Angeles corporate gift idea los

LOS ANGELES--At DECOR expo's June trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center, exhibitors reported that the show failed to generate large attendance numbers in its first outing. Still, Al Marco, c.e.o, of El Segundo, Calif.-based Brightcube, saw a silver lining. "The DECOR show could have been held in a hotel lobby, it was that small, but there's really quite an advantage to a slow show. We were able to talk comfortably with visitors, and it was successful. L.A. can be a viable market for trade shows--we have the people here--but [show promoters] have to invest in marketing."

And indeed, that was the basic idea in February, when DECOR expo--Los Angeles was announced. At the time, Eric Smith, vice president for expositions for the show, explained: "After listening to our exhibitors and buyers, we decided that what the market needed was a strong, vibrant West Coast show, We're building DECOR expo--Los Angeles to be that show. We placed the show in its June time slot to give exhibitors a chance to preview their fall lines to West Coast buyers before the DECOR expo--Atlanta show in September."

About 75 exhibitors previewed and displayed serigraphs, limited editions, oil paintings, laminating equipment and supplies, mat-cutters, custom picture framing, moulding, posters, picture lighting, giclees, gifts/accessories, clamps, framed mirrors and other new products. There was a true diversity of products and even more diversity of target marketplace, ranging from art framers to poster and gift shop owners to fine art gallery owners.

For example, Arakawa Hanging Systems of Portland, Ore., promoted its flexible art hanging systems that leave no holes in consumers' or art dealers' walls and are earthquake-proof. Wizard International, a Mukilteo, Wash., firm, showcased a computerized mat cutter that can create intricate accents for matting. Art publishers like Entertainment Art Editions and Greg Young Publishing were trying to entice art gallery owners to purchase their art works. So was artist Alina Eydel, a 10-year-old art prodigy who paints colorful cats.

ArtREPS, on the other hand, was trying to attract a few good publishers and corporate buyers. The Woodland Hills, Calif., company, which bills itself as "the leading source of new talent to the fine art publishing industry," represents artists in their quest to build larger businesses. "Our goal is to get them published so they have prints out there," explained Jan Krown.

By and large, the company's artists already have gallery representation, so ArtREPS looked to DECOR expo as a business-to-business marketing opportunity: The show worked well for the firm and its artists. "We saw a serious buying crowd here for the purpose of filling a gallery, decorating a hotel, looking for new art to publish," said Krown. "We sold some prints. And we had a tot of corporate buyers coming in looking for originals."