IN THE PRESS |
Interview with Andrey Maslak (ExpoMediaGroup Staraya Krepost) President
(Beauty Business News, ¹ 197, Fabienne Colin)
Russian show organizer and publisher ExpoMediaGroup Staraya Krepost will expand its Intercharm show by 60% in 2006. While preparing for this year’s show, running October 28 - November 1, company president Andrey Maslak talks to BBN about his ambitions for the Moscow shows and its venture in Ukraine.
Andrey Maslak: Our event is 11 years old and it is the largest perfumery and cosmetic exhibition in Eastern Europe. But for the past three years the event could not grow because the size of the venue [Sokolniki Exhibition Centre] did not allow for those wanting to exhibit. So we have a constant waiting list and this [hinders show growth]. Intercharm in 2006 will have more sections and will be 60% bigger, in terms of exhibitors and space, than this year’s event. The move will not only reflect on size of the event; the newly constructed exhibition complex [Crocus Exhibition Complex] gives us an opportunity to improve services and infrastructure. The new venue is modern with all the necessary facilities like a big parking lot, fully equipped seminar halls and cloak rooms, and until the new subway station opens in 2007, we will provide shuttles to and from the grounds. Our plan is to make an ideal global beauty event [in Russia] providing all the tools needed for beauty industry professionals to find solutions to their business needs. One could say that we will ‘relaunch’ Intercharm in 2006.
BBN: Are there any changes planned for Intercharm Professional?
AM: Intercharm Professional is growing too. The show [taking place from April 22-24, 2005] will occupy 3 pavilions in Expocentr. It is not only an exhibition—it is a trade fair offering educational training events. We know that the exhibition dedicated to the salon, spa and lifestyle industry will not be interesting to professional visitors without a parallel program, so we are offering training seminars. We have 4,500 fully equipped work stations available for people to get simultaneous training in different aspects of beauty salon industry. [In addition], we are adding conferences on anti-aging, nail service and on beauty-salon management, which are in high demand.
BBN: You have just joined forces with your Ukrainian competitor. What is in it for Staraya?
AM: We are actively developing in Ukraine as the market is very dynamic. And though we have an office there, it is important for us to provide adequate services to our Ukrainian customers. [In September] an alliance was signed with Estet, the publisher of the Ukrainian edition of Les Nouvelles Esthetiques and of three other magazines, as well as the organizer of a beauty exhibition running in parallel with Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Congress in Kiev. Estet has entered the ExpoMediaGroup Staraya Krepost group in order to provide better services to clients.
BBN: Beyond Ukraine and Poland (Intercharm Polska), where do you intend to develop the Intercharm name?
AM: There are no plans yet for a show in new markets.
BBN: How have you benefited from The Global Beauty Network, your alliance signed with BeautyWorld in March?
AM: At present, the alliance activities are mainly concentrated on cross-marketing. We exchange booths at different shows, as well as advertising in catalogs and magazines. This has had a positive effect on our mutual clients as they can always get all the updated information.
BBN: Do you intend to extend this alliance to new partners?
AM: We are ready to extend the alliance. We understand the importance of trade press in our industry and we are always looking to [join forces] of with influential trade magazines. For example, we worked with [Cosmeticnews.com’s owner] Cosmedias on the Cosmetique News Forum taking place in Moscow [from October 25-27].
BBN: Cosmoprof organized its first Russia-based show this year, how did this impact your activities?
AM: Cosmoprof is a famous brand [entity] in Russia. Our company has done a lot to promote [it] in Russia and the CIS countries. It is [well-known in Russia] now. [Cosmoprof] is a competitor, but [this is not necessarily a bad thing]. It makes us work [harder]. Frankly speaking, the first Russia-based show did not affect us in any way. ExpoMediaGroup Staraya Krepost is in its essence an infrastructure of the Russian perfumery and cosmetic market. It is not only a trade fair—it is a structure which provides many services to its clients, both foreign and domestic. We provide complex business solutions: public relations, advertising in magazines, trade press, Internet, consulting, market research, business meetings and travel arrangements, for example. We have been on the market for 11 years. We know the market and we have the expertise and experience to have an influence. It is very difficult [for other trade shows] to compete with this. In the end, it is always the client’s choice and we respect that.
Source: Beauty Business News, ¹ 197, Fabienne Colin