Analytica. Getting better every (two) years

20th May 2016 - Last modified 20th March 2018

Written by David Robinson.

Now that Analytica is over for another two years, it’s a good time to take stock on this established scientific event. First the data from the organisers:

• Over 1,200 exhibitors (up 6.5% on 2014)

• From 40 countries (most represented were Germany, China, the US and the UK)

• Attracting approximately 35,000 visitors

Looking at, and beyond, the numbers, it is clear that Analytica continues to buck the general trend in exhibitions. It is growing. There seems a definite contrast with Pittcon, with a few exhibitors highlighting to me the difference between the two shows. I was unable to attend Pittcon this year, but the Analytica organiser’s claim that it is the “Number 1” industry event is perhaps not a hollow one.

In general the flow of visitors was good, with Halls A1, A2 and B1 seeing the most traffic, and the footfall in the other halls was also impressive. Of the two days that my colleague Kelly Hooper and I were there, the Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday were busier.

Analytica has always been a strong analytical show of course, and for some years the organisers have been developing the general life science and laboratory areas. It was certainly clear to me that this year, Hall A3 (biotechnology, life science and diagnostics) was larger, busier and with more free-build stands than two years ago.

More a business-to-business event, it is ideal for meeting up with new and existing distributors, and overall there was a dynamic atmosphere. Everyone I spoke with seemed genuinely happy, and our clients were enthusiastic. One was attending on my recommendation, so there was some satisfaction (and, let’s face it, relief!) that it proved to be so successful.

There were a number of product launches and media events, with one in particular (no names!) causing some consternation with the attending media. The gist of it was that after about an hour of build-up, they were told that the company could not reveal the details of what the new product did as it wasn’t being launched until 2017 and hadn’t been beta tested. A bit of a non-event?

At Alto Marketing, we talk in detail with our clients about what they want to achieve from holding a media event, and also what it’s possible to achieve, before going to the expense of organising one. Media events can certainly be worth it, but the rationale has to be right. If you really want to stand out and make a statement about your company or a product, then there is the justification; otherwise holding 1-2-1 meetings with the media on your stand would be a more cost-effective method of getting your message across and gaining coverage. So if you are looking for advice and support with your PR and content marketing – or any aspects of your marketing communications – please do get in touch. Our commitment is that we will only recommend activities if we believe that there is a justifiable return on investment.

And finally, I really liked the hologram product presentation on the Edwards stand. Holograms aren’t new, but it’s a really nice way to attract attention.

Here’s looking forward to the next Analytica (10-13 April, 2018).

Written by David Robinson – Founder/Managing Director