Acorn World '94: A Unanimous Success!
Avoid disappointment - how to book space NOW for Acorn World '95!
Crowds flocked to Wembley last weekend to visit Acorn's biggest showcase exhibition, Acorn World '94. Over the three days, more than 12,500 people visited the show to see the newest products, the most breathtaking technology developments, and the latest software innovations from Acorn Computers and its community of developers and software houses.
Even before the show opened, queues were snaking round the side of the Exhibition Hall and shortly after opening, enthusiasts, teachers and parents, children and grandparents thronged the aisles and stands.
Highlights for enthusiasts included the Acorn Workbench, featuring an all singing, all dancing 7-slice Risc PC complete with built-in toaster (!) and Acorn's 'home of the future' in the Audio Visual Gallery, while youngsters made a beeline for the Rocket Ship games arcade, the Lucky Dip, which raised over £500 for Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital Trust, and Superchoice's Laser Labyrinth.
Niall McAtasney, of Active IT, Superchoice Adventure Ltd, said: "There have been queues up to 40 minutes long throughout the show for the Laser Labyrinth and the kids loved it. Some of them were so excited their pulse rates measured higher on the computers before they went in than afterwards!"
Practically all the free of charge theatre presentations were fully booked, many well in advance, and over 1,000 users signed up for Clan Acorn '94, a club designed to bring enthusiasts closer to those making and designing Acorn computers. Spot members by their new Clan T-shirts!
"I'm delighted with the success of the show," said Sam Wauchope, Acorn's Managing Director. "Visitor numbers are significantly up on last year and the level of enthusiasm and interest that has been shown this weekend in Acorn's current technologies and future developments has been tremendous. I know that our partners exhibiting alongside us here at Wembley are also extremely pleased and many have already signed up for next year's show."
"We've had some terrific leads. It only needs one of them to come off and we'll have paid for the cost of being here several times over", said Stephen Taylor, Sales Director at Digital Services.
Longman Logotron's Sales and Marketing Manager, Gerry Daish, was equally enthusiastic: "We've focussed this year on two upgrades, Eureka 3 and Revelation Image Pro 24-bit, and it's been really successful for us - we're definitely coming back next year!"
Newcomers 3SL and The Guardian were full of praise: "It's the first time we've been to Acorn World. It's definitely a great venue to be seen at", said 3SL.
Marcus McKenzie, Product Manager with The Guardian Education felt similarly: "Acorn World '94 provided a great opportunity to promote The Guardian's Education Supplement."
Neither Rachel Marchant, Marketing Manager of Cumana, nor David Taylor, Director of Nelson Multimedia, needed to think twice about booking a stand for next year:
"It's been marvellous! I am so enthusiastic about the way it's gone that I had no hesitation in booking for next year. What's impressive is the number of informed customers who have quite clearly switched on to multimedia in the last 12 months. Visitors have ranged from teachers and advisors to parents buying for the home. From our experience here, the home market has really arrived. It's one of the best shows I've ever been to!", said David Taylor.
Rachel Marchant was quick to comment: "It's been so successful we've had to increase the size of our stand for next year!"
How to book space for Acorn World '95: Over half of this year's exhibitors have already secured their stand at Acorn World '95 which takes place from 27 - 29 October 1995. A further 20% are expected to confirm their bookings in the next few weeks. Space for next year's show is already filling rapidly so anyone interested in exhibiting should contact EPS Events on 01295 788386.
Founded in 1978, with 1993 revenues of £54.3m, Acorn Computers is the premier supplier of IT solutions to UK education and has been the leading provider of 32-bit RISC based personal computers since 1987. Acorn works closely with a strong community of industry partners, users and software developers to provide innovative technology solutions for the education, consumer, publishing and international markets.
The Acorn Computer Group is a holding company for Acorn Computers Limited, Acorn Australia, Acorn New Zealand, Acorn GmbH and Online Media. Acorn Computer Group owns 43% of ARM Ltd. Online Media, a division of the Acorn Computer Group, was launched in 1994 with the mission to design world class, interactive multimedia products.