i Hobby 2014

[mikemodeler]

I wonder how much "new" stuff will be revealed at the show? Can't imagine it has the same feel it did 15-20 years ago when I first went.

[Exotics_Builder]

I wonder how much "new" stuff will be revealed at the show? Can't imagine it has the same feel it did 15-20 years ago when I first went.

Most big manufacturers are doing periodic announcements, usually quarters. What is more interesting is seeing things. including test shots or box art models. Over 160 photos of various products were taken at last years IHOBBY including tools, diecast, diorama products. etc. The magazine can't publish all, but a good cross section was. There is value in visiting the distributors there as well to see what they are/will be offering. For example, although they were available before IHOBBY, Stevens International had a LARGE display of Plastic Dreams floor mats and mud flaps.

Anyway, it helps to round out the picture of what's happening, Is it as big a deal as even five years ago? I don't think so. But then, social media advertising was just ramping up, So, now there are many venues to entice and advertise.

[Ramcharger]

Although I enjoy the union bashing stories, it's the internet that has made these shows irrelevant. Why in the world would you pay even 10 cents to attend a show when you already have a website that you can announce your newest products directly to the public? You get to control the message, the way they are presented, and generate demand directly rather than selling to the shop owner and hoping he interprets the market the same way you do. No travel, no hotels, no space rental means less cost and less staff, and in a shrinking market this is very important. Social media generates "buzz" much faster and better than a trade show. Look at the ridiculous levels SEMA has gone to to make their trade show an "event" to create excitement with the public, and look at how hard the members of SEMA work social media and the internet before the show. Hobby shop owners aren't making the cash they once were and therefore can't travel to a show when they can go online and see what is upcoming. The public won't travel to see what's coming out because most folks don't care. The manufacturers have also killed it by announcing things that either never come out or don't appear on order lists for several years. Revell and Moebius have figured it out, get a table at a big national show and show off your newest prototypes to the hardcore, then announce everything else via social media and the internet. The bottom line is that the world has changed and trade shows just make no sense anymore, just like phones with a cord connected to the wall, floppy disks, and TV with only 3 channels.

[AzTom]

I miss going to the show. I won this there a few years ago The cars are 1/18 Ertl diecast serial number to match the tool box.

I understand the cost of the show but for me It was about more than seeing what was new from existing suppliers. Finding new items you may not have thought of or even knew was out there. Meeting the manufactures and suppliers face to face helped us a lot.

[Joe Handley]

Although I enjoy the union bashing stories, it's the internet that has made these shows irrelevant. Why in the world would you pay even 10 cents to attend a show when you already have a website that you can announce your newest products directly to the public? You get to control the message, the way they are presented, and generate demand directly rather than selling to the shop owner and hoping he interprets the market the same way you do. No travel, no hotels, no space rental means less cost and less staff, and in a shrinking market this is very important. Social media generates "buzz" much faster and better than a trade show. Look at the ridiculous levels SEMA has gone to to make their trade show an "event" to create excitement with the public, and look at how hard the members of SEMA work social media and the internet before the show. Hobby shop owners aren't making the cash they once were and therefore can't travel to a show when they can go online and see what is upcoming. The public won't travel to see what's coming out because most folks don't care. The manufacturers have also killed it by announcing things that either never come out or don't appear on order lists for several years. Revell and Moebius have figured it out, get a table at a big national show and show off your newest prototypes to the hardcore, then announce everything else via social media and the internet. The bottom line is that the world has changed and trade shows just make no sense anymore, just like phones with a cord connected to the wall, floppy disks, and TV with only 3 channels.

Honestly, the ability to get all touchy feely with new products it kinda nice, especially on the R/C side of things, and just seeing in person how the new styrene products look also is kinda nice, both of which you will never get through a computer, tablet, or phone screen. Then there's the chance to talk to the company reps you would normally only talk to on the phone and finally put faces to names. I've met some solidly good industry people that way in years past.

On the consumer side of things, there were more and more people showing up every year until the I Hobby people had their little anti-union tantrum and moved the show to Ohio, nearly killing the show in the process. There were a couple years the R/C rock crawling club I was involved in had active displays going (basically, we build obsticals and played with our trucks on them while people watched all weekend long ) and the club president swore we had 120k+ walk past our little corner booth at the far end of the Stephens Center on just that Saturday! People were willing to come out and see and were generally excited during the run up to the convention, still are to some extent even though it's still not going to be what it once was.

[Tom Geiger]

I swear if you wanted to make a disparaging parody video of unions as a whole, just run film while they set up for a convention in Rosemont.

A friend of a friend got hired on as a carpenter at a major show venue in New York City. They're setting up the booth partitions for a show, and he notices that they started at the wrong place and everything they're building is wrong. He says, "Hey guys..." and is immediately shut down by a supervisor... he knows it's all wrong, but someone in management told them to start "there". And they all know that the mistake will be soon discovered and they'll all get paid overtime to fix it!

[Joe Handley]

A friend of a friend got hired on as a carpenter at a major show venue in New York City. They're setting up the booth partitions for a show, and he notices that they started at the wrong place and everything they're building is wrong. He says, "Hey guys..." and is immediately shut down by a supervisor... he knows it's all wrong, but someone in management told them to start "there". And they all know that the mistake will be soon discovered and they'll all get paid overtime to fix it!

That right there, wouldn't he a shock........