Saturday, June 21, 2008 CFIF to discuss shows ‘merger’
AS Manila furniture show organizers dropped by Cebu to promote Manila Now 2009, an official of the Cebu-based furniture group revealed plans to discuss next week the proposed merger of the two shows.
Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) chairman Allan Murillo said the group will take up the matter in a meeting next week.
The possible merging of the two furniture shows —Manila Now and Cebu X—has been proposed to solve the problem of dwindling buyer attendance amid the industry’s other woes, like the strengthening of the peso against the dollar and the rising cost of oil.
However, Manila Now chairman Eduardo Zuluaga, a Cebu-born but Manila-based trader of home accessories, said it is up to the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP) and the CFIF to discuss the matter.
CFIP’s Manila Now was held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on March 5 to 8, while Cebu X was held last March 6 to 9.
Organizers of both shows claim they drew around 700 buyers respectively.
Zuluaga, who proposed the merging of the shows in 2007, said yesterday that that there are advantages and disadvantages of the merger, depending on the kind of products being exhibited.
Also, it could also help in the marketing of the activity if the Philippines could offer two exhibits in the Asean circuit of shows, which includes exhibits in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta.
However, he admitted that both organizations have cooperated in the advertising and promotion of the activities to save on costs.
Zuluaga said that they are spending more than 20 percent on promotions alone. For a total budget of P23 million, around P4.2 million will go to promotional activities.
Survey results
However, with the use of a survey conducted in this year’s Manila Now, Zuluaga said they will focus on the use of the Manila Now Show Magazine.
Survey results showed that 43.37 percent of the buyers said they learned of the show through invitations from the exhibitors and the organizer.
Only 26.79 percent said they learned about the show from the website.
Patrick Tan of Global-Link Business Communications (Phils.) Inc., the event organizer, said they will distribute 17,898 copies of the magazines to different buyers worldwide.
Zuluaga said they plan to double the buyer attendance next year or draw at least 1,200.
Aside from the magazine, the organizers also prepared a five-minute video presentation to draw exhibitors and to promote the products featured in the show.
“Good furniture, good designs. That’s what the Philippines stands for,” one of the exhibit guests said in the video.
Zuluaga said with Filipino furniture and home decor makers are capitalizing on their beautiful designs, their only challenge is to bring the buyers in.
“Nobody has ever said our products are bad. Our products are good. (So) we need to spend on marketing,” Zuluaga said in his launching message at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City yesterday. (CYR)
