The Baby Show 2020: ‘We have lots of exciting things planned’

As registration opens for the first physical nursery event since lockdown (taking place from 23 – 25 October at London Olympia) PreschoolNews.net spoke to The Baby Show show director Zoe Bonser to find out what’s in store and how the show going to work.

Zoe headshot
Zoe Bonser, show director


It’s great to hear that The Baby Show will be taking place this October. How have the last few months of uncertainty been for you all?

“Yes we are delighted to be given the ‘green light’ to run our shows and we can’t wait to get back to what we do best – running amazing live events! I think the past few months have been challenging for most businesses, however we have really used the time to connect and understand our visitor demographic more; through focus groups, creating new initiatives (such as #WednesdayWellness where we invite our favourite experts to take over our Instagram channel) and of course launching The Baby Show Live @ Home.”

Tell us more about The Baby Show Live @ Home – was it well-received?

“We have been really busy and we have seen this hard work pay off, especially through The Baby Show Live @ Home. At our last event we were joined by over 17,000 parents, from 62 countries, as well as 40 incredible experts and over 100 baby brands, all in one weekend! I would be lying if I said it has been easy, however, we learnt a lot from running digital events and the feedback from our visitors and exhibitors has been really positive.”

That’s really encouraging to hear. So The Baby Show @ Home will be continuing for the foreseeable future?

“Yes absolutely but in a slightly different format. We have taken all those learnings and consulted closely with our visitors and exhibitors on exactly what they want. As a result we have created a new digital platform that will sit alongside and complement our physical shows. What this means is that for 2020 we will be running hybrid events. We know our visitor demographic is digitally savvy, so now not only will they be able to attend our amazing shows to test, try and buy in person they will also be able to access amazing content on demand from the comfort of their own sofa.”

For anyone who hasn’t tried it yet, how does the platform work?

“The Baby Show Live @ Home is very neat, with some great features such as an appointment planner (enabling visitors to arrange meetings directly with exhibitors) and personal scheduling (so each visitor can create their own timetable of events). We will also have a new Baby Show app where visitors can search for products they like, stream content, navigate the show and receive updates on events happening live. We really see this as a new way to shop, learn and buy.”

How will this first post-Covid show be different to what we are used to?

“Of course things will be different, our whole landscape has shifted as a result of Covid and as a result this is something we all have to embrace and work with in the best possible way. From our perspective the number one priority is the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors, staff and contractors and here at Clarion Events we are really leading the way in terms of the range and scale of measures we are putting in place to ensure this is at the heart of everything we do and that everyone feels confident and secure. For example, temperature checks will be in place each day, staggered admission times and social distancing marshals will control the visitor flow, clear signage, wider aisles, multiple entrances, as well as enhanced cleaning measures such as a daily deep clean for the venue and the use of electrostatic equipment (fogging) overnight. For the full range of measures please see our Health & Safety video.”

“It also gives us a great opportunity to review how we have worked in the past, streamline these processes and also use new technologies to enhance the visitor and exhibitor experience. If we take our ticketing process as an example this will now all be digital with tickets purchased in advance to minimise queuing and we will be using new enhanced technology scanners to facilitate contactless access upon entry and exit. Again, another way we can make the visitor experience more seamless.”

It sounds like it’s all planned out! Is there anything special in store for the big relaunch? What is the mood among brands?

“We have lots of exciting things planned and Olympia is always such a wonderful event for us. As we will be the first event for the baby industry since Covid (trade or consumer) to take place we know how important the event will be for everyone. Of course it won’t be without its challenges, but we really believe the opportunities far outweigh these. Just make sure you don’t miss out – we can’t wait to see you all there!”

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