Case Study: Hispanic Trade Shows & Special Events

The Challenge: Manage all aspects of an inaugural "Cinco De Mayo" trade show designed to showcase prepared foods, canned goods and a variety of ethnic specialties intended for retail, foodservice, wholesale and distribution buyers serving the growing Hispanic market throughout the Chicago area. Create an authentic, festive "market" environment within the client's 95,000 square foot warehouse.

Banner Wholesale Grocers' company management and staff gather just prior to the start of the company's first "Cinco De Mayo" trade show held in Chicago. The program was a huge success and planning for next year is underway.

The Client: Banner Wholesale Grocers provides direct access to the most extensive selection of Hispanic brands and food products. The company is extremely proud of its long-standing reputation serving this market. Its innovative marketing and merchandising programs for independently-owned, neighborhood grocery stores and buyers representing multiple chain operations are highly regarded in the foodservice industry. The company stocks more than 8,000 American products and 3,000 Mexican specialty items.

Food service stations provided visitors opportunities to taste and compare a wide variety of authentic Hispanic cuisine.

The Solution: The NM Marketing Communications, Inc. event team considered all options for how to use the expansive Banner warehouse for this first time event. An attractive exhibit area was only part of the trade show experience for the hundreds of customers and buyers who attended the show. Using a red, white and green color scheme, visitors entered the facility and then traveled down an attractive red carpet walkway to "Banner Central" and to the other exhibitor booths.

Besides the exhibit area, a Hispanic/Western look was established for other warehouse locations which created a wonderful environment for meeting and greeting attendees. A stage area served as the focal point for vocalists and Mariachi band. Theme decor was also introduced at various food serving stations replete with Mexican cuisine.

A local Mariachi band provided Hispanic spice to this wholesale grocery trade show and kept the event upbeat all day long.

Based on the event's overall success and resounding sales activity, Banner Wholesale Grocers and NM Marketing Communications, Inc. are now making plans for the 2005 event. This includes doubling the number of exhibitor booths and introducing several customized seminars for grocers and buyers.

If your company would like to improve the results of your scheduled trade shows or benefit from a targeted special events, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail.

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