In July, Maine Outdoor Brands will be exhibiting at the largest outdoor industry tradeshow in North America, Outdoor Retailer. Held in Denver, Outdoor Retailer (or “OR”) is a major opportunity to get your brand and products in front of retailers, buyers, and the media. MOB members have the added benefit of exhibiting in the MOB booth for just $695-$995*, a considerable financial advantage over going it alone, especially for newer and smaller brands.
Attending the show is an investment in time and expense though, so perhaps you’re wondering what OR could offer you and your brand. Here’s some background.Outdoor Retailer is a four-day tradeshow where exhibiting outdoor brands present their products to retail buyers, reps, and the media. There are also educational talks, events, demos, networking opportunities, happy hours, and more.
The show is big, both in attendees and space. January’s winter show had 29,000 attendees and occupied more than a half million square feet and all three floors of the Colorado Convention Center. Summer is typically even bigger.
As Outdoor Retailer says, “This show is about buying, sourcing, strategic meetings, trend, education and networking with decision makers, influencers, stakeholders, key buyers, and athletes that influence the outdoor market.”
https://www.outdoorretailer.com/
As of 2018 there are three OR shows, all in Denver:
- Summer Market (July 23-26): typically the biggest OR and most wide-ranging, covering camping, hiking, climbing, paddling, lifestyle, and much more in the outdoor market
- Winter Market (November 8-11): focuses on the launch of winter product lines
- Winter + Snow Show (January 30-February 1): a combined winter show with Snowsports Industries America (SIA)
January’s show had 29,000 total attendees, including:
- more than 7,500 buyers from brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers
- more than 1,000 brands and their reps
- media from online, print, and other outdoor and mainstream outlets
- also suppliers, market experts, nonprofits, and more.
See who’s signed up to exhibit at the summer show: https://www.outdoorretailer.com/show/exhibitor-list/
See which stores are attending the summer show:
https://www.outdoorretailer.com/show/summer-attending-stores/
Outdoor Retailer is a hub of industry activity and connections and a unique opportunity to introduce your brand and products to new contacts face to face. It can be transformative, overwhelming, inspiring, demanding, and (dare we say?) game-changing.
If you’re thinking about attending, consider if the show reaches your market, if the industry contacts you need to make will be attending, and which seasonal shows (summer or winter) are most relevant to your brand.
OR is a chance to connect in person with outdoor retailers, buyers, and the media, and lay the groundwork for new relationships and deals. If you’re ready to check out OR firsthand this summer, exhibiting in the MOB booth offers several advantages. Most significantly, as a MOB member you can attend and exhibit at a fraction of the cost of doing so on your own, while testing the show for your own brand.
Consider:
- MOB members can exhibit in the MOB booth for $695-$995
- versus up to $10,000 or more for your own space, booth, shipping, plus other expenses
Also, the show is huge. Exhibiting as part of the MOB booth, alongside other MOB brands and near the prominent Venture Out area, will bring traffic and attention to your brand you might not get otherwise. And building awareness and relationships is key to a successful OR.
*A few spaces remain in the MOB booth for Summer OR July 23-26. Member brands interested in exhibiting should contact Brian Threlkeld (brian@maineoutdoorbrands.com)