TREVOSE, PA – May 21, 2009 - Advertising Specialty Institute^® announced today that its first industry virtual trade show attracted over 2,000 distributors and based on exhibitor demand, a second virtual trade show has been scheduled for August 19. 

The virtual trade show on Wednesday featured 24 exhibiting suppliers, including Dard Products (asi/48500), Norwood and Prime Resources (asi/79530), and created interactive multimedia booths for distributors, suppliers and decorators to network, communicate and sell in real-time. 

The online event also featured leading education sessions for distributors with sales tips, research from ASI’s advertising specialties impressions study, information from the Counselor® State of the Industry™ report, and a broadcast of the ASI Internet Radio Show that attracted over 200 live listeners.   

For distributors and suppliers who couldn't attend the virtual trade show this week, it will be available on demand at www.asicentral.com/vts, beginning Tuesday, May 26. 

“As other shows are experiencing a downturn, ASI is delivering and providing more ways for distributors, suppliers and decorators to connect, sell and build market share in these challenging times,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. “The ASI virtual trade show offers an additional, cost-effective way to interact and learn, without leaving the office.”

“Our virtual show yesterday joins our extremely successful in-person shows this year,” Andrews said.  “We had record attendance at our Dallas show, and strong attendance in Orlando and New York City.  In addition, the ASI Advantages Roadshow has attracted 8,213 attendees in North America, with a full schedule planned for the fall.”

Reactions from virtual trade show attendees have been positive.

“I attended the virtual trade show,” said Joel D. Schaffer, CEO of Soundline LLC (asi/88241).  “While the food was tasteless, ASI did a great job.  The ‘experience’ was top shelf.”
 
“ASI and the participating vendors have done an excellent job and it was an interesting and informative experience,” said Marsha Londe, owner of Tango! (asi/828198).  “It’s worth an hour to explore simply to see what’s going on with cyber-selling.  The more informed we are, the better we can work with our clients.”

“Sit in the comfort of your own office and visit and network,” said Sheery Lochstoer, owner of K-N-A Sales LLC (asi/238392).  “Got to love it.”

Many useful features were available during the show, including:

• Exhibit Hall.  Supplier booths featuring product demonstrations, catalogs and samples.  Distributors and suppliers could chat online inside each booth.      

• Education Center.  Distributors turned challenges into opportunities with a variety of leading industry education sessions, downloadable white papers and ASI’s latest industry tips and techniques to expand business.   

• Catalog & Information Room.  One-stop shopping for catalogs and white papers from suppliers, which were all accessible in a PDF format that could be viewed and saved. 

Registration for the next ASI Virtual Trade Show is free for distributors and suppliers can exhibit.  To exhibit, contact Dan Dienna, advertising director for catalogs and electronics, at ddienna@asicentral.com.   

About ASI 
Advertising Specialty Institute is the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, with a membership of over 26,000 distributor firms (sellers) and supplier firms (manufacturers) of advertising specialties.  Supplier firms use ASI print and electronic resources to market products to over 22,000 ASI distributor firms.  Distributor firms use ASI print and electronic resources, which contain nearly every product in the industry from more than 3,500 reputable suppliers, to locate supplier firms and to market services to buyers.  ASI provides catalogs, information directories, newsletters, magazines, websites and databases, and offers e-commerce, marketing and selling tools.  Visit asicentral.com.

Contact

Dawn Marie,
Executive director of corporate communications

Email industry news and press releases to Chris Ruvo, Digital News Director and Promogram Editor at cruvo@asicentral.com

If you’re a reporter or other member of the news media, please email press@asicentral.com