Truth in advertising is the law! Like any other business, professional bridal show producers should strive for honesty in their advertising. Unfortunately, some unethical producers inflate their exhibitor and attendee counts in order to deceive wedding professionals and brides.
Competition is the rule in almost any business and it doesn’t have to be a negative. Multiple bridal shows in a community can certainly co- exist and serve the wedding professionals with quality shows as long as they both adhere to a professional code of ethics especially where their advertising is concerned. In our community, where my show has been in existence since 1991 and is the largest bridal show in town, I stick to the facts as I promote and advertise the event. If I say 1,000 brides or more are expected that is because I have seen those numbers at a past show. If I say there will be 180 wedding professionals, that means there will be 180 different companies at the show, a figure based on actual contracts signed. I see no purpose in misleading either the brides or vendors in quoting these figures.
The key to promoting your show in an honest and forthright manner is to take the characteristics of your show and play them up, not attempt to disguise your show as something other than what it is. If you are the new show in town, why not just say so? If you have a boutique show, or a hotel show, be proud of it and enumerate the advantages of your smaller more intimate show. Find something unique and positive to say about yourself without tearing at your competition. Take a note from political research which strongly suggests that we all hate negative and dishonest advertising!
Creating realistic expectations in your promotional programs and advertising will result in brides and exhibitors having a better experience at your show. Don’t say you have 200 products and services when you only have 100 exhibitors. Many brides would be perfectly happy with a 100 exhibitor show, but all are sure to be disappointed to find the show is actually half the size they expected. Intentionally deceiving brides is a no win strategy for you, for your exhibitors and for the brides.
Beware of bridal show producers who use blatantly deceptive advertising practices. One bridal show in my market puts as many as 250 vendor names on their website, when the fact is only about 100 of them are actually participating in the show. Professionals, this is not free advertising for you, this can actually harm you. What will the bride think when she attends the show looking for you and you are not there? She will think you are unreliable.
Another sleazy practice is claiming the show has won fictitious awards. One show actually uses a fake “Blue Ribbon” logo claiming they are the “best bridal show”. Its phoney, you know it and the wedding professionals in town know it, it just makes you look bad!
As a member of BSPI, we commit to following a professional code of ethics. As a wedding professional, you should make sure the shows you are considering are members of this organization. One our code of ethics reads as follows:
8. Use honest and factual information in all advertising and protect the public
against fraud and misleading information.
Now I don’t know who will see this blog, but I hope bridal show producers all over the country will see it and take this advice seriously.
- Be honest in your show promotion, its always the best policy and it’s the law!
- Quote only accurate and true attendance numbers and vendor numbers
- Concentrate on what makes you unique and make that the core of your advertising message. Don’t claim to be something you are not. Take what you are and make it a benefit!
Co-Authors: Debra C Hansen and Patty Westbrook
