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This piece first appeared in the March edition of BikeBiz magazine – not subscribed? Get a free subscription.
Miles Baker-Clarke, Head of Strategy and Creative at Fusion Media gives his views on Velofollies.
Trade shows have become the trading posts for the industry, bringing together threads from every corner to one place at one time. They have always been important, after all, business is most often done over coffee, beer or…frites, for that matter, even if contracts are signed in boardrooms.
As one of the most well-known specialist agencies in our space, it’s not hard to justify trade show attendance. The scale and location of the show usually cause the most internal conversation as we figure out our holistic purpose for attending. Trade shows mean brands—which is critical to me as the Head of Business Development and Strategy at Fusion Media—but brands almost always mean media.
It’s because of that two-pronged opportunity that we often descend upon trade shows en masse. Some to work directly with our clients exhibiting – perhaps on-booth, with a launch or some other stand-alone activity – or to spend time connecting with the multitude of international media who attend most of the larger shows. Then there is me, in the business of making or renewing connections, spending time with clients and learning how the industry is tackling its latest issues.
Velofollies is a great example of this, but I’ll admit to a degree of scepticism on how a seemingly lesser-known show, could deliver enough value across the agency, having never before attended. To cut to the punchline, my preconceptions couldn’t have been more wrong. Where I had pictured a small, highly local, perhaps regional trade show, run mostly by retailers and distributors, I was met with all the glamour and the polish you’d expect at more well-known shows like Eurobike or Taipei.
The big halls were packed with brands and teeming with consumers and energy. While there was a leaning towards local brands and certainly, local teams, I was pleasantly surprised by the international attendance of some of the big players in the industry, including our client, Van Rysel. Consumers will have felt the same bustle too, with plenty to see, products launched, beer to drink and a general buzz reminiscent of Rouleur Live, in London.
This observation poses a question: What do people really want from a trade show? While that varies hugely based on the person, as an agency, what we want is a healthy dose of inspiration, a cocktail of the right people in the room and enough going on socially to provide a good atmosphere for work. After all, most shows require days away from home, hotel room pillows and tens of thousands of steps per day, so there has to be some balance.
I think Velofollies delivered on all three of these things. This year saw multiple new bike launches aligned with the show – which as a bike geek is always welcome – plenty of ex-pros from the Benelux, DACH and French regions wandering the halls or signing autographs on their stands. A great brand mix, from smaller local brands or Benelux distributors to large international brands with a mix of central and local teams. Lastly, a great vibe, with the trademark Belgian spirit highly visible in every hall, from music to food to Belgian ales. An honourable mention to Kortrijk too, certainly one of the lesser-known Belgian towns from my perspective, but with easy transport links, decent restaurants and affordable hotels.
Overall, Velofollies earns itself a solid 9 out of 10. I’m going to dock a point away for a few things. Firstly, how early it is in the year. You’re barely back from Christmas break, and you’re hopping onto the Eurostar and across France. Undoubtedly, this makes sense for the sales cycle, but as an agency, January is hectic enough; why not combine it with the early Classics season, that would really dial things up. I also think the organisers are yet to fully grasp what international potential they have for the show, with transit, booking and information all a little harder to navigate than the big German shows. Also, I can’t help but feel that more could be made of the amazing urban mobility in Kortrijk, encouraging transit into the show on e-bikes, for example. Finally, the weather. Not their fault – it is Belgium – but it was hideous the whole time we were in Kortrijk, meaning you’ve little choice but to spend all your time in the halls, no daylight, no respite. All relatively small things, but as someone who attends perhaps 10 shows a year, you notice these things.
