Reed Exhibitions (RX) will postpone its Long Beach trade show, scheduled for January 3 through 4, 2019. The company will instead shift its focus to its B2C festival scheduled for June 2019. This festival will merge street wear, action sports, lifestyle and fashion alongside music, art, food, education and more indicating a transition to a consumer-facing model. It will be a relevant and authentic fan expo that integrates customer interaction and speaks directly to the youth/fashion lifestyle market.
Reed caters to action sports and street wear retailers and brands. Many of its bellwether brand exhibitors have shown support for the decision, reinforcing that direct consumer-brand interplay is key to creating long-lasting relationships.
The shift from B2B to B2C reflects the rapidly changing industry landscape in which direct interaction with shoppers is paramount. While large brands are focused on fewer, more meaningful retail relationships, smaller start up brands are utilizing technology and digital platforms to market and sell directly to the consumer. This makes meaningful experiences with consumers more important than ever for customer brands, both large and small.
RX will continue to host a B2B trade show from February 5 through 7 at the upcoming Las Vegas Fashion Week, where it will present a range of men’s sportswear, action sports, street wear and footwear brands.
