NEWS
The BFA takes British footwear Brands to MICAM Shanghai in search of Eastern promise.
• A British Edition stand to provide focus for the Brands at the show
• Specially commissioned British Edition stand graphics to increase the profile of the British contingent at the event.
• iQubator carried out pre show networking with key Chinese retailers, ecommerce platforms and distributors who were invited to visit the British Edition stand at the event.
• 3 major China based retailers, invited by the BFA, visited the stand to review and evaluate the relevance of each brand for their businesses and for the wider Chinese market.
• Through iQubator, the BFA supplied a dedicated team of translators/ assistants for the exhibitors who facilitated the introduction of visitors and the Brands, made presentations in Chinese and collected information/ feedback for potential follow up after the event.
With the increased support given by UKTI, from their emerging market
support programme, the British Footwear Association took 11 British Brands to MICAM Shanghai for the first time hoping to learn more about the Chinese market.b10 brands made up a dedicated British Edition stand and 1 brand within the main body of the exhibition.
Their collective hope was to gauge the interest in China to British
designed and manufactured footwear and to leave for home having made some initial contacts with potential retail and distributive partners.
The brands that formed the spearhead into this exciting, but at the same time challenging market, were – NPS Shoes Ltd/ Solovair, Esska, Steptronic, Kat Maconie, Base London, Benjamin Adams, Gola International, Lizzieanne by Bourne, Soloro, Park Lane London and Crisian & McCaffrey.
This was only the 2nd edition of the Event organised by the Italian
Assocalzaturifici so the British Edition were truly blazing a trail. The majority of the 308 exhibitors came from Italy - with 19 companies coming from Spain, 15 from Portugal, 13 from France, 11 each from UK, Brazil and China, 2 each from Germany, Turkey and Morocco
The British Footwear Association, working in conjunction with a local
support team from the Shanghai based launch platform company iQubator, put together a programme of pre and during the show activities, to promote the British area and the brands, to drive footfall and visitor numbers, to a specially developed British Edition stand built in the East Hall of the Shanghai Exhibition Centre.
Together with iQubator, the BFA provided a full programme of marketing support activities for the Group at the event including:
• The development of a MICAM Shanghai Chinese/ English language microsite promoting each brand.
• The BFA, working with iQuabator, posted Chinese and international social media via Twitter and a bfachina site on China Weibo both to promote the Brands and drive interest in the BFA microsite leading up to MICAM Shanghai.
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• The team of Chinese assistant actively worked the event handing out Chinese language brand profile leaflets, inviting exhibition visitors to stopover at the British Edition stand.
• The BFA hosted a networking reception in conjunction with a Mary Ching London/Shanghai based footwear Design Company. The invitation list also included local representatives from Shanghai PR and press.
• Post show evaluation reports – The BFA and iQubator have already supplied each Brand attending the show with a researched list of the key retailers and potential distributive partners who visited the stand during the show.
• The BFA will receive a final feedback report from iQubator on all activity and contacts made post the event in December 2013.
As a result of the above activity the British Edition Stand was one of the
busiest at the show. All of the brands reported that they made a good number of interesting contacts and some orders were placed.
John Saunders Sales and Marketing Director of the BFA said: As with all
international exhibitions, in the end we have to evaluate what we have learned. What the exhibition has confirmed is that there is positive demand, from the evolving Chinese market, for British Brands with true manufacturing, design, innovation and heritage. I would encourage more companies to look at this market.
The BFA would like to take this opportunity to thank UKTI for the additional support given in terms of both grants and enhanced funding which has made attending this Event possible for the Association and our members
The next Edition of MICAM Shanghai will take place 26-28 March 2014 for more information contact John Saunders
john.saunders@
britishfootwearassociation.co.uk
British Footwear Association Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1933 229005
Web:
www.britishfootwearassociation.co.uk
8 • FOOTWEAR TODAY
• NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
www.footweartoday.co.uk
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