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PMA 2011 in US cancelled

May 5, 2011: PMA 2011aka CliQ 2011 – has been abandoned as a stand-alone event after earlier being rescheduled to September.

An event for the digital imaging industry will be absorbed into the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, next January 10 – 13 and dubbed ‘PMA@CES’. PMA@CES will offer industry-specific content and display products representing all aspects of digital imaging. PMA will also offer educational seminars.

A story on US photo trade website Photo Reporter observed that the (formerly) annual event was dealt a blow when Canon decided for the second year not to exhibit.

‘With anxious exhibitors awaiting the news of whether other major manufacturers, such as Nikon and Sony, would commit to the show, time appears to have run out on the photo-imaging industry’s only major trade show,’ the report stated.

Photo Reporter went on to cite the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan as contributing to the event’s demise, ‘as uncertainty has affected sales projections for the year’.

‘PMA colocation with CES creates a great opportunity for our combined audiences to learn from each other, grow, and take full advantage of the integration and connectivity of personal content (in the form of digital photography) and home entertainment,’ said Ted Fox, executive director, PMA. ‘This convergence will expand with continued enhancements to cameraphones and tablets.’

‘Our agreement [with CES] is an excellent example of two trade associations coming together to constructively and proactively address challenges and provide new opportunities,’ he said.

PMA@CES will be located at the Sands/Venetian and will be sponsored by PMA.

PMA is seeking companies interested in exhibiting at the PMA@CES event, although most leading digital imaging companies will have already committed to a presence at CES already.

COMMENT: …Crisis, what crisis? PMA International in Jackson (as opposed to the good PMA people in Australia who volunteer their time and expertise to their fellow members) has provided no rationale for this decision, instead shamelessly spinning what looks like a hastily cobbled-together compromise, in classic Orwellian style, into an overwhelming positive. When you read the PMA press release the message which they are striving for is this is a real win for the photo industry. It may well be – remains to be seen – but there’s no way it’s good for PMA International, and that should be acknowledged. It’s the equivalent of the Commonwealth Games organisers announcing the event will be co-located with the Olympics from now on.

It must have been a tough decision for PMA to relinquish its jewel-in-the-crown (and presumably lucrative) international event, and no doubt they fought hard to avoid it. But for goodness sake, how about a little honesty when communicating to members and the photographic community at large! I don’t know about you, but I’m growing very tired of being served up garbage. PMA International needs to re-acquaint itself with the good old American habit of straight-talking.

Here’s the release in full:

PMA and CES announce colocation at 2012 International CES

JACKSON, Mich. – The Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) today announced a partnership agreement with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), owner and producer of the International CES, to move the September 2011 PMA International Convention and Trade Show (aka CliQ 2011) to colocate at the 2012 International CES, scheduled for January 10-13 in Las Vegas.

PMA@CES will offer industry-specific content and display products representing all aspects of digital imaging. PMA will also offer its well-known educational seminars, complementing and enhancing CES programming.

“PMA colocation with CES creates a great opportunity for our combined audiences to learn from each other, grow, and take full advantage of the integration and connectivity of personal content (in the form of digital photography) and home entertainment,” notes Ted Fox, executive director, PMA. “This convergence will expand with continued enhancements to camera phones and tablets.”

“This collaboration will significantly enhance the 2012 International CES digital imaging product offerings for our retail and other audiences,” says Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “Technology is speeding the rapid convergence of digital photography and home entertainment systems. The breadth and scope of digital imaging product offerings that PMA will now bring to CES will complement and further expand the extensive growth of CES in this product category.”

According to Fox, “Our agreement [with CES] is an excellent example of two trade associations coming together to constructively and proactively address challenges and provide new opportunities.”

PMA@CES will be located at the Sands/Venetian and will be sponsored by PMA. Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Melissa Aldrich or Jeff Frazine at 800-762-9287 or +1-517-788-8100 (internationally). They also can be reached by email at maldrich@pmai.org or jfrazine@pmai.org.

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