Markex, the hottest marketing, promotions and special events expo has arrived. Taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 10 to 12 June, the exhibition will feature the latest trends, products and innovations in the marketing industry.
Markex is about innovation – as seen at the vast majority of stands displaying the latest branding, promotional products, events – and organisers Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery have taken innovation to new heights within their top two show attractions.
The Loeries Travelling Exhibition, which has become one of the anchor features of Markex, will once again be showcasing the best of brand communication, giving visitors the opportunity to view innovative campaigns for winning brands and businesses across a range of disciplines. As an addition to this already popular feature, a new collaboration between Markex, The Loeries and The Event, which will see stand builders having the opportunity to win a chance to be recognised within the Loeries award programme for the first time. “This year, we will be celebrating South Africa’s design exhibition stand talent by encouraging exhibition stand designers to enter their work over the last 12 months and stand the chance of winning a ‘free’ entry into next year’s Loeries,” says Gary Corin, Managing Director of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, organiser of Markex.
The competition is now open and entry forms and guidelines will be available on the Markex website. Entries are limited to two per company, and five finalists will be shortlisted for free entry. The shortlist will be announced at Markex and winners will be notified the week before the show. Entries are open to all exhibition stand designers within South Africa only.
Markex will also feature a theatre presented by the Unique Speaker Bureau (USB) in collaboration with the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM). The free-to-attend seminars will include entertainment and corporate events talks presented by USB, as well as hard-hitting topics on the marketing industry presented by the IMM.
Another addition to the Markex line-up is Everlytic, an integrated email, mobile and social communications tool. The Everlytic team will be at Markex running an email marketing worshop for those visiting Markex.
This year, the Promotional Product Professionals of South Africa, formerly known as Corporate Gifts Association of South Africa, has partnered with Markex to showcase the full spectrum of offerings in the corporate gift sector, in the form of a trade-only hall.
“Markex is about building relationships and making connections based on trust and understanding, like-minded thinking, and face-to-face meetings in real time. Now we’re adding to this valuable experience by making it more attractive and rewarding for participants in this hard-working industry,” comments Corin.
Markex’s reputation as a networking hub that gives exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to engage with the full spectrum of industry colleagues is being further strengthened this year with a new partnership with MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) Academy that will see the launch of the MICE CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme. The MICE programme will be launched for the first time at Markex in Johannesburg, adding value to the exhibition and enabling people in the industry to accumulate verifiable credits.
“Markex is about much more than a marketing exhibition – it’s a platform where innovative thinking and the development of ideas can be nurtured and encouraged through the extremely wide range of activities and features available at the show, and through the opportunity for networking and interacting,” says Corin.
Adding their weight to Markex, the expo is endorsed by the industry’s leading bodies, including MASA, DMASA, The MICE Academy, PPPSA, PRISA and IMM.
Adds Corin, “We’re proud of what we’re taking bringing to Markex this year. We are looking forward to sharing the experience of the pursuit of marketing excellence with our colleagues as we present to them the place to come and meet, to learn, to buy, to source, and to experience the best that the marketing industry has to offer.
Visit www.markex.co.za for more information and remember to pre-register to avoid long queues at the show.
