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registration data, Phillips estimated that $65$ per cent of its target attendees $($retailers$,$ distributors and

foodservice$)$ were looking for products that matched Phillips$$ offerings. Among that group, $16$ per cent of

them were looking for king crab. Further, based on past trade show experience and the draw of the

Phillips$$ brand, Phillips believed that over the duration of the show, it could typically attract and interact

with $70$ per cent of these target customers who had an actual interest in Phillips$$ products. This was

slightly better than the industry average of $57$ per cent$\mathrm{.}26$

Although certain times of day were a bit busier than others, variations were not very large and customers

tended to come throughout the duration of the show. However, Phillips believed that it was a good practice

to have two extra staff members above the minimum needed in order to accommodate potential peaks, plus

also have two more people whose sole job was to manage the displays, refresh the samples and attend to

the general good state of the exhibit.

PHILLIPS$$ TRADE ADVERTISING STRATEGY

Industry specific $($trade$)$ magazines were critical information sources in most major industries. These

publications provided up$-$to$-$date business news, research and insights to managers in key decision$-$making

positions. Many managers tended to read several trade publications, often including vertical publications

which were specific to their industry as well as horizontal publications which cut across industries but were

specific to their job functions. For example, a human resources manager at a grocery retailer might read

Progressive Grocer and Employee Benefit News.

In $2005,$ B$2$B magazine advertising spending reached $$10\mathrm{.}7$ billion$\mathrm{.}27$ This amount of spending was a

testimony to the value that vendors placed on this type of marketing communications. In addition to the

magazines$$ articles, the advertisements were a valued source of information for readers. Forrester reported

that business decision$-$makers rated industry$-$specific magazines as one of their most important information

sources. $28$ In fact, $44$ per cent of business decision$-$makers spent three or more hours reading trade

magazines per week, a rate that had more than doubled from $2001.$ Importantly, $80$ per cent of the Forrester

study$$s respondents agreed with the following statement about their advertising involvement: $$When

reading or interacting with industry$-$specific magazines, I find that I spend more time reading or thinking

about the editorial content and product$/$service messages than with other general business media.$$

Birch believed that trade advertising was particularly effective in generating sales leads and reaching large

audiences: $$Trade shows may allow you to interact one$-$on$-$one with a few prospective buyers over three

days, however trade ads reach broad audiences and can build your brand twelve months per year.$$ During

the six months of phase I of the launch, Birch had run a total of $12$ full$-$page color ads $($placed across four

monthly foodservice publications$).$ Birch was pleased by the results. In response to each ad$,$ an average of

$0\mathrm{.}30$ per cent of the foodservice readers had called Phillips to inquire about more product information. This

response rate was consistent with average response rates for trade magazines$\mathrm{.}29$ Based on these direct

response leads, subsequent field sales meetings $(2\mathrm{.}7$ on average$)$ had yielded substantial sales for the

product. Birch expected a similar response amongst retail and distributor audiences in phase II$.$ He had

identified three trade magazines that could potentially reach retailers and distributors $($see Exhibit $14)$ and

he felt that the two ads that had been developed for phase I could be use