What The Latest #ISE2021 Statement Means To Exhibitors

March 1, 2021 was a self imposed deadline from the organisers of Integrated Systems Europe, we quote from their last February 4, 2021 statement ^[1] “We understand our exhibitors and partners need to make commitments that will incur cost and we do not wish to burden them unnecessarily. For this reason, if circumstances impact our ability to host an in-person event and we are forced to cancel this element of ISE, we will make this decision by 1 March”.

Today’s statement from the organisers was, in their mind, the event is still on but did clearly lay out plans for exhibitors should they wish to cancel. In reality #ISE2021 exhibitors have been given less than one week to make a final decision as to whether they will exhibit, if they want to avoid losing money.

Quite apart from the financial aspect, it’s going to be the political side of things, which will be most interesting to watch:

• Who will feel they really ought to show the rest of the industry that they will be there?
• Who has calculated that it’s a waste of effort and that it is time to withdraw completely, maybe for the future as well? (“The Extron decision”)
• Who will pass this year, but roll forward existing payment to next year (“it’s already been budgeted for”)
• Who has not yet committed to any stand building? Perhaps now, despite the three month warning, it’s still a bit late?
• Who will still exhibit, but with a smaller stand, but that means no re-using an existing stand?
• Will yet another new floorplan emerge after this week’s deadline?
• Will any veteran exhibitor lose their place in the point hierarchy by passing this year? (we believe that there is a long term 10 years or more thing where you would keep your place come what may)
• Will exhibitors wake up to the fact that the whole points system is really just a revenue maximisation plan for the organiser and does not really give much value for the exhibitor (much like airline loyalty schemes)

Of the published exhibitor list, there are 45 new exhibitors out of the 858 ie 5.2%. So almost 95% are existing exhibitors

Note that these are exhibitor numbers, not size of stand. There are lots of small Chinese ones, fewer large US or European stands.

In the statement Mike Blackman said “Recognising and respecting the many members of our community we wish to give all our exhibitors the opportunity to choose if they wish to continue to be part of ISE 2021 Barcelona, without hindrance“.

On offer are: –

• No penalty fees will be due for any withdrawals that are made before March 5 (i.e. this Friday)
• Those exhibitors who are committed at a higher level than they may need, have the opportunity to reduce their commitment without penalty.
• Those companies that decide not to continue and have paid in part or full for ISE 2021 will have the option of a full refund of their monies or be able use this as a credit towards participating in other ISE events in 2021 or even as a deposit/payment for ISE 2022. This is about you and your success now and into the future.
• All exhibitors will retain their priority points from ISE 2020 and be able to participate in the rebooking process for ISE 2022 as dependent on their points and priority ranking.
• As promised before, all companies that exhibit at ISE 2021 will receive 2x the points for their participation at the in person Barcelona event.
• Any companies that participate in the digital part of ISE 2021 or any of the future local events will receive priority points based on the level of their investment.
• For any exhibitor with hotel reservations, cancellation deadlines have been extended to March 22.

Personally with so much still up in the air and no solid guidance in Europe from any Government as to when they will let their own people travel internationally and still no update from the Spanish on when they will let foreigners in, one can only see large numbers of cancellations this week.

If / when a new floor plan is updated next week it is going to look like a former shadow of itself.