It was a sleazy call. “Hey, I’m calling about LIGHTFAIR,” said the used-car sounding voice on the phone, accompanied by a long uncomfortable pause. I did not know what to say, so I responded, “Hey, I’m going to LIGHTFAIR” with an equally uncomfortable long pause. Then came the spiel, “I’m Richard from Lighting News and my boss is just crazy. Get this. He just did the entire layout for Lighting News for the show edition and there are two blank spots. Originally, he was just going to give it to the Red Cross for free publicity, but he decided instead to give it to lighting companies. This can get you some great exposure at the big show.”
I asked Richard how much the “free” ad would cost and he explained that basically there were two types of free ads. For a half of a tabloid page–tabloid is his word, not mine–the cost is $4990, but I could have a special deal of only $1285. For a quarter tabloid page the regular rate is $2990, but my special cost is $785. In addition, I could write my own editorial content.
To his credit, he acknowledged that Lighting News was not affiliated with LIGHTFAIR. LIGHTFAIR also confirmed that Lighting News is not a media partner and not authorized to distribute their publications onsite at LFI 2014.
He explained that they would hand out the ‘book’ at the show, the shuttle stops and the hotels. Which hotels, I asked? He could not give me a list other than to say the LIGHTFAIR hotels and he knows where the attendees are staying. In addition, attendees would receive a copy when they check in to the hotel. “Then you must be affiliated with LIGHTFAIR if you have a list of attendees and know where they are staying,” I stated. Richard again acknowledged they are independent of LIGHTFAIR but they have ways of knowing who is staying where.
In an email I asked if they distributed the book at the convention center. Originally, Richard said they were distributed “outside the convention center.” I explained that this was a problem and I had hoped it would be distributed at the doors of the convention center. He changed his answer to accommodate my request. In a later email, I specifically I asked, “Are you on the property at the convention center standing at the doors?” His written response, “Yes we are.”
We’ll see.