Canon SA hosts very successful 2012 Expo in Sandton

A focused and targeted marketing drive, a double stream of expert speakers, and the promise of interacting with some of the latest photographic and printing solutions drew thousands of people to the recently hosted Canon SA Expo. The event, which was held over a three-day period at the Sandton Convention Centre, exceeded our expectations.

According to Canon SA’s Marketing Manager, Michelle Janse van Vuuren, most of the attendees, who included visitors from outside South Africa’s borders, were there for a reason. Whether it was to take advantage of the numerous show specials, catch a glimpse of the phenomenal top entries of this year’s Canon Photographic Competition or glean expert advice from some of the world’s foremost photographers.

“We were simply bowled-over by the calibre of the visitors who came to this year’s expo. They were all exceptionally well-informed and came for a purpose. It tells us that our finely-tuned communication campaign hit the spot in educating potential visitors on what to expect. Ultimately, we see our expo as a meaningful, interactive platform for people who want to purchase or already use our products and are as passionate about photography as we are. We certainly feel like we have achieved this with our 2012 expo. This was also evident at the Canon shop with increased sales of 13% from last year.”

“Each year that we host the expo, we take the key learning and apply it to the next one. The speaker workshops are becoming ever more popular and this year, our efforts to bring in renowned photography experts and the decision to host two speaker areas, were rewarded with capacity audiences at most sessions.”

“We’d also like to thank the speakers for their dynamic and informative presentations, as well as the hundreds of people who flocked tolisten to them,” says van Vuuren. Among the speakers were internationally-acclaimed photojournalist, Ziv Koren as well as wildlife photographer Brutus Östling.

Canon also showcased the biggest-ever range of products and solutions, giving visitors a chance to interact with them and speak to experts who were on hand to give advice.

In the Gallery, expo visitors were able to peruse the best entries to this year’s prestigious Canon Photography Competition, which was great exposure for the entrants. “We received thousands of entries of a very high standard this year and the top ten entrants in each of the four categories were showcased in the Gallery. It was a super opportunity for the public to see the high level of talent that exists here in South Africa,” says Janse van Vuuren.

The public was invited to vote for their favourites on the Canon Expo website (www.csaexpo.co.za) or during their visit to the Gallery, however voting has now closed. One winner per category will be announced on 15 January 2013.

For more information please visit the Canon SA Expo website at www.csaexpo.co.za or www.canon.co.za