Dx3 Canada Digital Trade Show
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
What is believed to be Canada’s first major trade show focused on the digital industry will be launched January 25-26, 2012, at the Toronto Convention Centre.
The show, Dx3 Canada, will cover three major aspects of the digital ecosystem; digital marketing; digital advertising and digital retailing.
Anthony Lipkin, marketing director, says, “The industry is growing in Canada quickly, but Canada is too small to have, for example, a show focused only single sectors. Dx3 Canada puts everything under one, uniquely Canadian roof. We want this show to involve all aspects of the industry: online, mobile, digital out-of-home, digital place-based, etc.. The focus will be on Canadian companies, but we hope to also involve international companies that have business in Canada.”
While Dx3’s launch press release and website mention specifically online and mobile, Lipkin says that the show is also definitely for DOOH and Digital Place-Based Media – We hope that the website soon is revised to reflect that. Ed.
According to the organizers, Hut2Hut Events, the digital market in Canada is well served with conferences, but there is no major forum that brings this industry together, to discuss and do business.
Duncan Payne, show director says, “Every major industry needs its own trade show – a marketplace where people come to buy goods and services that will help to grow their businesses. There is no doubt that the marketing, advertising and selling of goods both online and via mobile devices has become a major industry in its own right.”
Canada’s Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB Canada) estimates that online advertising grew by 15% in 2010 to top $2.1 billion while Statistics Canada states that half of Canada’s 33 million population have bought either goods or services online.
And the DOOH industry – where Canada is gaining a significant presence – is growing by leaps and bounds. In its recent forecast, PQ Media says that worldwide DOOH revenues grew 16.3% from $5.56 billion in 2009 to $6.47 billion in 2010, and are expected to grow another 16.9% in 2011, to $7.56 billion. Total DOOH revenue grew 15.1% from just under $1.8 billion in 2009 to about $2.07 billion in 2010, – and it will grow another 16.7% in 2011, to about $2.42 billion. (In that mix, digital place-based media saw global revenues increase 14.5% from $4.41 billion in 2009 to $5.06 billion in 2010; PQ Media expects global growth of 15.2% in 2011, to $5.83 billion. Global digital billboard revenues grew 23.2% from $1.14 billion in 2009 to $1.41 billion in 2010, and are projected to grow another 23.1% in 2011 to about $1.74 billion.
Lipkin says, “Visiting Dx3 Canada is free-of-charge to anyone involved in marketing, advertising and retail, and there will be plenty to see and do for all companies whether they are just starting out on their digital strategy, or are one of the most tech savvy businesses in Canada. There is just such a fast pace of innovation and change that we are expecting to see thousands of visitors on both days.”
Hut2Hut Events is an independent new events company specializing in staging trade shows and events for Canada’s emerging technologies. It is headed by Payne and Mike Cooke. Cooke spent 12 years as the CEO of dmg world media in San Francisco (which became Canada’s largest trade show organizer). Payne was dmg’s most senior executive in Canada as well as being the executive vice- president of business development worldwide. Lipkin previously worked in account management at TBWA advertising agency in Toronto.
The company is building an advisory board of senior executives familiar with the digital world. Matt Hassell, a Dx3 Canada Advisory Board Member and chief creative officer for OgilvyOne Advertising in Toronto, says, “Canada is a world leader within the digital space and now we will have a trade show where we will be able to see the latest trends, buy the latest products and services, and show the world what we can do.”
For information and to exhibit at Dx3, contact Anthony Lipkin at 647-317-3889 or anthony@dx3canada.com
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