/24-7PressRelease/ - CHICAGO, IL, April 13, 2007 — Thousands of scrapbookers, from avid scrappers to casual hobbyists, gathered under one virtual roof for the first-of-its-kind, five-day online festival, "Scrap-A-Faire ," co-sponsored by Meredith Corporation, the publisher of Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooks etc., and InXpo, the leading provider of online events. From Feb. 28 to March 4, 2007, attendees visited this Web-only fair to learn new techniques, chat with the biggest names in the industry and shop for today's hottest products, all from the comfort of their own homes or offices.
"With no travel or lodging expenses required, the ability to access the show anywhere, even while curled up at home on the couch, was a huge benefit for attendees," said Jeff Myers, general manager of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications. "In a post-show survey, 81 percent of participants said they would definitely visit Scrap-A-Faire the next time it was available. In response to such overwhelming demand, we have immediately begun working on the next Scrap-A-Faire."
The most popular area of the online festival was the Class Center. More than half of Scrap-a-Faire attendees enrolled in at least one of the more than 20 on-demand classes offered during the faire. One of the most popular classes was "Digital Scrapbooking 101," which taught basic techniques like how to resize embellishments, cut paper, apply drop shadows and other creative techniques needed to create gorgeous digital projects using the Adobe Photoshop Elements program.
Online fair neophytes expressed a high level of comfort attending classes and participating in the many virtual features that Scrap-A-Faire.com offered. For example, 75 percent of those who responded to a survey following the event said Scrap-A-Faire's Internet-based classes were as good as or better than the classes they've taken at locally based scrapbooking gatherings.
"On average, Scrap-A-Faire attendees spent nearly two hours online during its five-day run, which shows the event was a lot of fun and easy to attend," said Malcolm Lotzof, CEO of InXpo. "Besides chatting, attending classes, and signing up for show prizes, Scrap-A-Faire visitors were busy shoppers as well, visiting the online exhibitors' booths for the newest scrapping tools and spending an average of $67.45 on products."
The Scrap-A-Faire Lounge was a popular virtual gathering place throughout the show, with scrappers participating in online chat sessions that extended well into the midnight hours. Many of them shared comments about the fun they were having meeting fellow scrappers and collecting great layout ideas.
Industry experts such as Melissa Inman, group editor of Scrapbooks etc.; Tim Holtz, designer and senior educator for Ranger Industries; and other distinguished guests hosted celebrity chats, offering attendees expert advice on clipping, cropping and all things scrappy.
For more information on the show or to register for more information on the next "Scrap-A-Faire," please go to: http://www.Scrap-A-Faire.com.
Scrapbooks etc. magazine is a Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Media publication, published eight times per year by Meredith Corporation. Each issue is dedicated to helping readers sharpen their scrapbooking skills through breakthrough ideas and easy-to-follow instructions.
Meredith Corporation is one of the nation's leading media and marketing companies, with businesses centering on magazine and book publishing, television broadcasting, integrated marketing and interactive media. The Meredith Publishing Group features 25 subscription magazines—including Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, Parents, Fitness, American Baby and ReadyMade—and about 200 special-interest publications, including Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooks etc. Meredith owns 14 television stations, including properties in top 25 markets such as Atlanta, Phoenix and Portland, Ore., and an AM radio station.
Meredith has about 350 books in print and has established marketing relationships with some of America's leading companies, including The Home Depot, DIRECTV, DaimlerChrysler, Wal-Mart and Carnival Cruise Lines. Meredith's consumer database, which contains about 85 million names, is one of the largest domestic databases among media companies and enables magazine and television advertisers to target marketing campaigns precisely. Additionally, Meredith has an extensive Internet presence that includes 32 Web sites and strategic alliances with leading Internet destinations. Meredith Hispanic Ventures publishes five Spanish-language titles, making Meredith the largest Hispanic publisher in the United States.
InXpo is the leader in producing online shows, including trade shows, selling events, educational seminars, networking conferences and conventions. InXpo is headquartered in Bannockburn, Ill., and has been producing online trade shows for more than five years. InXpo's online shows improve the way organizations use events to do business by making it more affordable and convenient to participate. InXpo's online show solution includes all the technology and services that are required to deliver a successful online show. To learn more about InXpo, please visit http://www.inxpo.com.
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