Feature
Geo-cloning –
Expanding a brand
The latest EN Roundtable, in association with Innovation
Norway and Norway Trade Fairs, saw event organisers
discussing the process of transposing an existing event
brand to a new destination
G
eo-cloning has rapidly become the
go-to growth strategy for exhibition
organisers looking to expand internationally.
With less of the risk of a brand-new launch
and an existing brand reputation to use as a
launch pad and a statement of intent, geo-
clones have proven to be a valuable tactic.
At the latest EN Roundtable, held at co-
working space TOG at The Shard in London,
event professionals gathered to discuss the
challenges, risks and benefits of the geo-
cloning process. To kick off the discussion,
EN editor Nicola Macdonald reflects on a
presentation by Easyfairs CEO Eric Everard
at the UFI European Conference, where he
posited that geo-cloning was one of the most
effective growth strategies for organisers,
providing that due diligence has been carried
out in advance.
Greg Sewell, Clarion Events’ group
commercial director, adds: “We do a lot of
our geo-cloning once we have some form
of governmental backing. In terms of our
oil and gas markets and also our defence
markets. We’ll have done a lot of ground work
28 — July
Amy Buckingham, Commercial
Manager, Fresh Montgomery
Frazer Chesterman, Director,
FM Future
Jan Gjære, Project Manager,
Norway Trade Fairs
Britt Gorniok, International
Project Manager, Innovation
Norway
Nicola Macdonald, Editor,
Exhibition News
Feraye Ozfescioglu, CEO of
Aid&Trade London
Greg Sewell, Group Commercial
Director, Clarion Events
Juliet Trew, Business
Development Director – Events,
Aviation Week Network, an
Informa business
Anastasia Yates, Marketing
Manager, Fresh Montgomery
before you start to see or hear about it. That
mitigates the risk, we’ve got 90 per cent of
the work done, they’ll help us with speakers
and with rates on venues and we go from
there.
“It’s something we’ve woken up to. We had
established brands, DSEI for example, but it’s
this year that we’ve taken that to Egypt and
Japan. Why now? Because we’re seeing it as a
good way to take a solid brand with less risk
around the world. We can’t stand still – we
have to make growth.
“We will also geo-clone to knock out a
competitor. We’re trying to take on some big
players so we’re using our strong brands to
compete against those.”
Feraye Ozfescioglu, CEO of Aid&Trade
London and the World Humanitarian Forum,
comments: “Government support is a key
factor. Exhibitors and key stakeholders
should be coming with you but also the
strength of the country is an important factor
in my field – if there are lots of NGOs or if the
private sector is really strong, for example.
Having a venue partner is something we
would look into, but the main criteria would
be the nature of the country that is hosting.”
Juliet Trew, business development director
– events at Informa-owned Aviation Week
Network, says that government backing had
less of a central role when it came to geo-
cloning in her sector.
“What we’re looking for is industry
support,” she explains. “If we’re looking to
geo-clone something we’ll try and get a host
partner or host sponsor, which for us would
be a big maintenance or manufacturing
organisation. We want them to give us
sponsorship and also help us get into the
community and from there launch the show.
We’re looking for our industry to say there is
a need for an event.”
Frazer Chesterman, director of FM Future,
adds that he always looks for cornerstones
when launching a show, such as committed
ambassadors.
“That could be key exhibitors, major