#dse2010 The Spat Set To Continue?
Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
Late on Friday we heard from three separate sources that Exponation (the folks behind DSE and of course the folks also now behind the new Digital Signage Federation) that they had revoked the badges. i.e are refusing entry to the DSE event of JDEvents employees.
JDEvents of course are the organisers of KioskCom and The Digital Signage Show.
As far as we know, as long as there is no direct or overt solicitation, it seems standard industry practise that event organisers (even competing event organisers) can and usually do attend each other’s events.
I am sure that JDEvents has attended DSE in previous years and we know for sure that Exponation has had a standing invite at KioskCom for years now.
So here already we are seeing the waters being muddied in what looks like a cold calculating war brewing between Exponation / DSE / DSF and the DSA (and perhaps anyone like JDEvents who it might appear will side with the DSA?).
- Who exactly banned JDEvents from attending DSE and why?
- Was it Exponation? Was it DSE or the Digital Signage Federation (or as they seem effectively all the same does it matter who exactly?)
- Why now?
JDEvents are fully paid up members of the Digital Signage Association and were we believe also due to man the DSA booth in Las Vegas – whether that was a good idea or not (that sounds like the sort of thing that this author would do in order to make a point) is neither here nor there.
As one indusry commentator told us “This is not exactly the behaviour of a group that wants to do what is best for the industry”.
A trade show (the new sugar daddy as we described previously) has started an ‘industry’ trade association but can (and does) ban potential participants to a show as they see fit.
Something is not quite right here and there is a real danger that all of this could get ugly.
February 20th, 2010 at 15:06 @670
As a fellow show management organization, JD Events appreciates that ExpoNation reserves the right to deny entry to anyone, at their discretion. We understand and respect their decision, and will not be entering the DSE Exhibit Hall next week.