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PMA logo. Click here to visit the PMA website! PMA tradeshow moved from spring to fall, opened to public
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(Thursday, June 3, 2010 - 00:28 EDT)

The Photo Marketing Association has announced that it is to move its annual International Convention and Trade Show from its traditional spring schedule, with the next show now set to take place in the fall of 2011.

As recently as two weeks ago, the next PMA show was scheduled to take place at the start of February 2011, just three weeks after the end of the annual Consumer Electronics Show. That has now been pushed back to early September 2011. The tradeshow first debuted in Minneapolis, MN in late February 1924, under the organization's original name -- the Photo Finishers Association of America.

The Photo Marketing Association attributes the new fall date to a need to meet changes in industry buying cycles. The show -- tradtionally open only to the press and photo industry attendees -- will also allow members of the public on the show floor for one day only. PMA 2011 will run from September 8 - 10, with public access on September 10. After a somewhat unpopular move to Anaheim, CA for 2010, the show is set to return to its previous venue in Las Vegas, Nevada for 2011.

While the PMA show has been among the largest photo-centric shows, being billed as the world's largest annual photo tradeshow, attendance has tapered off in recent years. The Consumer Electronics Show has likewise seen somewhat of a falloff, but its broader remit has allowed it to continue to attract significantly greater attendance than that of PMA. This fact has likely also played a significant role in the PMA's decision. Last September, Canon -- traditionally one of the flagship exhibitors, with a huge booth right inside the PMA show entrance -- grabbed major headlines, when it announced plans to skip PMA 2010. Among the reasons cited for its decision, Canon noted the CES show's larger audience, and the broader mix of retailers it attracts. While many big names still had a presence, quite a few other traditional exhibitors quietly followed Canon's lead, and were either absent from the final exhibitor list for PMA 2010, or had a significantly reduced presence.

While the PMA show's new slot will likely help in the short term, placing the show nicely in the leadup to the 2011 holiday season, the new schedule could bring PMA head-to-head with another mighty rival the following year, should the updated fall schedule remain unchanged. The world's largest photo-centric tradeshow -- Germany's Photokina show -- likewise operates on a fall schedule, albeit once every two years. By way of comparison, the last time Photokina was held in 2008, it drew some 175,000 attendees, versus around 19,000 for the same year's PMA show. With the next Photokina tradeshow slated for late September 2010, PMA 2011 won't face competition from Photokina. The following year, however, manufacturers could be presented with a decision as to which show to attend, should their schedules come too close.

More details on PMA's new schedule can be found in the official press release below.

Original Source Press Release:

PMA announces PMA 2011 will be September 8-10, 2011

Fall event kicks off key holiday promotional season for industry

Key points:

  • PMA 2011 will be Sept. 8-10, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nev.

  • DIMA conference will be Sept. 6-9.

  • PPFA conference will be Sept. 6-9.

  • PIEA conference will be Sept. 8-11.

  • Photo enthusiasts welcome Sept. 10.

  • PSPA and SPAA conferences to be held in spring 2011.

  • PMA 2011 website is www.pmai.org/pma2011.

JACKSON, Mich. – PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations announces the PMA 2011 International Convention and Trade Show will be Sept. 8-10, 2011, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Las Vegas, Nev.

The PMA show is traditionally held in the first quarter, but changes in industry buying cycles and technology developments made the new schedule advantageous.

“Based on input from key suppliers and trade groups, the PMA show is changing dates to better serve the photo industry,” says Ted Fox, executive director and CEO, PMA.

“Having the PMA 2011 show on the leading edge of the holiday season is the best opportunity to make critical buying decisions for the fourth quarter,” says Brian Wood, 2010-2011 PMA international president.

“PMA member retailers and service providers can now use the largest annual photo imaging show and conference to find those new products and services that will make a holiday season successful,” explains Fox. “Also, world-class PMA convention education will provide the most up-to-date retail trends and market information.”

Fox notes the fast-paced business world today means nimble retailers and service providers no longer need the long lead of a first-quarter event. Conversely, the fall show dates are ideal for those large chain stores that do place purchase orders long in advance.

“Fall makes great sense for the PMA show,” says Mike Worswick, co-owner of Wolfe’s Cameras, Camcorders & Computers, Topeka, Kan., and president, Photographic Research Organization (PRO). “Specialty retailers are not ready to buy merchandise in February. Instead of viewing late spring products, retailers can nail down program details for holiday merchandise.”

“Most of our major vendors introduce new product lines twice each year – winter and fall,” adds Richard Yagjian, executive vice president and COO, W.B. Hunt Co. Inc., Melrose, Mass. “A PMA annual show in the fall overcomes the problem of second-half product introductions coming to market without much fanfare. The industry will benefit.”

“The proximity of early September dates makes PMA 2011 the ideal kickoff for the holiday selling season,” says Fox. “The PMA show serves as the media showcase for the photo/imaging industry – generating thousands of blog posts, newspaper articles, and YouTubevideos. Moving the show to September highlights photography for the holidays. This includes new cameras and camcorders, but also the evolving photo publishing market, including photo books, cards, calendars, and more.”

“From the independent specialty retailer’s point of view, I’m very pleased with this announcement,” says Brent Bowyer, executive director,Independent Photo Imagers (IPI), Henderson, Nev. “I welcome the opportunity to attend an early September educational event and trade show to be prepared for the huge holiday buying season. This is a fabulous idea.”

To build on the excitement of the photo/imaging category, the PMA 2011 show will be open to photo enthusiasts on Saturday, Sept. 10.

“Our very successful Digital Expo, held each year in Australia, has shown the appetite of consumers for hands-on photography experiences is considerable,” says Fox. “For the first time, enthusiast and hobbyist photographers can walk the show floor to see and touch the latest cameras and imaging technology.”

PMA member associations – including the Digital Imaging Marketing Association® (DIMA®), Photo Imaging Education Association (PIEA), and Professional Picture Framers Association™ (PPFA®) – will hold their customary conferences Sept. 6-11, in conjunction with PMA 2011.

Understanding the first-quarter time period is ideal for the school portrait, sports, and event photo markets, PMA is considering a spring 2011 event for the Professional School Photographers Association International™ (PSPA™) and Sports Photographers Association of America (SPAA®). More details will be available after the leadership of these PMA member associations meet in the coming weeks.

“We are extremely confident PMA will fulfill our conference needs with a PSPA conference colocating with SPAA in the first half of 2011,” says Ken Strawbridge, president, Strawbridge Studios Inc., and past president, PMA and PSPA. “I respect this decision and think it will end up proving extremely positive for all segments of the photo imaging industry.”

“I give PMA a lot of credit for adapting its convention planning to its different segments of the industry,” saysTom Hayes, Visual Image Photography, Cedarburg, Wis. “We all have different buying cycles and varying convenient times to attend a convention. PMA recognizes this, and I am sure will fulfill all of our educational needs.”

Issues regarding future dates of international PMA events that could be potentially affected by the change, such as the PMA Canada Photo Expo, will be addressed at upcoming advisory committee meetings, according to Fox.

Major PMA events coming soon:

For more information on PMA events, visit the PMA home page.

About PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations
As a professional trade association, PMA® helps the worldwide photo imaging community achieve business success and adapt to new technologies. Its commitment to members in 100-plus countries is part of an 85-year legacy that connects business owners to a network of knowledge and support. PMA furthers this purpose through the development of educational programs, marketing research, publications, and trade shows. As a not-for-profit organization, any success PMA achieves in its endeavors directly benefits the industry, providing the means to continually develop services and activities for members.

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