Using copy to re-energise a 26-year-old event
William Reed Business Media
The brief
We were asked by the team at WRBM to explore how they could use copy to re-energise their flagship biennial trade show, Food & Drink Expo (FDE), which was 26 years old in 2020.
We were to take a light touch; WRBM was not looking to celebrate its quarter century but instead, focus on the way in which the show was evolving for the future. With the brand identity remaining the same, the copy needed to work hard in order to communicate the positive changes that were being made to the show format.
What we delivered
We developed an authoritative strapline to support the logo: ‘Where the UK food industry meets.’ In doing so, we gave FDE a strong sense of place, as an industry forum – the one place of any scale in 2020 where the various sectors of the food industry come together.
Promoting the ‘meeting place’ aspect of FDE was also designed to have the twin benefit of resonating with industry peers who have fewer opportunities to meet face-to-face in the current digital age.
To supplement the strapline, we developed a staccato device, to explain in three or four words, who the show is for (insight / innovation / networking) and the sectors it includes (retail / wholesale / foodservice / manufacturing).
We also created clear, concise and bold copy for the website and other marketing channels to communicate how FDE was being enhanced in 2020 and to ‘sell’ the show more generally.
What the client said
“We approached Sherlock to provide a strapline to support one of our show logos, along with key messaging to target the different visitor groups. Sherlock exceeded our expectations, demonstrating their exceptional knowledge of the food and drink industry. They are a great agency to work with, really connecting with the client, and really understanding and meeting the brief.” Julie Adlington, Exhibitions Marketing Director
