Incentive World lures Euro buyers

Incentive World ’97, which takes place at the Wembley Exhibition Centre from February 18 to 20, will feature more than 220 companies representing the promotional marketing and incentive industry.

The European Hosted Buyers Programme, which was an initiative introduced at last year’s show, is being expanded as more European buyers attend this year. More than 200 European buyers from 12 countries are expected at the event.

Orla Mitchell, product group manager for Nestlé Rowntree Ireland, says: “We carry out a lot of on-pack promotion work and so we will be looking at new promotional items to complement this. In particular we are looking at new ideas, mechanisms, and low-cost premiums for the ten- to 35-year-old age group.”

This year will also see newcomers to the promotions and incentives industry exhibiting at the show.

The National Magazine Company and BEAP have chosen the show to launch into this market. BEAP will be launching a new trading division at the show – Puzzler Marketing, which will develop new products for particular markets offering a full project management service.

Other new exhibitors, who are already established in this sector, include BT Phonecards, Royal Mint, Pentel Stationery and H Samuel.

As part of a visitor promotion campaign, organiser Avenue Exhibition, has mailed 100,000 potential visitors with part of a Codem tem plate. The master template is overlaid on entering the show, revealing a winning message. Visitors can then receive their prize from a designated stand.

The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), one of the supporters of the event, will, for the first time at any exhibition, setting up their Internet site in five languages.

The BPMA’s Internet page will enable tabulation of all relevant suppliers in German, French, Danish, Italian and Spanish.

The show will end with the Incentive World Awards Evening. The award categories will be split into three sections: the most innovative stand; the most inventive incentive; and the most innovative product.

Next year’s show will take place from March 3 to 5.