Nationwide Gathers In Big Easy
Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 2/9/2004
NEW ORLEANS— With 2,300 member dealers and $8 billion in collective revenue, the Nationwide Marketing Group has become so big it has booked and filled the fabled Louisiana Superdome, here, for its bi-annual PrimeTime! vendor show, which runs this week from Tuesday, Feb. 10 through Saturday, Feb. 14.
To underscore the breadth of the convention, which will occupy the entire stadium floor with over 166,000 square feet of major appliances, consumer electronics and furniture, the buying group has chosen "The Greatest Show on Earth" as the theme for the confab.
Events there will include Wednesday afternoon sessions on selling high-end audio and appliances and an examination of opportunities in HDTV, followed by PrimeTime!'s traditional kickoff and grand opening reception, held this year in the Superdome. The vendor show itself begins on Thursday morning, and a group dinner and IMAX presentation will be held Friday night at the Aquarium of the Americas.
PrimeTime! concludes on Saturday with PrimeTime! University. Courses include promotions on a budget; guerilla retailing; advertising planning; and insights on customer behavior from returning guest speaker and consultant John Carlos.
