All Bets Up on Cosmoprof NA

As the 9th annual Las Vegas beauty show approaches—July 31-August 2— Daniela Ciocan, marketing director at organizer Sogecos Americas, tells Beauty Packaging editor Jamie Matusow about streamlined badges, what to expect in Pavilion B, Trend Scouts and more.

Written by Jamie Matusow, Editor

JM: What new features can visitors to Cosmoprof NA 2011 especially look forward to this year?

DC: The team is constantly looking into enhancing the experience of the attendees so they can get the most out of their time at Cosmoprof North America. Attendees can now print their registration confirmation and bring it to the show where, at the self-check-in counters, they can scan it and print their badge, avoiding waiting in lines.

We also are proud to announce our partnership with the Fashion Institute of Technology, F.I.T., the only college in the U.S. to offer both a bachelor and master’s degree in Marketing Cosmetics and Fragrances. Undergraduate students will have the opportunity to attend Cosmoprof NA as the first-ever Cosmoprof Trend Scouts. The Scouts will tour the show and speak with exhibitors to discover new product launches and show specials, and share them with attendees via the @cosmoproflv Twitter feed and Cosmoprof North America Facebook page.

Another exciting feature we are focusing more on this year is the One-2-One beauty matchmaking, an online tool launched last year, and offered to all attendees, allowing them to connect with one another pre-show or at showtime.

JM: How much focus will there be on packaging?

DC: The packaging sector is housed in a pavilion dedicated to Packaging, Contract Manufacturing and Private Label, positioned next to two of the most trafficked areas. With the event’s location in Las Vegas, exhibitors can expect to see attendance from many of the innovative entrepreneurial companies located on the West Coast. We anticipate Pavilion B surface area to see a slight increase from 2010, when we had 19,913 square feet of space and 81 exhibiting companies.

JM: Which portion of the show will be the largest this year? Which has seen the greatest growth over the past several years? DC: The area devoted to Professional Hair, Nails and Tools has always performed exceedingly well and continues to do so this year, followed closely by Cosmetics & Personal Care in terms of overall growth. We anticipate continued growth in the finished goods category for retail (mass/prestige/masstige) due to the investment and focus made in the Discover Beauty section targeting novelty brands and specialty retailers.

JM: Any special seminars related to packaging this year?

DC: Over the past two years we’ve noticed a huge interest in the “how to private label” category.The session dedicated to this category touches upon manufacturing topics as well as packaging. One session will cover “Emotional Branding–How to Connect, Navigate & Attract.”

JM: How many total vendors have signed up so far? Number of attendees expected?

DC: I think it’s important to note that sales activities continue until shortly before the event and we anticipate this trend to continue this year. We expect an increase of about 10% in terms of exhibit space and an approximate 15%-20% increase in terms of visitors attending the event.

JM: What do you want prospective attendees to know about this year’s show?

DC: We pride ourselves on truly bringing beauty players from around the world and from all sectors of the beauty industry together for three days under one roof in Las Vegas. The hotel and travel deals to Las Vegas are incredible and the city is a great, easy-to-get- to destination. So why not make the trip this year and be a part of the industry’s best connection to trends?

JM: Any reason why it’s two weeks later this year?

DC: The Mandalay Bay Convention Center approached us late last year about the opportunity of pushing back the event by one week, and in light of the tradeshow calendar, it proved to be a good decision for the industry overall to move the event.

JM: What is the No. 1 reason for attending Cosmoprof NA?

DC: The show delivers on its mission to provide a premier B2B international beauty exhibit that covers all sectors of the industry. The education planned is top of line in terms of topics and speakers; the companies in attendance are going to unveil many innovative products from around the world; and the opportunities for networking are better than ever. Isn’t that, in the end, what it all comes down to?We are an industry where seeing, touching, and feeling are still important—and that is one significant dynamic that tradeshows will always deliver.

More info: www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com