New show targets all pet owners
Detail:
A new pet consumer show is to be launched in November and will include all pets, including horses and fish.
However, let me quickly say that this latest is in no way related in any shape or form to last year’s Ultimate Pet Show at the NEC, Birmingham, which a number of exhibitors thought was disappointing and which, as far as I am aware, appears to have been the first and last. One of the failings of that attempt was insufficient publicity.
This new endeavor, LovePets show, is the brainchild of one of the country’s largest media owners, Johnston Press, and its events team, JP Events & Exhibitions, which has been organising large-scale shows for 15 years. The company has 18 daily newspapers, 300 weekly newspapers and 319 websites in its stable.
The LovePets Show will be held at the indoor Exec Centre at the East of England Showground in Peterborough, and the company is throwing the publicity might of 43 regional newspapers and 35 websites in an eight-week publicity blitz prior to the event on November 27 and 28.
Mars Petcare has already been lined up as main sponsor and the show will be structured into six colour-coded zones: dogs, cats, equine, small pets and fish, birds and reptiles/exotics, along with demonstration and presentation areas.
It’s often been said that the country needs an all-encompassing consumer pet show. After all, many pet-owning families tend to own several pets, whether it’s dog/cat plus small animal and/or fish. Yet consumer shows, as far as I am aware, tend to focus on specific animals, in the main dogs, cats or small animals. There is a show for fish enthusiasts, the Festival of Fishkeeping at the Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire, though this tends to attract the more serious hobbyist.
Will LovePets become the Crufts of the pet world? There are four factors in its favour. The first, as mentioned, is strong publicity, which should bring in the visitors.
The second is its location. The showground is easily reached via the A1, and the East Midlands is said to have the most pet lovers in the UK. The purpose-built venue is also home to a number of big-ticket shows and exhibitions including the Shire Horse Society Spring Show, the East of England show, Truckfest, Just Dogs Live and a Christmas Festival, so can handle large numbers comfortably.
Free parking and reasonable entry charges will go down well with visitors – at the NEC for example, parking alone can be £8 on top of admission prices. At LovePets, a family ticket costs £10 if bought in advance.
Finally is the organisation and content of the show. The organisers are seasoned event planners. And although content is still being finalised, apart from trade and charity stands, plans are to include police dog displays, dog fly ball, Ask the Vet, grooming demonstrations, a children’s pets corner, dog and animal behaviourists, duck herding display, display of birds of prey, talks on getting started with pets and caring for sick pets as well as guide and hearing dogs display and search and rescue dogs. So a decent mix, with potentially something for everyone.
But will the trade bite and take up stand space? Rates for a full shell scheme seem reasonable at £95 plus VAT per square metre, which includes area-themed colour carpets, stand lighting, one power socket and complimentary tickets for guests. My guess is that with the way the pet industry is performing at the moment, stands will go quickish.
But the organisers will have to deliver on visitor numbers. They estimate 10,000 will arrive, and want to grow this to be an annual event. I f, however, the visitor figure does not materialise, chances are the trade will be very wary indeed to throw its support behind any future all-pet consumer venture.
However, let me quickly say that this latest is in no way related in any shape or form to last year’s Ultimate Pet Show at the NEC, Birmingham, which a number of exhibitors thought was disappointing and which, as far as I am aware, appears to have been the first and last. One of the failings of that attempt was insufficient publicity.
This new endeavor, LovePets show, is the brainchild of one of the country’s largest media owners, Johnston Press, and its events team, JP Events & Exhibitions, which has been organising large-scale shows for 15 years. The company has 18 daily newspapers, 300 weekly newspapers and 319 websites in its stable.
The LovePets Show will be held at the indoor Exec Centre at the East of England Showground in Peterborough, and the company is throwing the publicity might of 43 regional newspapers and 35 websites in an eight-week publicity blitz prior to the event on November 27 and 28.
Mars Petcare has already been lined up as main sponsor and the show will be structured into six colour-coded zones: dogs, cats, equine, small pets and fish, birds and reptiles/exotics, along with demonstration and presentation areas.
It’s often been said that the country needs an all-encompassing consumer pet show. After all, many pet-owning families tend to own several pets, whether it’s dog/cat plus small animal and/or fish. Yet consumer shows, as far as I am aware, tend to focus on specific animals, in the main dogs, cats or small animals. There is a show for fish enthusiasts, the Festival of Fishkeeping at the Mill Rythe Holiday Village in Hampshire, though this tends to attract the more serious hobbyist.
Will LovePets become the Crufts of the pet world? There are four factors in its favour. The first, as mentioned, is strong publicity, which should bring in the visitors.
The second is its location. The showground is easily reached via the A1, and the East Midlands is said to have the most pet lovers in the UK. The purpose-built venue is also home to a number of big-ticket shows and exhibitions including the Shire Horse Society Spring Show, the East of England show, Truckfest, Just Dogs Live and a Christmas Festival, so can handle large numbers comfortably.
Free parking and reasonable entry charges will go down well with visitors – at the NEC for example, parking alone can be £8 on top of admission prices. At LovePets, a family ticket costs £10 if bought in advance.
Finally is the organisation and content of the show. The organisers are seasoned event planners. And although content is still being finalised, apart from trade and charity stands, plans are to include police dog displays, dog fly ball, Ask the Vet, grooming demonstrations, a children’s pets corner, dog and animal behaviourists, duck herding display, display of birds of prey, talks on getting started with pets and caring for sick pets as well as guide and hearing dogs display and search and rescue dogs. So a decent mix, with potentially something for everyone.
But will the trade bite and take up stand space? Rates for a full shell scheme seem reasonable at £95 plus VAT per square metre, which includes area-themed colour carpets, stand lighting, one power socket and complimentary tickets for guests. My guess is that with the way the pet industry is performing at the moment, stands will go quickish.
But the organisers will have to deliver on visitor numbers. They estimate 10,000 will arrive, and want to grow this to be an annual event. I f, however, the visitor figure does not materialise, chances are the trade will be very wary indeed to throw its support behind any future all-pet consumer venture.
By:
Sandra
Date/time :
13/05/2010
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