Press Releases

BUY, BUY, BUY!

Despite global economic pessimism, senior industry figures back 2009 investment in events, and discover exciting opportunities within this most durable of marketing media.

Deloitte corporate finance director Stuart Sparkes advised the live event marketing industry to be brave and acquire businesses in the second half of 2009, because good companies will be available at cheap prices. Sparkes was speaking at the annual AEO (Association of Event Organisers) Conference in Brighton on a platform with Grant Thornton partner, Dominic Bolton and economist turned strategist, Roger Martin-Fagg, in a session Chaired by former BBC News anchor Martyn Lewis.

The Henley Management College, client director of School of Growth, Innovation and Enterprise, Martin-Fagg led an animated panel discussion on the themes, "Could 2009 be as bad as the world predicts? What does the world economy have in store for media and the events business?". Sparkes’ advice to acquire was reinforced in a later session when Clarion Events chief executive Simon Kimble revealed the organiser currently had three acquisitions in the pipeline worth £50milllion.

During the discussion on "A view from the top: would you invest in the events business in 2009?" Kimble was joined by AEO’s current Chair Philip Soar and past president of the global organisers group UFI Sandy Angus. Unsurprisingly, strategic insight centred on how the events industry can tackle the recession in the forthcoming year but while Angus focused on delivering value, working with venues and suppliers, as well as building confidence and trust with customers, Soar highlighted the opportunities that will be available to small, aggressive companies when bigger companies and competitors discard viable event properties.

Today’s news that AEO member, experience marketing agency George P. Johnson (GPJ) has acquired online marketing agency JUXT Interactive and mobile device platform MobilePromote, underlines these insights.

"Companies looking to clearly differentiate their brands and truly engage with customers are seeking a new generation of experience marketing approaches," said Kim Myhre, vice president and general manager, George P Johnson, EMEA.
"These investments by GPJ represent an evolution in brand marketing that we strongly believe in, where integrated online and live experiences serve as the centrepiece to marketing campaigns that deliver measurable business results."

The acquisitions are set to support GPJ OnLIVE, the company's new digitally-infused service.