Record PMA attendance tops 20,000

Final attendance numbers for the PMA 2010 Digital Life Expo are expected to be in excess of 20,000, a 25% increase on attendance at the previous show held in Sydney.

Increased dealer support and bigger advertising investments in radio, television, press and social media resulted in queues of hobbyists at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre during this last weekend, despite some inclement weather.

Organisers also took advantage of the adjacent Food and Wine Show by offering a discount registration to members of the public (and vice-versa for PMA attendees).

PMA director Peter Rose told PIN Online that he was “blown away” by the number of people who attended the show and participated in presentations and product demonstrations.

“It was a fantastic result,” he said. “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.”

Unofficial figures put the attendance number at more than 23,000, a record for the Australian show and a significant result given that this show did not include the framing show associated with the Sydney event.

More than 100 exhibitors participated in the exhibition with most major suppliers represented, except for Sony and Adobe. It’s understood Sony stepped back this year to focus on its involvement with the football World Cup.

Rose said 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,” he said.

A group of CBD retailers sponsored a special Digital Life Expo bus which ran between the Merlbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre and the GPO. 

Peter Michael of Michaels, a key supporter of the campaign,  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 three 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 its morning weekend programs to talking about photography and ABC TV extensively featuring the show early in its main 7pm news, according to DLE marketing director Paul Curtis.