe that digital events are here to stay—even if it’s in a smaller capacity (e.g. hybrid trade shows). 

Tech consultant Tim Bajarin has attended over 30 virtual events and explains why he thinks online conferences will outlast the pandemic. 

“After attending so many virtual events that have been well produced and highly successful, it leads me to believe that many companies will continue with this format,” he explains. “In the future, some may find the need to add an in-person event too, but that may be smaller than the large ones they did in the past and include virtual access to broaden their audience of attendees.”

Businesses—trade show organizers, sponsoring companies, participants and virtual event platforms—will be reimagining their event world over the next year.

For most, the return to in-person will be slow

Though professionals are ready to connect with their peers again, most companies are not rushing the process. 

“With an extended lead time to plan, we’re definitely taking a walk-before-we-run approach—we want to use this time to think through what we had been doing in the past, what worked and what could use improvement,” said Hilary France, Co-founder and CEO of Brand Assembly. 

Her company recognizes that the world has greatly changed over the last year and they need to continually prioritize safety for participants in a ‘COVID-sensitive’ world. 

CES—Las Vegas’s biggest annual trade show—is coming back in 2022. In 2019, the event brought in 182,000 people to the city. For the 2022 event, many questions around safety, capacity and digital options are still up in the air, but organizers have nearly a year to plan for the highly anticipated event. 

Because most physical events will come back towards the end of 2021 and in 2022, planners are working to determine how virtual platforms can enhance the physical experience and safety measures needed in a world less threatened by COVID. 

For more updates like this, stay tuned. Subscribe to our blog for more updates on coronavirus and its mark on the economy. 

When are events expected to return to pre-pandemic levels, and how are advertisers preparing?

We encourage you to subscribe to our blog for the latest data surrounding the advertising industry. We will provide daily updates as COVID-19 continues to make its mark on the US economy.

It’s so close, convention centers and travelers can taste it

Roughly 81% of professionals who worked from home during the pandemic missed in-person meetings and conventions. They also will be just as likely, if not more, to attend trade shows and events in the future. Leaders located in major event hubs are hoping that will be in the second half of 2021.

“As we move forward with the vaccine rollout, we expect the second half of the year will start to ramp back up,” said Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International. “I’m a strong believer that we’ll come out of this, and Las Vegas will remain the top destination.”

Small events have returned to Vegas, but the first major event will take place in June. The World of Concrete trade show typically attracts tens of thousands of people, and will be the one of the first trade shows to utilize Las Vegas Convention Center’s new $980.3 million West Hall expansion. 

It’s not just Vegas. Hotels, airlines, and convention centers across the world are gearing up for a resurgence of business travelers once vaccines are fully distributed. 

According to Harvard Business Review, business travel made up 13% of international travel before the pandemic. Though this number may seem small at surface-level, international travel was critical for communication, trade and management of multinational corporations. For this reason, HBR predicts that international business travel will return to pre-pandemic levels before travel for internal meetings.  

In fact, Europeans have already started traveling to Dubai for major conferences. 

Keep in mind, McKinsey says overall global air travel is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024, but “travel for sales and client-related meetings is most likely to be among the first to return.”

MediaRadar Insights

With business leaders eager to meet clients in person, are advertisers trying to speed recovery up? 

Not yet.

Spend in the B2B travel and conference space in January and February of 2021 totaled just over $586k. Before the pandemic, this spend was $2.4mm across B2B print and digital formats.

Though spending hasn’t recovered, brands who are spending right now include convention centers in: Tennessee, Puerto Rico, New Jersey ,Texas, and Idaho. Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and United Airlines are also advertising in the B2B space.

For more updates like this, stay tuned. Subscribe to our blog for more updates on coronavirus and its mark on the economy.

Did marketers shift portions of their budget to digital ads? In short, yes.

Using MediaRadar data, we analyzed the behaviors of the top twenty thousand event sponsors and exhibitors from 2019. The data makes it clear that COVID-19 impacted event sponsor advertising strategies—and in certain industries more than others. 

We encourage you to subscribe to our blog for the latest data surrounding the advertising industry. We will provide daily updates as COVID-19 continues to make its mark on the US economy.

Uncertainty and Budget Cuts Present Challenges for B2B Marketers

2020’s unpredictability forced marketers to be highly strategic with their dollars, and to develop new advertising and promotional strategies.

As advertisers navigated new territory—and with tighter budgets—uncertainty increased.

A Chief Marketer survey published in July found that twice as many marketers were less certain of their budgets than they were before COVID-19. Even though the height of the pandemic seemed to have passed, a quarter of the participating Fortune 1000 marketers said that they were “uncertain of where any budget increases would be invested.” 

Though many didn’t know where they would prioritize their budgets, there were certain trending ideas.

The same survey found that 64% of B2B marketers planned on allocating live event spending to virtual events, while 42% said they would redistribute dollars to content marketing and 39% said to digital advertising.

As B2B marketers created new online content, digital ads became the chief driver to the content. Ads directed audiences to the newly created webinars, virtual events, blogs, white papers, podcasts, and more. In the data below, we share who shifted their online advertising budgets the most. 

MediaRadar Insights

For our analysis, we identified the top twenty thousand event sponsors and exhibitors from 2019. Then, we compared their digital spend on B2B websites in Jan-July 2020 to the same time period in 2019. The same group of event sponsors and exhibitors spent 26% more dollars on digital B2B ads this year.

The distribution of the increase is not even: Tech and financial firms lead the charge in converting their event budgets to digital ad spend. At the same time, the industry, services and wholesale sectors decreased their digital spending, but not by nearly as much.

While many industries’ spending stayed relatively even, this may reflect an increase in brands’ allocation to digital, considering that budgets are tighter this year. Though we don’t see each brand’s unique breakdown of marketing reallocation, we can see the brands who’ve upped their spending the most.

Some of the companies increasing B2B digital ad spend the most include:

• Deloitte
• IPG
• SAP
• Ernst & Young
• Cisco
• Salesforce

It is interesting to note that there are many B2B companies entering the digital advertising space for the first time. Almost 700 event advertisers from last year ran digital B2B ads in Jan-July 2020, despite not doing so in 2019. This reflects a major change for these companies—and one that will likely continue long term. 

As ad dollars continue to shift online, we’ll continue to share our findings here.

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This makes planning trade shows and large events difficult. Venues, travel reservations and speaker commitments have to be dependable. 

Due to instability, hopes of in-person events returning this year are looking grim. What does this mean for event organizers and sponsors?

We encourage you to subscribe to our blog for the latest data surrounding the advertising industry. We will provide daily updates as COVID-19 continues to make its mark on the US economy.

Digital events are growing stronger

According to a recent survey conducted by CEIR, 81% of organizers who were forced to cancel their events shifted to digital (compared to 69% in April). The top two reasons for this, according to Vice President of Research Nancy Drapeau, are uncertainty of regional lockdowns and corporate ‘no travel’ policies.

Spikes in cases are happening around the country and it’s unclear when an increase could cause political leaders to ban gatherings of large groups. This uncertainty makes it risky to invest time and money into planning physical events.

In 2019, MediaRadar found that over seventy thousand companies sponsored and exhibited at an event. This year is not shaping up the same way.  Instead, sponsors are turning to webinars.

Since the beginning of the year, the number of brands advertising across webinars has almost tripled.

Many events—especially large conferences and summits—are now using virtual event technology to recreate event experiences as much as possible with features such as: multiple content tracks, interactivity, CRM integrations and more.

Informa plc is one of the world’s largest network of events. More than 160 of its events have been cancelled or rescheduled from 2020 to 2021, and another 300-plus brands have turned their event digital this year. Despite this move online, many professionals are ready for in-person events to return.

In-person events will return slowly in the U.S.

Even though it will be a long road back to full-capacity events, analysts say there is optimism. 

According to the UK Daily Telegraph’s Questor column, Informa plc’s June 12th trading update was ‘reassuring’ because Credit Suisse changed its forecast from a £122m operating loss this year to £132m profit.

Even though things weren’t as bad as expected, Informa says it could take a decade before its stock prices return back to 2019 levels. Informa’s first in-person event, China Beauty Expo, recently took place on July 9th and the company has several more events lined up in September. 

Even though international events are starting to take place, the US is slower to rebound due to the fact that the number of infections is rising. Until last week, Informa’s MAGIC fashion event was scheduled to take place in September in Las Vegas. On July 10th, Informa announced that it would be cancelled and moved online. 

“The prospect of a return for some of our major events brands in mainland China from July is now real,” said chief executive of Informa plc Stephen Carter. Other areas, including the U.S., are experiencing a “gradual and phased” recovery. 

As events return, there will be new health and safety protocols. Sponsors and exhibitors must be flexible and get comfortable with last minute changes. One thing is certain—event experiences will certainly be different than they were pre-COVID. 

For more updates like this, stay tuned. Subscribe to our blog for more updates on coronavirus and its mark on the economy.

Last week, we covered how trade shows were suffering due to coronavirus. Since then, the situation has only escalated. 

“Three weeks ago this was a blip on the radar screen, two weeks ago it became something real, a week ago it was all anyone was spending their time on,” says Nick Hayman, chief customer officer at Winsight. Winsight is a B2B media and information company that organizes more than 30 conferences a year.

The timing of this pandemic is hitting organizers particularly hard as the first half of the year is event season for B2B events. 

Here is an update on B2B events affected by coronavirus and the ad spending that will be impacted. 

We encourage you to subscribe to our Blog for the latest data surrounding the advertising industry. We will provide daily updates as COVID-19 continues to make its mark on the US economy.

Events continue to wane 

The first major event to cancel was Mobile World Congress back in February. Other events followed suit, albeit hesitantly. 

SXSW was ordered to cancel last week, only one week before it was set to take place. The annual tech, film and music festival, which brings in 400,000 international travelers and over $355M for the city, was set to take place March 13-22. 

SXSW is just one event that shows just how fast these decisions are happening. The American Physical Society cancelled its largest meeting of 10,000 people from all around the world with less than 34 hours before the event. 

The world’s largest exhibitions organizer, Informa plc, has delayed or canceled more than 100 events due to coronavirus. This is about $520 million in unrealized revenue. Most of these gatherings have been rescheduled, with only 13 completely cancelled. This makes sense, considering events account for 65% of the company’s revenue. 

As events cancel, we see a prime example as to why. The Biogen Leadership Conference, held in Massachusetts in late February, is now linked to 78 different cases.

Even an event about coronavirus was cancelled due to coronavirus. 

The general consensus is that B2B event organizers are proceeding with caution — heeding public officials’ warnings and finding ways to offset lost event revenue. 

MediaRadar insights on B2B event spending

To be able to predict how much this will affect ad spending over the next year, we first have to look at the past standards for B2B events. 

For starters, the timing of this pandemic was not favorable for event organizers. 

The first half of the year is key to events. We found that 70% of all event spending happens during Q1, and another 21% occurs in Q2. 

While many events are being switched to an online format and others are being rescheduled for later in the year, it is certain that there was significant revenue lost in Q1. 

MediaRadar data shows that:

• Nearly 1 in 5 B2B event advertisers also advertise in B2B print and digital. 
• Over 500 brands on average attend an event.
• Over 70k companies sponsored or exhibited at an event in 2019.

The average B2B event revenue varies by industry. In retail, for example, the average B2B event generated over $6M in revenue from exhibitor/sponsorship fees.

The number of B2B event advertisers that also advertised in B2B print and digital has started to decrease. In 2017, 23% of companies that advertised in both events and print and digital compared to 20% in 2019. 

With event cancellations, however, much remains unknown of how advertisers plan to spend their budget. In light of conference cancellations, marketers are turning to digital events, webinars and direct mail. 

As society is encouraged to practice social distancing, it doesn’t appear like business will be going back to normal anytime soon. MediaRadar will continue to cover B2B ad spending and provide the latest data for publishers in times of uncertainty.

They create significant revenue, foster engagement and provide space for new relationships. 

The average retail event can bring in over $6 million — but 2020 is shaping up differently due to Coronavirus. 

Many key trade shows have rescheduled or cancelled completely. Events that are set to continue are seeing many participants withdraw from their commitments, as large corporations are restricting employees from participating. 

Here we cover the latest on coronavirus and the major trade shows that have been impacted.

We encourage you to subscribe to our Blog for the latest data surrounding the advertising industry. We will provide daily updates as COVID-19 continues to make its mark on the US economy.

The latest on Coronavirus

The COVID-19 virus (coronavirus) has now spread to 77 countries, killed more than 3,200 people and infected more than 100,000. 

As of March 10, the US death toll according to the CDC had reached 25 people. 

Bill Gates stated that this virus is now behaving like the “once-in-a-century pathogen we’ve been worried about.”

The Gates Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation teamed up to help with prevention efforts. With their support, researchers in Cambodia have identified the full genome of the virus, making it much easier and faster to identify in people.

On top of this effort, Facebook is giving free advertisements to the World Health Organization and removing false information from its platform. This is a strikingly different approach than Facebook’s approach towards political ads and misinformation. 

Facebook recently announced the cancellation of its F8 conference that was scheduled for early May. Similarly, it announced that it would not be participating in the SXSW conference. 

Facebook is not alone. There have been a number of event cancellations that will impact a wide variety of industries and businesses. 

Conferences that are being rescheduled or cancelled

Business connections and advertising opportunities are pending on how global health leaders continue to control, or not control, the spread of COVID-19.

The first major cancellation announcement was the Mobile World Congress. The event hosts more than 1,200 companies and generates almost $500M Euro in economic impact for Barcelona. 

MediaRadar data places MWC is a top 5 event in terms of exhibiting and sponsorship revenue.

Other major events across industries that were cancelled include:

• Ceraconference was set to host energy and oil executives from over 80 countries in Houston. It was canceled.
• The American Physical Society canceled its largest meeting of the year just 34 hours before the event was set to begin. They faced backlash from thousands of doctors who had already arrived in Denver for the short notice.
• Google recently called off its Google I/O 2020 conference for developers. Google had already announced that it would convert other in-person events to an online format. It is suspected that this event will also be carried out online.
• The Geneva International Motor Show was cancelled after the Swiss government put a temporary ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people. 

Others have been suspended: 

• The MIPIM property fair rescheduled its conference. It was supposed to be held between March 10 and 13th. While this is being written, it is rescheduled for June 2-5. However, it’s believed up to 10% of attendees have already canceled.
• The Game Developers Conference (GDC) was suspended after several major attendees, like Microsoft, pulled out. 

Some events will be transformed from in-person events to a purely online format, like the Adobe Summit.

SXSW Ordered to Cancel: A Reschedule is Pending

Some events plan to carry on as normal, but plans are changing daily. 

SXSW organizers originally said they had no plans to cancel or suspend the annual event that brings over 400,000 international travelers to Austin, Texas. 

The event’s determination to continue was not looking promising when Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey canceled his keynote place at the event. Other major VC’s and Startups were pulling out and a petition on Change.org reached over 55,000 signatures to cancel the event. The event’s organizers were ordered to cancel the event just one week before it was set to take place.

Last year, the event made $355.9 million for the city of Austin. Refund policies are unclear and lost revenues are not fully accounted for. There are talks about the possibility of rescheduling the event for later in the year. 

The SXSW ordeal exemplifies just how important trade shows can be, but how the protection of public health is paramount this year. The list of events and trade shows that have been rescheduled or cancelled is growing daily. Read here for a daily update.