Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
This is the thirteenth year that we have documented our travels as part of our business. Let me start off by saying that for those who thought that #COVID19 would only affect 2020, you will need to think again, the pandemic we are in now, will be known to future generations as ‘The Great 2020 / 2021 Pandemic‘.
Despite many people’s protestations, trade associations and event organisers included, 2021 will not magically see a quick return to normal. We agree with the small cabal of industry experts that we turn to for advice, that we will be extremely lucky to see a big trade show before Q4, 2021 (some wags have even said that the next big trade show will be #CES2022 in January, 2022 – they might not be far off the truth).
I believe that those events planned for Barcelona, Cannes and Orlando, FL in June will almost definitely not happen, and if they do, certainly not in any shape or form that you will have seen before.
Last year was hard for all of us, especially to those who lost their jobs or spent (or continue to spend) large amounts of time being furloughed. We have been extremely lucky and have kept our livelihoods but like everyone else in gainful employ last year, we were thwarted at almost every turn when trying to do almost anything of note. We made a total of three flights in 2020, London to Las Vegas return for #CES2020 and a return flight only from Amsterdam for #ISE2020 (we took the direct Eurostar from London to Amsterdam on our way out).
Our original aim last year was to continue to explore more of the globe, in search of all that is good in our industry. You may remember that 2019 saw us venture for the first time down-under to put on a very successful AdTECH: OOH – Sydney Conference and to start exploring whether it was feasible to put on good events in South East Asia and China. In the end, with a little luck and a lot of hard work, we did finally manage to hold an in-person AdTECH: OOH – Sydney Conference in September 2020. This was perhaps the only event of note last year to take place in-person, after the start of the #COVID19 crisis.
One result of our perseverance is that our incredibly successful AdTECH: OOH Conference series gets TWO new definite destinations this year, namely Toronto in October and Singapore in December.
Finally let me repeat what I said in the 2020 DailyDOOH Travelogue early last year. We encourage everyone in our industry, as much as they can, to seek out broader horizons and look further afield than they have done previously. Don’t exhibit at the same old shows just because that is what you have done in the past, don’t simply attend the typical trade shows that you frequent because you have been to them before, and the usual “but everyone else goes”.
As one of our good industry friends said (wanting to stay off the record) “I agree that hitting autopilot on the same shows year on year at best has a neutral benefit and that one’s focus should be on smaller, focused sector and customer-specific shows”.
You should all be looking for the next SXSW or a vertically oriented show that few others go to. I strongly suggest that you not go through the motions with the same old, same old, year after year. If you are really interested in expanding your business, and learning anew, aim to get out and meet different people and make new friends.
So, if all of these events below actually happen, here’s where you will find us over the next 12 months: –
London Digital Signage Week, May 17-21, 2021
*NEW* London LED Summit, May 18, 2021
AdTECH: OOH – London, May 20, 2021
#ISE2021, Barcelona, June 1-4, 2021 Cancelled
New York Roadshow, July, 2021 (hoping of course, for UK trade restrictions to have been lifted and US borders opened)
*NEW* AdTECH: OOH – Toronto, October 6, 2021
New York Digital Signage Week, October 11-15, 2021 (includes AdTECH: OOH – New York, The DailyDOOH Investor Conference, a *NEW* Global LED Summit and The DailyDOOH Gala Awards, which will move to New York for one year only)
#InfoComm21, Orlando, FL, October 23-29, 2021
AdTECH: OOH – Europe, Amsterdam, December 1, 2021
AdTECH: OOH – Sydney, December 7, 2021
*NEW* AdTECH: OOH – Singapore, December 9, 2021
For those of you who are interested…
- you can see our 2020 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2019 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2018 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2017 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2016 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2015 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2014 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2013 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2012 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2011 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2010 Travelogue archive here
- you can see our 2009 Travelogue archive here
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