June 8th 2010 -- Consumers flocked in their thousands to this year’s Digital Life Expo to set a record total registration figure in excess of 23,000.

Increased dealer support and bigger advertising investments in radio, television, press and social media resulted in long but fast moving queues of hobbyists at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre during this last weekend.

Said PMA Director, Peter Rose, “It was a fantastic result. While we are still in the process of auditing and checking the figures, we know that we have well and truly broken the 20,000 barrier.”

Dealer support reached new records with photo supplements in both metropolitan papers and radio and television advertising driving consumers into photo stores to collect a free entry pass.

The dealer drive to distribute the free entry tickets to their customers was supported by a new social media campaign provided by Sunpro Games. In the run up to the show, more than 1000 pre-registrations were created. Tweeting, Facebook, You Tube and blog upload activity was also conducted from the show floor throughout the event.

A group of CBD retailers worked together to sponsor a special Digital Life Expo bus which ran between the convention centre and the GPO. Brightly painted in show livery, the free bus service was heavily patronised and gave the show considerable extra prominance in the city’s key traffic area.

Peter Michael of Michaels, commented, “As retail sales can vary quite significantly, we needed to put a little "science" into determining the sales that resulted from the show. We have done that conservatively, and we believe that the show generated a 26% increase in sales for the 3 days of the show”.

The Professional Photographers Boot Camp educational program also set record levels with 483 delegates attending the sessions.

Media attention was intensive with 3AW devoting most of their morning weekend programs to talking about photography and ABC TV extensively featuring the show early in its main 7.00pm news.