COVER FEATURE
“You can’t just chuck everything
29
British into one pot and hope
that you can attract the right
audience, there's a lot more
science to it than that.”
A foot in the door
It’s easy to underestimate the value of a
trade show to companies looking to expand
into a new territory.
“For just over half the show it’s their
first time in China and we’re making it
economically reasonable for them to launch
in the country,” says Newton. “There's no
massive cost and it gives them a chance to
put a foot in the threshold. On the other
hand, you’ve got British companies that have
already taken that step and are already out
there but are trying to attract people who
love British luxury products. They’re taking
advantage of trying to find more dealers or
promoting their products to the consumer.”
With Brexit looming on the horizon it’s
likely to become more important than ever
for British companies to build strong trade
partnerships further overseas. Newton says
that, while the idea for the show had been
percolating for some time, the vote to leave
the EU was a factor in going ahead with the
launch.
“I don’t think the idea was born through
Brexit,” he tells EN. “The idea was born
through us being in China and realising how
big the economy is and how much it still
has to grow. The whole world is realising
that China cannot be ignored. Brexit maybe
nudged us over the line. Whatever way you
were voting and whatever you hope is going
to happen everyone must agree that we
should be selling to China. Whether we’re
financially crippled in the UK or whether
things boom you should still be looking at
China.”
And Media 10 is certainly practicing
what it preaches. With a successful portfolio
in China, a growing team on the ground
and, says Newton, plenty of ideas for new
launches in the country, event professionals
with an interest in the international market
should be watching this space. EN
exhibitionnews.co.uk | January 2019