Hallmark Events and Measures of Reach and Audience Characteristics

A variety of commercial expositions, fairs, and trade shows offers an opportunity to facilitate media strategy and selection problems. Such hallmark events are designed to attract huge crowds. The decision whether to participate in a particular event as part of a marketing program is based on the ability of the event to attract present and potential customers and provide high-quality exposure. A study of 10 hallmark events staged between 1984 and 1989 examined the audience makeup of the events. The revealed a wide range in the characteristics of attendees, which should present opportunities to advertisers. Detailed product or brand information, such as recall, use, and frequency of usage, was obtained specifically to suit individual advertisers or sponsors. With hallmark event sponsorship, an advertiser is in a strategic position to promote brands or families of brands, introduce new brands or product categories, seek new markets, and reinforce existing markets.