FOLIO: Show to Return to NYC in 2010

The FOLIO: Show, the magazine industry’s largest conference and expo, is coming back to New York City in 2010. The annual event, to be combined next year with the Audience Development Show, will be held June 7 to 9, 2010 at the Sheraton New York.

The FOLIO: Show moved to Chicago in 2007 and 2008 after three decades in New York. This year, given the toll the economic climate has taken on the magazine industry, the event was transformed into a virtual conference to allow participants to benefit from FOLIO:’s rich content without incurring travel costs. The event was successful, generating more than 2,400 participants—nearly doubling the live-event’s past-year attendance.

For 2010, FOLIO: will use a hybrid live-virtual strategy to deliver content, interaction, networking and engagement to the largest audience of magazine professionals in the industry. In addition, by combining the FOLIO: Show with its sister conference, the Audience Development Show, the event is expected to attract a wider audience and exhibitor roster. By fusing the magazine industry’s two leading events, parent company Red 7 Media is recognizing that the audience acquisition function is morphing and converging with other functions in the enterprise.

“We’re very excited to bring the FOLIO: Show back to New York and combine it with our Audience Development conference,” noted FOLIO:/Audience Development general manager Tony Silber. “And with our experience launching a virtual event, the combination of the two will enable us to provide content and education to the widest possible audience of magazine professionals at all levels.”

Attendees at the live FOLIO: Show will have access to the complete face-to-face experience of leading-edge educational sessions, peer networking and supplier demos and new products and services; while “virtual” attendees will be able to view keynotes and a limited number of conference sessions two weeks after the live event.

For sponsors and exhibitors, the hybrid strategy offers the best of both worlds—face-to-face engagement combined with the reach and tracking ability that only virtual events can deliver. In fact, sponsors of the 2009 FOLIO: Show Virtual received on average more than 165 visitors to their online booths, with the average visitor spending more than 10 minutes at each booth.  And by bringing Folio: and Audience Development under one roof, we better serve the  suppliers that need to reach not just circulators but circulators AND their executive management.

“Our goal is to continue to innovate and push the envelope on creating new ways to engage with our readers and advertisers, and to find ways to help them engage with each other,” noted Silber. “We used this year to test new ideas and concepts and we’re applying what we learned to our events in 2010 to provide even richer experiences for our attendees and exhibitors.”

FOLIO: Adds Hosted-Buyer Events to 2010 Lineup

In addition to the FOLIO: Show, Red 7 Media will produce two hosted-buyer events focusing on publishing technology and innovation. Launched in September around Red 7 Media’s EXPO and FOLIO: brands, ConnexLive brought together scores of senior-level media executives and suppliers for scheduled appointments based on matching criteria. The event was a success and received rave reviews from buyers and suppliers who attended.

FOLIO: will hold two ConnexLive events in 2010—one in Washington, D.C. in April, and another in Chicago next fall. More details at Connexevent.com.

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