Internet World 2008 took place at Earls Court 2, 29 April - 1 May, and was, as predicted, a fantastic event. With over 300 exhibitors, 200 packed seminar sessions and a world class Keynote Programme, Internet World has once again confirmed its position as the leading event for the internet business and digital marketing sector enjoying another record year of exhibitor re-sign with 84% re-bookings onsite.


In order to meet the demand from both exhibitors and visitors alike, (the event grew 25% between 2007 and 2008), in 2009 Internet World will move to The Grand Hall, Olympia to accommodate its continued expansion. The move will enable the show to deliver more exhibitors, larger seminar theatres and greater networking opportunities to its dedicated audience who, despite the rain, turned out in their droves to this annual fixture in the industry’s calendar. Initial pre-audit data shows that the event attracted a total attendance figure comfortably on-par with last year’s record figures, in excess of 13,000.

67% of the audience came from senior management with almost half having online budgets in excess of £100,000. This year’s hottest topics included, online advertising, search engine optimisation and email marketing with web 2.0 still high on visitors’ agenda.


Caroline Hartley, Head of eCommerce, Harper Collins commented on the show, “I have visited Internet World for the past three years and have always found the range of topics covered across the show great and the quality of speakers and exhibitors excellent. I’ll definitely be back next year, but this time I’ll be bringing the whole marketing team!”


The event once again proved equally valuable for exhibitors. Dan Mortimer, Managing Director, Red Ant summed up his show experience, “We are extremely happy – there has been a consistent flow of traffic, an excellent profile of visitor and we have found many potential opportunities. We have already rebooked a stand three times as big as our stand this year for 2009 and will be sponsoring a couple of seminar theatres.”


Polly Arrowsmith, Managing Director, Qube, a regular exhibitor, will once again be back in 2009:“This is our fourth year at Internet World, it is our number one trade show and is a key exhibition in our calendar. As an extremely relevant show, I can’t understand why anyone in our sector wouldn’t be here – we rebooked for 2009 on the first day of the show this year.”


As a result of the move, Internet World’s three year co-location with Reed Exhibition’s IDMF will come to an end. Show Director, James Drake-Brockman comments, “Over the past 3 years Internet World has more than doubled in size and this year was bursting at the seams in the current venue. We were even forced to move many of our theatres away from their natural home at the centre of the relevant areas on the show floor. Unfortunately Reed was simply not willing to make more space available to us which we have long been asking for. This gave us little choice but to move into a different hall for the good of our visitors and exhibitors.”

He goes on, “CMP remain open to re-partnering with them in a substantially similar fashion to these last 3 years, either co-promoting the two shows, IW and IDMF, to visitors across Earls Court 2 and Olympia Grand Hall and / or to return to Earls Court 2 with IDMF in a sensible hall layout that gives our visiting and exhibiting customers the space they need.”

This arrangement however is unlikely following Reed’s announcement of their intent to launch a competitive event, ECDM, alongside the IDMF. James’ response to this launch event, “It is well documented that IDMF crossovers represent a small percentage of our overall attendee number and we expect Internet World 2009 to continue the impressive visitor and exhibitor growth of the past 3 years. Our long established and powerful brand, extensive partner network, enormous data resources and many friends in the industry have all been built up over a long period of time. It is these that are key to the success of the show and we do not believe we will be at all affected by Reed’s attempts to go it alone with IDMF and substitute IW with an unproven and unrecognised ECDM launch.”
As its 18th year approaches Internet World is confident that it will continue to attract the UK’s largest and best quality audience of senior digital marketing, ecommerce, new media and internet buyers and the move to London Olympia will facilitate the event’s continued expansion.

- ENDS –

Notes to Editor

Internet World
Internet World is an established leading industry exhibition and conference. Winner of Best Business Exhibition and Most Improved Established Exhibition in 2007. 2009 sees the 18th Internet World in London and the event is the home for the UK Internet industry, from 28 - 30 April.

In 2007 Internet World had 12,909 attendees, over 270 exhibitors and was the biggest show of its kind in Europe. http://www.internetworld.co.uk/key-facts.html  

PRESS ENQUIRIES
Parys Communications
Catriona McDermott or Victoria Thomas
+ 44 (0)207 622 9951
internetworld@parys.com