Cosmoprof NA 2010 Welcomes 25,000 Attendees

The 2010 edition of Cosmoprof North America, held July 18–20 in Las Vegas, connected more than 700 exhibiting companies and 25,000 attendees that included importers, distributors, brand owners and global beauty leaders. The show is designed to be a platform for both attendees and exhibitors, allowing them to connect, see new products and conduct meaningful business meetings. As a result, productive launches are expected in the months to come, according to show organizers, and provide a much needed boost to the beauty industry.

In line with the event mission to facilitate one-on-one introduction between brand owners and distributors, the debut of the One-2-One Beauty Matchmaking software generated more than 860 appointments with buyers.

Cosmoprof North America also saw that the trend of increased “e-Media,” has not peaked. Last year marked the first year that the show had a dedicated area, Beauty Blogger Central, where online beauty editors were able to convene and affect the beauty landscape. Beauty Blogger Central returned to Discover Beauty 2010, where online editors and beauty bloggers such as AOL Stylelist.com, DailyMakeover.com, TotalBeauty.com and RomyRaves.com reported on new and innovative trends live from the show floor.

Online beauty editors and bloggers were presented daily with submissions from show exhibitors for the CPNA Daily Best in Beauty. At the conclusion of each day, the online beauty editors and bloggers selected their picks for CPNA Daily Best in Beauty and posted their selections on their respective websites and blogs, allowing beauty lovers all over the world the chance to see beauty trends unfolding.

Through close-knit collaborations with countries seeking to expand their foreign trade in beauty, Cosmoprof North America dedicated special sections on the show floor to distinct International Country Pavilions. Country Pavilions allow small- and medium-sized companies from select markets to participate in the Cosmoprof North America event with the objective of obtaining direct “face time” with distributors and retailers to secure U.S. distribution. Featured countries at the 2010 show included Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Italy, South Korea and Taiwan.

The International Buyer Program, a Cosmoprof exclusive, sponsored once again by UNIPRO, continued to unite buyers and sellers around the world with the resources, contacts and data to build business. Returning to the show for the eighth year, beauty companies showcasing their products at Cosmoprof North America were offered the opportunity to meet one-on-one as part of pre-scheduled appointments with a group of selected importers and distributors. Overall, 156 meetings were held as part of the International Buyer Program involving more than 60 exhibiting companies and 110 qualified international buyers. The international buyers were invited from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ghana, India, Mexico, Panama and Senegal.

Discover Beauty, another Cosmoprof North America exclusive, assists emerging brands in finding the proper market, while spotlighting the newest trends for influential retail buyers. By offering one-on-one meetings between key decision-makers from prestigious retailers such as C.O. Bigelow, Henri Bendel, HSN, La Rinascente (Italy), Pure Beauty and Studio Beautymix, Discover Beauty brands were able to present their products for immediate consideration and feedback from the retail decision-makers themselves.

The Discover Beauty Award returned in 2010. Thirteen brands were judged on creativity, innovation and market readiness. The voting was done by specialty retailers such as Beauty Collection, C.O. Bigelow, Henri Bendel, Home Shopping Network, Pure Beauty and Studio Beautymix, as well as various beauty bloggers including AOL Stylelist.com, DailyMakeover.com and TotalBeauty.com. Barista Bath and Body was named the recipient of the 2010 Discover Beauty Award. The brand is a full line of natural hair and skin care products to leverage the benefits of coffee and designed to appeal equally to men and women. The line was launched by three generations of successful businesswomen inspired by coffee and determined to bring performance-driven natural beauty products to the marketplace.

Special educational seminars were filled to capacity, with more than 1,100 attendees in total. Businesses and industry leaders from multiple sectors of the industry participated in round-table discussions and panels to share their knowledge and insights. Highlighted educational seminars included:

• Look Back, Look Ahead, Look Within: Panelists included Virginia Lee, Euromonitor International; Alisa Marie Beyer, The Benchmarking Company; and Brian Luborsky, Premier Salons. Moderated by Jeff Falk, senior editor, GCI magazine.
• ICMAD Niche Breakthrough Ideas and How They Come to Life: Panelists included Rob Akridge, PhD, Clinical Affairs of Clarisonic; Michael Benjamin, Temptu; and Jane Iredale of Iredale Mineral Cosmetics. Moderated by Pam Busiek, president, CBI Laboratories.
• WWD Presents Behind the Retail Door–The Reality Check: Panelists included Kathy Steirly, Kathy Steirly & Associates, LLC; and Claudia Lucas and David Altman, MarketShare Advisors, LLC. Moderated by Andrea Nagel, mass beauty editor; Women’s Wear Daily.
• Private Label Marketing and Packaging–Finding the Mix that Maximizes ROI: Panelists included Pam Busiek, CBI Laboratories; Andy Johnson, creative partner, United DSN; and Ian Ginsberg, C.O. Bigelow. Moderated by Phillip Russo, publisher, Private Label magazine.
• CEO Summit for the Professional Industry–Beauty Never Fades the Pulse of the Industry: Panelists included Pat Parenty, L’Oréal Professional Division; Michael Riley, Scruples; John Heffner, CND; and Ron Krassin, Zotos International. Moderated by Ann Mincey, recent legend at the Legends & Icons Charity Gala.
• Increasing Revenue with Social Networking: Panelists included Dan Lagani, Readers Digest Media; Nancy Trent, Trent & Company, Inc.; and Joshua Onysko, Pangea Organics. Moderated by Romy Schorr, beauty blogger and founder, RomyRaves.com.

Alchimie Forever's Ada Polla provides additional insight on the event, from an attendee and brand owner's point of view, on her blog.

Eva Graham, founder of Nioxin Research, was honored with the City of Hope 2010 Spirit of Life Award. This black-tie gala featured an array of industry notables from the professional beauty industry paying tribute to Graham for her extensive efforts and community outreach.

Cosmoprof North America 2011 is planned for July 24–26 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information on exhibiting or attending, please visit www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com or call 1-800-557-3356.