Daily Vaper

Vape Events Promoters Are Finally Cracking Down

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Norm Bour Contributor
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With 2018 on the horizon, we are finally starting to see a bit of accountability from event promoters in the vape space.

This year witnessed some half-hearted efforts. But now the Electronic Cigarette Convention, one of the former biggies in the vape space, is making it very clear to exhibitors: no “unprofessional conduct.”

What does that mean?

For the February 9-11, 2018 show to be held at their usual venue, the Ontario Convention Center in California, here is a list of some of the no-no’s they will forbid:

  • Only pre-approved imagery will be allowed during the show. This means that all labels must be submitted in advance, along with booth backdrops, signage, banners, wardrobe and uniforms, brochures, props, inflatables and anything that will be visible in exhibit space and/or public view. The days of scantily clad models at vape shows may be behind us.
  • Intellectual Property review, which means that ECC will be checking for any copyright infringement on any display products.
  • No counterfeit products, which follows on the heels of IP review. In year’s past most of the industry turned a blind eye to knockoffs.
  • No cartoon imagery on products that are deemed to appeal to minors. This has been a touchy area since it is not quantitative and therefore open to interpretation.

The Electronic Cigarette Convention is calling it their ECC Industry Impact Imagery Review Policy: They will have a panel and judges looking at all the above. They will also be walking the floor throughout the event. And rule-breaking booths will be shut down. The ECC maintains the right to remove any violators.

This may be heavy handed, but it is necessary. I applaud their efforts.

If we look at prior ECC and like-kind events, they were a travesty and circus of excessive vapor, too-loud music, products thrown around like candy and various photo-worthy ops of mascots in uniforms wandering the aisles.

The time for professionalism is here and 2018 may prove to be the year that weeds out the players from the pros.

Do you have questions about mastering the vape industry? If so, send them on to norm@VapeMentors.com and we’ll address them in future columns. 

Norm Bour is the founder of VapeMentors – a vape industry consulting company for vape shops, eCommerce sites and e-liquid brands. He’s also the host of Vape Radio, the largest vape business podcast in the world with more than 1.3 M downloads.

Get a free copy of his book Vapreneur by clicking here

As a founding partner in the Vape Industry Business Exchange (VIBE) & Bestvapejuice.com, Norm is committed to supporting the vape space into this Brave New World.

Contact him at norm@VapeMentors.com.