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Booth babes are an institutionalized component of trade shows, but does their presence present more risk than reward to exhibitors?
The slang term ‘Booth Babe’ has occasionally been used to refer to a trade show model. The term focuses on physical appearance, or specifically on wardrobe, which, depending on the type of trade show, can be thematic or sexy. For example, at a builder’s convention a model may be dressed as a construction worker with cut-offs, tight t-shirt, tool belt, and hard hat. - Wikipedia
In my quest to provide Affiliate Summit exhibitors with the most productive environment possible, I set about to ask the question, “Does it impact your interest in a tradeshow booth if it is staffed by ‘booth babes’?”
I also asked the gender of respondents in the anonymous survey.
More than 180 conference goers submitted their feedback by choosing one of the following options:
- I am more likely to visit the booth
- I am less likely to visit the booth
- Doesn’t matter to me
Here are the results:
Wow. More than half of the people surveyed are less likely to visit a booth with booth babes, while just 15% are more likely to visit!
The respondents broke out by gender as follows:
Now let’s see how opinions break out by gender:
Female conference attendees are clearly repelled by booth babes at conference booths.
While that may not be earth shattering, I was a bit surprised that more male respondents had a negative view of booth babes than those who had a positive view.
My conclusion: staffing a conference booth with booth babes appears to be a calculated risk. Outsource your reputation at your own peril.
23 responses so far ↓
1 Jay Berkowitz // Jul 24, 2007 at 11:47 pm
If Booth Babes are out why did our client Extreme Halloween’s booth babe get more cards (and attention) than me? http://tengoldenrulesblog.blogspot.com/#7101614435483778890
People answer surveys differently than they act. Do a survey and ask where someone heard about a promotion, they list tv even when you don’t advertise on tv.
2 Moose // Jul 25, 2007 at 1:37 am
Amusing poll
For those men who voted “Doesn’t Matter to Me”, I think if you gave them a gentle nudge & a wink & a cheeky grin, there would be a gentle shift towards “I am more likely to visit the booth” .. and with those who say they are “less likely” some probably vote more conservatively as is sometimes the case with these polls. Then however you will always get those who are politically correct.
How did I vote, I voted conservatively and said it “Doesn’t Matter to Me”.
I wonder if there is a difference of opinion for different territories.
Now having Booth Babes giving away loads of freebies or inducing into attractive prize draws might be a double bonus. One thing for sure have both men & women staff on an exhibition stand.
3 Shawn Collins // Jul 25, 2007 at 8:40 am
Hi Jay -
We actually got a bunch of feedback that it made sense for your booth, since it was tied to the product.
4 Shawn Collins // Jul 25, 2007 at 9:00 am
It was entirely anonymous, so I would hope people didn’t feel like their vote should be influenced by how they think they should vote vs. how they truly act.
For me personally as a frequent conference attendee, it’s nothing to do with political correctness.
I just figure a booth staffed with people that are just hired for the day is a waste, because they won’t be able to answer my questions.
5 CostPerNews » The Final Word on Booth Babes // Jul 25, 2007 at 9:15 am
[...] Shawn Collins has compiled and plotted data from a survey asking how the presence of booth babes at a company’s booth affected a conference attendee’s predilecti…. [...]
6 Vlad // Jul 25, 2007 at 10:03 am
“Booth babes are an institutionalized component”
I would rather say that it “institutionalized degrading of women”. It’s a shame we have to spend time researching things that are quiet obvious.
7 Kevin // Jul 25, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Does the term booth babe specifically refer to a hired gun?
Even if it does, what if a booth was womaned by a genuine employee of that company, who happens to posses beauty and brains?
Assuming the results of the poll are truly genuine, I guess that means that attractive female employees better mind how they dress at the show… Or be darn sure it’s obvious they can answer questions.
8 Shawn Collins // Jul 25, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Yes, per the definition in Wikipedia.
I can’t attest to how scientific the numbers are, as I’m not a statistician, but that’s the data that came in.
I don’t think attractive female employees have anything to worry about.
If you’re unclear as to what a booth babe is, just search for the term in Google images.
9 Kevin // Jul 25, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I think I’ll pass on the googling that… but thanks for clarifying. I don’t consider myself a trade show expert by any stretch, and all of my experience is from the attendee as opposed to a sponsor. And I wasn’t referring to the credibility of the poll, per se, but the reference that Jay made earlier.
Perhaps the assertion that some men are just plain intimidated by beautiful women is more in play here than political correctness, however. I won’t presume to speak for female attendees, but you don’t have to stretch too far to see why it wouldn’t be all that effective from their perspective.
While I missed Miami, when I was at the Summit in Vegas the comments made regarding hired models were more from booth renters that didn’t have them as opposed to people walking the floor for information.
10 Chris Park // Jul 25, 2007 at 2:36 pm
“what if a booth was womaned by a genuine employee of that company, who happens to posses beauty and brains?”
Beauty and brains are one thing. There are a lot of this type of woman in the affiliate industry. The difference is… I don’t think you’d see these women working the booth in short shorts and bikini tops.
11 Moose // Jul 25, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Just speaking with my good lady on this, and her opinion is balance it out for the ladies and get some himbos (male hunks) on the stands, she sees it as harmless fun, which may draw your attention to the stand.
Also it doesn’t necessarily follow they don’t know about the product, from a number conferences attended of various industries, taking summit for example. One question we repeatedly asked staff from a network or agency was, what are your top 5 programs and do you have a list of the programs you represent, the latter can be gleaned from their site, granted, but maybe half the time they were unsure or didn’t know. So it’s a matter of preparation. Being a booth babe, doesn’t make you a “dumb blonde”. Without it turning into a circus there are other forms of walkabout / novelty entertainment or something more civilised like a caricaturist, or maybe look at making stands more interactive.
12 Kevin // Jul 25, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I’m probably double posting this (it’s the second time I’m writing this) on top of everything else, but I completely misread the spirit of this whole thing, and then somehow missed part of the original post.
So it’s a classic case of speaking before thinking, and I’ve already thoroughly admonished myself for it over at ABW.
That being said, sorry Mr. Collins. I might have something smarter to say after I take a 36 hour nap.
13 Shawn Collins // Jul 25, 2007 at 3:38 pm
No worries, Kevin.
14 SandraR // Jul 26, 2007 at 6:56 am
Booth Babes are marketing at its most amusing
They catch the eye and should hand out pamphlets, booth babes used for any other purpose is silly.
15 carl // Jul 26, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I actually noted this in my Affiliate Summit Review. I noticed less pure booth babes in Miami then I would normally see at financial trade shows but more then the manufacturing trade shows I have been to. That being said, normally when you see the hired model for a trade show you can tell right off the bat because of how they are dressed.
What made no sense to me were the companies who hired women and dressed them like their normal employees. I would ask them questions and they could almost never give an answer. It only makes your company look bad.
I would rather not have models in the booths, but if you feel the need, then don’t have them wearing business casual acting like employees.
In this game, service is key. I can’t stop in your office. I have to depend on your staff to give me answers by either email or phone. If the person you chose to represent the company at a trade show can’t answer questions, what would I expect from the rest of your staff?
16 Jon // Jul 26, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Shawn, I think that the majority of the people who answered the poll, and are also male, were either lying, or just lying because they thought it would come back to them.
Even though we didn’t use booth babes at the WickedFire.com booth, it was because the only real babes are ME and my partner, and we didn’t want people to think that there were hotter women out there, because Missy is the hottest of them all!
Alright, but seriously, booth babes work. Especially at BIG shows like AD:TECH NY or SF sized. You know that Affiliate Summit is definitely well on it’s way of becoming a show of that magnitude over the next 5-7 years, with more advertising dollars being poured into the industry. More affiliates coming out of nowhere. More networks and merchants joining the ranks. It’s not a question of will it happen but WHEN and how soon. I think that once the Affiliate Summit show grows to have 5,000 attendees on average at each show, you’ll see the use of booth babes a lot more often.
Right now it’s fairly safe, because we are still a fairly small and niche group. But we both know that it’s doing nothing but growing more and more. And as it grows, so does the exhibitor’s demand for foot traffic attention. Especially if their branding isn’t doing very well.
It’s a cheap and effecient form of quick advertising. Say it with tight shirts and booty shorts. Sure beats sending out a newsletter trying to get someone to buy something or to join a network. Sex sells. Even if it’s not SEX that you’re selling, you can tastefully use it to your advantage. And when the day comes when there are just as many women in the industry as men, or more, then you will start seeing booth BOYS.
17 Heather // Jul 30, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Well, I am just starting out in this industry so I am nowhere near anyone caring for my opinion, but I would just like to point out a few things if you will allow me, even though I am a noob.
1. Yes, sex does sell.
2. If an organization is trying to convince me that it is the “real deal” and they are the only ones on the planet with any integrity and honesty, and then they man their booth with a booth babe, what does this tell me?
3. It tells me that sex sells, and that their product does not.
4. Sex is temporary. Sex in advertising is a one night stand. It may work for first time sales, but never for residual income. Untimately, the object (sexy female) that persuaded the affiliate to join in the first place is somebody elses girlfriend whom they will never see again, Thus, interest eventually dwindles.
5. The very concept of using the booth babe as a marketing too; is clearly insulting to women, but that is beside the point. Big Whoop that is.. We have dealt with this kind of BS for decades. More to the point, it is completely insulting to MEN. It assumes that a male, no matter how intelligent and successful, will make a major business decision based only on being horny. Oh, wait, that was stupid of me, it’s not an assumption, it’s a fact. Silly me.
6. Why is it a fact? Ahem…look at the stats again.
The entire thing is very nauseating, yet profoundly interesting. As King Solomon said: “There is nothing new under the sun”
Same ole…. same ole…………
Heather
18 Sandra // Jul 30, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Heather,
Quote
“It assumes that a male, no matter how intelligent and successful, will make a major business decision based only on being horny.”
You hit a nerve with me as to what men deem business as usual; I can hear your acceptance but offense at this type of business practice.
You may want to read: When God Was A Woman by Merlin Stone
Hope it empowers you
19 Wade // Aug 3, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Why am I not surprised with the Wickedfire stance on this question
Great discussion. Any information on ROI from the companies who went in this direction ?
20 Jon // Aug 3, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Sandra.. I read the book that you recommended. Wow. I feel so… empowered now! Makes me want to change the world one woman at a time. I suddenly had the urge to find a really poorly designed site like yours and come to terms with the fact that since my site does not look like it was made in the early 90’s by a grade school kid an hour before the project was due, that I too can feel oh so empowered… alright I’ll just stop it right there because this is just too easy.
Oh look, it’s Wade from AP. Quick everyone, hide your ideas or he’ll copy them and claim them as his own that they launched “months ago”.
Some of you are just so silly for taking this so far. Booth babes exist for the SAME reason that flashing lights at a booth, big prize giveaways, and spending a ton of cash on parties do. Because they give the end user some entertainment. So everyone please stop pretending to be these super tough and total saints online, because when you’re at a conference, you know damn well you will be attending the parties, stashing your business cards into the prize buckets, and even giving the booth babes a second look (even if it’s in disgust — you are still looking!).
Nuff said, debate is over.
21 Carl // Aug 3, 2007 at 3:46 pm
@Jon
Just a slight disagreement. I went to Affiliate Summit Miami but went to none of the parties.
And honestly, the posters in your forum may have been the grade school kid who did Sandra’s site.
I can’t even use your forum because it seems like it is run by middle school kids at recess. People post there just for an excuse to curse. It is a shame because the last time I visited, there was some good info but the sheer volume of juvenile posts with no content makes the site unbearable.
I picked up your business card but opted against a t-shirt because I would not want anyone I know to visit the site. Surely you don’t care but I am sure Sanda and Wade don’t either (by the way Sandra, that book is crap).
I would not be less inclined to visit a booth because of the presence of a model but it certainly does not draw me. That may be a lie for most people but I have nothing to prove to anyone online.
Now the debate is over.
22 Making a Million » Blog Archive » Booth Babes // Oct 3, 2007 at 7:35 pm
[...] “The Godfather” was just chatting away via email to Shawn Collins - one of the organisers behind the Affiliate Summit. Shawn directed The Godfather a post about booth babes, or more accurately about the decline of the booth babe. [...]
23 Tim Rees // Oct 3, 2007 at 8:06 pm
For me personally it completely depends on what the show is, what the product is and how they do it.
If they are there I will look simply because I am male, but it will not influence whether I go any further.
I was just actually just exhibiting at Ad:tech in London. Such “babes” were used by a competitor of ours. They were instructed to come and hussle visitors on our stand but they were abrupt, rude and unknowledgeable which gave a very poor impression of them - which suited us!
For trade shows its not such an obvious choice for getting the RIGHT attention, and clearly you run risk of getting the WRONG attention.
Besides:
Most people worth talking to will find and speak to you anyway - they are at the trade show for a reason and probably paid to go!
Some might actually be intimidated by them.
Business is rightly no longer so dominated by men, having booth babes there for entertainment value is not as applicable as it once was!4
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