CPHI NA - the thrill of the show!

Account Manager Janie Solomon recently attended her first post-pandemic event, and where better to get that buzz than CPHI North America! Read on to find out more about her experience and some key trends she noticed while exploring the event halls at the Philadelphia Convention Centre.

I lived trade show life for a good 20 years pre-pandemic, so to participate in this?year’s CPHI North America in Philadelphia as my first return to show season was?a real thrill, and I could not have anticipated the natural state of ‘event things’.?

Enticing branding and innovative QR codes

There continue to be the standout booths, often clustered together in a section?of the show hall, drawing you nearer to their direction with vibrant colors and?brightly-lit spaces. On the other side of the spectrum, if attention was not spent?on quality graphics or the booth never showed up (unfortunate, but it happens),?most companies at least had a screen for digital content. No longer a thing of the past, large QR codes are printed on fabric displays to encourage engagement. A?real treat when the QR code leads to an animation or a game vs. the company’s?corporate website.

What else has changed?

The tradeshow dress code. Many wearers of heels and?dress shoes have switched to trainers. Less concerned with formalities and more?so with comfort and better able to mad dash across the show hall when your?scheduled meetup needs to meet earlier or in a completely different space than?planned.

Strengthening client relationships

Personally speaking, I enjoyed meeting my clients in person for the first time?after a year of engaging solely over Zoom. Agendas disappear and we talk. We?talk about travel, the city we are in, upcoming shows and opportunities, and?really learn about how we, as marketers, can better service our accounts. You?may end up planning a new project together or having dinner or touring the?Philadelphia Museum of Art. These moments and ‘event things’ that we had lost?for so long are back and good not only for business but great for our?relationships.

Catch us at our next event...

'Tis the season for biopharma events! The ramarketing team will be heading to London on May 16th for Bio Integrates, an event focused on the biotech, start-ups, and emerging pharma segment. We'll then be crossing the pond to Boston for a visit to BIO International from 5-8th June, joining 14,000+ biotechnology and pharma leaders for a week of networking to discover new opportunities and promising partnerships.