Some have said that effectively connecting meeting planners with suppliers without an actual trade show is an "impossible mission." On Jan. 9 at the 2006 annual meeting in Philadelphia, PCMA set out to make the impossible possible. The spy-themed (think "Mission Impossible") Un-Show Luncheon aimed to bring together both sides of the industry to network in an informal, fun, and relaxed setting.

Mission Accomplished?

Shortly after noon, the crowds assembled outside Hall C of the Pennsylvania Convention Center with food, prizes, and a little networking on their minds. Unfortunately, many found the Un-Show uninviting.

What stood in the way? For most it was the lengthy buffet line that, in one participant's words, "stretched to New Jersey." Another complained, "It took 30 minutes to get lunch." And while nearly half of the attendees felt they were able to network effectively at the luncheon, many still identified the room set-up as an obstacle. They didn't mince words describing why: "Horrible logistics," said one diner. "Couldn't even see the end of the line for 15 minutes!" declared another. Noise also proved to be a problem: "Music was too loud," commented one unfulfilled participant. "Hard to hold a conversation," another criticized.

 The CD-Rom, which was provided to all present, also proved to be a less valuable resource than PCMA had intended. In fact, only about 13 percent of participants had an opportunity to view the "virtual trade show" CD - which is encoded with hotel, CVB, and destination information and hidden prizes - while at the luncheon. Some were even unaware that the CDs were available. Participants were also split on whether or not the CD could be a useful resource in future meeting planning efforts. About a third thought it was a good idea to have all the supplier information on one handy disk, but another third found it immaterial - most just go straight to a supplier's Web site to obtain information. The rest of respondents were undecided on just how helpful the resource might be to them.

And while the ultimate goal of the luncheon was to bring together both planners and supplier partners, only about 28 percent of participants found the set-up was conducive to making new contacts or conducting business. "It is a nice way to meet people, but not necessarily to conduct business," concluded one attendee. "It was much too confusing," summed up another.

So while some annual meeting attendees may have exited the luncheon somewhat unsatisfied (and maybe even a little hungry), the larger purpose of the experiment was not lost on the majority involved. "Thanks for taking the risk," commended one. "It's great that PCMA is willing to experiment," concluded another. "I liked the prizes!" was one attendee's particularly upbeat summary.

Julie Fawcett is PCMA's marketing specialist.

Un-Show spies walked around throughout the luncheon decoding messages using attendees' CDs, which also doubled as "spy secret message decoders." Pictured here: Esther Lovlie, Greater Wilmington CVB and Steve Richer, Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB.