Plans for Christian Consumer Show Move Ahead
By Jana Riess, Religion BookLine -- Publishers Weekly, 7/25/2007
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association is forging ahead with its plans for the Christian Book Expo, a consumer-oriented book show to be held in Dallas on March 20-22, 2009. At ICRS, ECPA president Mark Kuyper told RBL the Expo will be a "completely book-centric" gathering, with gifts and music being showcased only as they relate to books (i.e., singers who are also authors). Kuyper has been studying other consumer shows like ComiCon to assess what works and what doesn't, and said that ECPA is planning to focus on events that are inherently consumer-friendly, like character breakfasts for children. Publishers will have the option of exhibiting at a single booth for their press, or of breaking out individual authors into their own booths, "because authors are the brand," said Kuyper. "What consumers care about are authors and topics, not the name of the publisher."
Publishers can also choose whether to sell books themselves or hire a local retailer to sell for them, possibly in the booth via a kiosk. Kuyper said that Mardel Christian and Educational Supply, which has eight stores in the Dallas area, will provide some retail support, though not exclusively. Author programming will be key throughout the event, with between 200 and 300 authors expected to participate in sessions and panels.
Kuyper said he wants the show to stay in Dallas for the foreseeable future to become established and build a following. "It's not going to reach its maturity for years," he noted. But eventually, "if the metrics are right, we have identified Atlanta, Chicago, and southern California as areas where we could replicate this later."
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