Tuesday, August 07, 2007 Merging of furniture shows sought By Malou M. Mozo Sun.Star Staff Reporter
EFFORTS to solve the problem of dwindling buyer attendance can be addressed if two major furniture organizations in the country will jointly market and advertise their individual exhibits as a single Philippine furniture show.
This was what Manila Now 2008 chairman Eduardo Zuluaga said during yesterday’s launching of the Manila furniture show, which will be held at about the same as the Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (Cebu X).
“If we could pull our resources and produce one marketing and advertising to promote our shows abroad, then I guess it’s good for the buyers. Dyutay na gani ang buyers, magpinatyanay pa gyud ta?” Zuluaga said (There are already very few buyers so we shouldn’t kill each other).
Aside from Cebu X, which is organized by the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF) and will be held on the first week of March next year, the Manila Now, the Philippine International Furniture Show organized by the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP), will also open on March 5 to 8, 2008.
“Foreign buyers will still see two shows but it’s an international promotion that needs cooperation from both parties,” he said.
Confusion
Zuluaga said separate advertising campaigns not only causes confusion among foreign buyers but also a decline in attendance.
CFIF and CFIP had a conflict in 2003 when the foundation, a member of the group, broke away from the CFIP and sought recognition as the lead organization for furniture exporters in the country.
However, the two major furniture organizations have reunited in 2005 for the benefit of the entire industry, and are now exploring possibilities to merge both shows, including the Manila Fame organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions.
Zuluaga said, though, that there have been no formal talks regarding the matter.
Sun.Star Cebu sought CFIF president Michael Basubas’ reaction but he was unavailable for comment.
Zuluaga they expect the holding of the two separate shows to result in fewer buyers.
He believes only five percent of buyers from Manila will visit Cebu and vice versa due to hassles, like traveling back and forth, and the registration.
Marketing strategy
But with a joint marketing strategy, buyers who register in Manila can be automatically registered in Cebu, which makes it easier for the buyers, Zuluaga said.
“And I don’t think they mind traveling here and there if they know one exhibit offers something different (from the other),” he said.
With a collaborative marketing campaign, Zuluaga also said Cebu X and Manila Now organizers can cut advertising cost abroad to approximately P1 million each.
CFIF spends about P3 million for international promotion while CFIP shells out some P4 million “all for the same advertising efforts like fliers, brochures etcetera,” he told reporters at the launch at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.
“We have laid the foundation and are now here to invite Cebu-based furniture manufacturers and exporters to participate in Manila Now 2008 as an alternative or enhancement to their showcase here during Cebu X to gain maximized exposure. We have the perfect venue for them to showcase their new design concepts, innovations and creativity that Filipinos are known for,” Zuluaga’s statement read.
To entice local exhibitors, CFIP will exclusively extend a special participation package to include complimentary shipment to Manila from Cebu.
The Manila Now exhibit will be held at the newly constructed SM X Convention Center, located right beside the Mall of Asia in Bay City, Pasay, with an exhibition space of over 18,000 square meters.
An exhibition space costs P4,900 per square meter, Zuluaga said.
About 75 percent of the available exhibition space and private showrooms have already been reserved or booked by manufacturers and exporters nationwide.
Zuluaga said the chamber is targeting only between five to 10 Cebu-based exhibitors, as he understands Manila Now will likely coincide with Cebu X 2008.
