A distinct and somewhat annoying clicking noise had people scurrying to the Iomega booth at the Tech 20/20 trade show at the Salt Palace Convention Center Tuesday.
Yes, they discovered, it was true - Iomega had a giveaway that became infamous at last year's COMDEX trade show in Las Vegas. It wasn't Iomega's Clik! drive, Iomega's newest and most heavily promoted product, but rather a trinket, emblazoned with the Iomega logo and trademark colors, that does nothing but make a loud clicking noise.The cavernous convention hall rang with the noise of Iomega's clickers. Using the same low-tech device U.S. paratroopers used to find each other in France during World War II, Iomega was making its presence known in a convention hall filled with about 150 exhibiters. Click, click, click.
Perhaps a team of technology, marketing and psychology experts could make something of the gizmo that made men and women in business dress scurry past some of the newest technology on the market to get their hands on such a non-technical device. Maybe the clicker-picker-uppers were just looking for a cheap way to outfit their kids with a Halloween toy.
In any event, it is no secret that nifty pens or a fishbowl full of Tootsie Rolls are an essential part of trade-show marketing and that local and regional trade shows help businesses decide whether to invest their marketing budgets on even bigger trade shows.
Modem giant 3Com, which now owns Salt Lake-born modem manufacturer Megahertz, was exhibiting in Salt Lake City. "We're here to promote the brand, keep the name out," said 3Com exhibiter Jason Tucker. Other exhibitors at the trade show were also showing the company's products; and 3Com's Palm III was a sought-after door prize at still more vendors' booths.
Like other technology giants, 3Com will have a strong presence at COMDEX, the premier technology trade show that opens Nov. 16 in Las Vegas.
Growing companies like Draper-based software developer In-tel-li-quis see Tech 20/20 as economical exposure and an efficient marketing test before its COM-DEX debut next month. Comparably sized booth space in Salt Lake City that sells for $750 goes for $20,000 at COMDEX, said In-tel-li-quis marketing director Ken Jenson. That makes a pre-COM-DEX shakedown a good idea, he said.
And, like other exhibitors, he gets the name and brand exposure in Salt Lake City but will save the roll-out of the company's newest product, which manages computer CPU operating temperatures, for COMDEX.
Exhibitors said the show is also popular with Salt Lake-area residents and businesses that won't be attending COMDEX.
The annual Tech 20/20 show ran Tuesday and Wednesday.