The 20/20 Editorial Team

James J. Spina
VP, Editor-in-Chief

Jacqueline Micucci
Executive Editor

Gloria Nicola
Senior Features Editor

Andy Karp
Group Editor, Lenses and Technology

Melissa Arkin
Associate Editor

9/21/2007 Trading Places
Posted by 20/20&U Blog Admin
Location: Blogs2020&U
 		    
We’re packing our bags. Most of the 20/20 edit team is in travel mode and setting out for Vision Expo West in Las Vegas. Are you going? If so, we hope to see you there and be sure to pick up all five publications we’ve prepared especially for the show. Look for our regular September issue of 20/20 with our largest style section ever and an exceptionally wonderful Lafont eyewear cover, the September 15 Seller’s Guide with Coach’s Reed Krakoff on the cover, our Galleria supplement, the special edition of SunVision highlighting the treasure of branding sunglasses …and the October issue of 20/20 debuting an exclusive interview with Ralph Lauren. Also know that the September L&T hosts a special story on the Changing World of Low Vision and the September 15 edition of The Seller’s Guide contains Andy Karp’s now legendary Vision Expo West Scouting Report encompassing everywhere you need to go on the show floor when it comes to lenses and technology.

We struggled all summer to get that early edition of the October issue in show goers’ hands but we truly feel the effort was well worth it.

So here’s what we want to know:
What’s it worth to you? I’m asking specifically about your feelings on optical trade shows. Do you go? Why do you go? Why don’t you go? What would it take to make you get to more shows dedicated to the optical arena?

Is it all about the education courses? Is it product? Is it the sense of community within our profession?

We want to know what you feel about trade shows. Respond with what matters to you. And in response 20/20 will address the most important and specific response with a dedicated editorial feature timed to the Vision Expo East in New York in 2008.
The whole purpose of this blog is emphasizing the partnership of 20/20 Magazine with its readership so what we hear HERE will determine a true focus of 20/20&U in a specific feature next year.

— James J. Spina, Editor-in-chief, 20/20
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Comments (3)   Add Comment
Re: Trading Places
By Barry Santini		 9/24/2007
s
Trade shows for me, have been increasingly about the quality of the CE credits available. I find the credits offered at expos (and at sponsored symposiums) to be far superior in content than the ones offered by the local society chapters here in NY (or online). As far as equipment goes, there's no beating "hand-on" demonstrations. So shows are important in thsi regard. I think though, that the cost to attend these shows, from the vendor's standpoint, has gotten all out of hand.

Perhaps, like the regional CE symposiums, the time had come for regional (read: weekend) shows for other optical goods: they'll probably offer the same *person-to-person impact as the big VEs, but at lower cost (and travel hassle).

FWIW

Barry
Re: Trading Places
By Patty Oehrlein		 9/28/2007
s
I have been on both sides of the trade show fence, as an optician I go back to the days of Opti-Fair, and as a lab rep I work the booth at every VE. To me walking up to the Javitts Center on opening day, and seeing "our" community gathering together is pretty exciting, then again I always loved the first day of school. Since I work the show I never get the chance to go for CE class, but I do walk the floor and I feel it has morphed into a huge impersonal experience. The VE organization does a great job in making it easier to do business with all the extras but it's the vendors who need to bring their best game to make the ECP experience a satisfying one. I like Barry's idea of regional shows, and the vehicle to do so could be our local society or educational groups.
Patty Oehrlein
Tri-Supreme Optical
Re: Trading Places
By Peter		 9/28/2007
s
Yes, from a vendors perspective the cost of the trade shows have gotten totally out of hand.

Even the smallest of booths 10x10 guarantees that your going to lay out $10,000 for the show. This includes travel costs, booth decor, etc...

It would be nice if the shows could be moved to more affordable venues such as Orlando where air, hotel, and food are much more reasonable. At least that would alleviate some of the prohibitive costs.


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