Snell has announced that it will not exhibit at IBC2009, in light of the “current economic climate” and its “renewed focus on strengthening customer relationships.”
The company, which recently shortened its name to “Snell” after merging with Pro-Bel earlier this year, joins a growing list of major names who have opted out of the annual European broadcast gathering. Several years ago, Panasonic dropped out of the exhibit floor, followed by Sony this year. Avid left but has since returned. And back when it was Snell & Wilcox, the company dropped out of IBC in 2005, but returned the following year.
Neil Maycock, chief marketing officer at Snell noted the company’s increasing emphasis on individual meetings with customers and “local market initiatives,” i.e. roadshows, a popular alternative for companies that opt out of exhibiting on the show floor.
“We are not abandoning major trade shows, in fact NAB gave us the perfect opportunity to showcase our newly merged organization on a grand scale,” Maycock said. “However, we realize it’s increasingly important to be responsive to market conditions and use the most appropriate mechanisms to engage with our customers.”
Simon Derry, Snell CEO said the company has increased its marketing budget for 2009 and will “focus it on activities such as roadshows, local seminars, webinars and product familiarization programs. By doing this, we hope to introduce the new Snell business to a wider audience in a more accessible and appropriate way.”
Although Snell will not be exhibiting on the show floor, the company will still have an active presence at IBC2009 and will host events for customers and the press.
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