Natural Products Expo West: Press Badge Pick Up

Last year I had a problem getting my badge at the Natural Products Expo West.

The first day of the exhibits, there is a breakfast sponsored by Boulder Brands. It’s a can’t miss event. For me, it’s as if Willy Wonka was Gluten Free. The only wheat or gluten products are isolated way in the back of the ballroom. Otherwise tables including toasters are designated to be gluten free. Patries, bars, and hot food including pancakes, eggs, potatoes are all gluten free. For someone who has gone “without” for so long—never mind the whole year until the next Expo West, it’s as if the pearly gates opened.

However last year, I had to wait until the press room opened. So I waited. I couldn’t get into the breakfast. I couldn’t get my badge.

This year, thankfully they’ve changed the pick-up process for press. Now I can pick up my badge at any station. Yippee. So I don’t have to wait to dive into the GF goodies. Hurrah.

This is one of the changes that the show has implemented. I am hoping that the new press policies have deterred or weeded out the scammers such as Jody Baram, Rosie Pearson, Edmond Choi, and Hiram Ash. We’ll see.

Exhibits start on Thursday at the Hilton—I’m debating whether to go to that or save my energy for Friday and Sunday with potentially going on Saturday as well. You can’t beat the $10 all Weekend Metrolink pass!

Natural Products Expo West: False Set of Baked Goods and Press

At the Natural Products Expo West, there’ll be a session on Do’s and Don’ts with journalists. There’s always a seminar at every expo on how to deal with journalists. But I do hope people attend one, if not the one at Expo West.

While I don’t get the feeling from the panelists that they’ve reached out to many journalists other than someone they’ve worked with, these seminars always provide a tidbit of information that is useful.

I’ve already written about the failure of the exhibitors to utilize the services—free, in fact—provided by the show. As a journalist attending the show, I’m starved for material. I’ve started to research every company starting with the As. I’ve only gotten to C but there’s a dearth in the exhibitors who’ve reached out to me that I have to be proactive. It’s not how I like to spend my time.

Baked Set of Goods

My new beef is the set of false set of goods—and plenty baked at that--that zealous press reps sell potential clients. Recently I received a press inquiry about a Half Moon Bay jam and jelly startup. The owner was not attending Expo West, but Blink PR saw an advantage in pitching their client during a time when people would be focusing on natural foods. Fair enough. When I received the samples, I realized that the company is nowhere near ready to attain a PR company. The labels had handwriting on them.

I’m interested in asking the owner of Spread the Love why she thought it would be the time to attain a rep. And what promises Blink PR offered.

I’m a journalist, and I’ve also repped companies. I also made it clear what I could do, not what could happen. There’s a big difference.

Not Sold

One of the problems with a lot of email pitches I get is that there’s no clear brands identity that’s being proffered. Often my response is, “So what?” Tell me what’s new, what’s different. But also be damn sure that your product lives up to that.

The pitch for Spread the Love was that it was better than Smuckers. Decent, but I can’t write that. Partly because: isn’t everything better than Smuckers? I tasted two jars of the jams and jellies. It’s good, but I wouldn’t go on Twitter and say it’s a “Must Have.” Bless her heart, I know this must be the owner’s passion to make these products. But there was no business plan articulated beyond continuing to sell at Farmer’s Market.

You don’t need a PR rep to sell in a parking lot at the local college.

It’s up to the PR company to devise a compelling media strategy. I wasn’t compelled.

I feel wholly sorry for the Spread the Love owner. That’s why going to these seminars is important before acting. Boy, if I educated myself on stock trading before I actually did it and thought I was Gordon Gecko, I would be living an entirely different life.

The first thing to know about attaining a press rep is knowing that you’re ready. And when you’re not.