Apple, IDG, Macworld, Boston

fran441 · February 24, 2003 12:18PM

So we all know the 'saga' of Apple threatening to pull out of all East Coast Macworlds as IDG, the orgainzers of Macworld Expo, has made arrangements to move the show from New York back to Boston in 2004.

Apple agreed with this move until after the deal was signed when they said they would not attend a Boston show and would be reconsidering participating in Macworld New York 2003.

Well it seems that IDG and Apple have mended some bridges.

[quote]Apple to exibit at Bio-ITWorld Conference

IDG World Expo today announced that Apple, IBM, HP and other technology and life sciences companies will exhibit at the upcoming Bio-ITWorld Conference & Expo, taking place March 25-27, 2003 at Boston's Hynes Convention Center: "Bio-ITWorld Conference & Expo attracts pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, government and life science professionals who come to learn how technology tools for the life sciences can drive efficiencies, create opportunities and increase profitability within their organizations." <hr></blockquote>

It seems that IDG is trying to get Apple to come to Boston and perhaps re-evaluate it's position on Macworld. IDG is convinced that Apple will show up this summer in New York and that Apple will come to the show in Boston in 2004.

Interesting news to say the least, especially when Apple said they would never go to an IDG show in Boston.

amorph · February 24, 2003 12:29PM

I had a suspicion that Apple was using a strongarm negotiating tactic when they did that.

I don't suppose we'll ever know what they gained in negotiation, but it would be nice to have the east coast MW continue. Especially since IDG made me look like an idiot by countering my "expos are dying" rants with record-breaking attendance at MWSF. Bastards.

matsu · February 24, 2003 12:42PM

It's scary how much stuff I end being right about by simply looking at what people do, and are willing to do.

haha

But really. I kept saying, Apple needs MW type shows, big extravaganzas. IDG needs Apple to have any kind of mac show worth a damn. New York beats Boston from Apple's perspective, but perhaps Boston beats NY from the perspective of the other vendors.

Apple needs big shows that generate big publicity that extends outside of the tech press and into the everyday media. If they're serious about breaking the dreaded buy-wait cycle, then they have to release products with much more regularity, as they've been doing recently. They don't have to do this at every show, but they MUST continue to put on inspiring shows and talk about what they've got, even if they only release it before or after the shows.

Free publicity is a terrible thing to waste. A good MW generate more ripples than any Yao-Ming commercial, though they need to do both, advertise and rally (so to speak)

Come on Apple, I wanna buy some stock again. A few tech players are set to get slaughtered in the next 12 months, interesting gambles lie ahead.

amorph · February 24, 2003 12:55PM

[quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

I kept saying, Apple needs MW type shows, big extravaganzas. IDG needs Apple to have any kind of mac show worth a damn. New York beats Boston from Apple's perspective, but perhaps Boston beats NY from the perspective of the other vendors.<hr></blockquote>

Boston beats NY for one very simple reason: Cost. Vendor participation dropped when MW moved to NYC for that reason alone.

Of course, with the sweetheart deal IDG scored with Boston, that's even more true now. Smaller developers in particular should start reappearing at MW East once it moves back to Beantown.

There's the minor detail that getting around Boston is just as hard sober as it is if you're tripping on 50 different hallucinogens, blindfolded, and dizzy besides, but people will put up with that to avoid paying the eye-popping rates that it took to hang your shingle in Javitz.

[quote]Apple needs big shows that generate big publicity that extends outside of the tech press and into the everyday media. If they're serious about breaking the dreaded buy-wait cycle, then they have to release products with much more regularity, as they've been doing recently.<hr></blockquote>

These are two different issues, really. It's true that Apple can always use press, although these days they still get press every time they sneeze. It's probably better for the overall market to get everyone in one place where people can put their hands on products, and developers can talk to each other and to Apple, and vice versa.

The keynotes are a good place to lay out strategy, introduce products in the context of a larger strategy, and mesmerize the press.

Steve can do 90% of that with an Apple Event, but the keynotes are bigger.

[quote]Free publicity is a terrible thing to waste. A good MW generate more ripples than any Yao-Ming commercial, though they need to do both, advertise and rally (so to speak)<hr></blockquote>

MW ain't free, though. The question is, are the benefits of an Expo (which include the publicity) worth the substantial expense of mounting one and webcasting the keynote? MacWorlds are apparently defying the general downward gravity of tech expos (COMDEX looked pretty bleak, for example), so the answer would seem to be yes.

[quote]Come on Apple, I wanna buy some stock again. A few tech players are set to get slaughtered in the next 12 months, interesting gambles lie ahead.<hr></blockquote>

A few? In the next 12 months? Gateway and whom?

fran441 · February 24, 2003 1:31PM

[quote]MW ain't free, though. The question is, are the benefits of an Expo (which include the publicity) worth the substantial expense of mounting one and webcasting the keynote? MacWorlds are apparently defying the general downward gravity of tech expos (COMDEX looked pretty bleak, for example), so the answer would seem to be yes.<hr></blockquote>

With the deal IDG is going to give Apple, it might as well be free.

sledgehammer · February 24, 2003 11:20PM

In Boston, would MW be at Hynes? I've never been to Javitz, but the Hynes convention center is very nice. Also, (kind of OT) if any of y'all find yourself at Hynes CC for any reason, eat at Marché. It is a really amazing restaurant in the mall atteched to Hynes. It's expensive but well worth the price at least once while you're there. Nice view from top of the Prudential Center too. Also worth the cost.

From a purely non-convention-guy standpoint, Boston and New York are both awesome cities. Although in different ways...

fran441 · February 25, 2003 6:47AM

No. Macworld would not be at the Hynes or the World Trade Center (Boston) unless the new Convention Center is not open.

The new Convention Center is a brand new building (not something being refurbished or redesigned) and is supposed to be easily more than large enough to hold Macworld.

ghost_user_name · February 25, 2003 6:53AM

Fran, where is the new convention center? Like, what T stop

fran441 · February 25, 2003 6:57AM

From what I can tell, something called the Silver Line? Must be new. Any way, this says it's about a 10 minute walk from South Station.

<a href="http://www.boston.com/advertisers/bigdig/convention.shtml"; target="_blank">http://www.boston.com/advertisers/bigdig/convention.shtml</a>;

Never mind, I found it's a bus.

<a href="http://www.allaboutsilverline.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.allaboutsilverline.com/</a>;

[ 02-25-2003: Message edited by: Fran441 ]

dogcow · February 25, 2003 11:51AM

[quote]Originally posted by M3D Jack:

Fran, where is the new convention center? Like, what T stop

<hr></blockquote>

Begining Dec. 03 you will be able to go direct from South Station to Logan on the silverline. One of the stops along the way is the new convention center.

And I agree with SledgeHammer, maché is a cool place to eat. It's at Coply, not where the new CC is.

[ 02-25-2003: Message edited by: Dogcow ]

Apple, IDG, Macworld, Boston

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