Sex does sell to some segments. However, if you’re spending thousands of dollars on a booth at a conference like Affiliate Summit, AdTech or eComExpo, why would you want to appeal to the lowest common denominator with booth babes? I’ll never understand that.
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 predilection to visit that booth.
The results are conclusive:
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.
Go view the graphs on AffiliateTip that break down the data into various segments as well.
And I’m sure I’ll get a “well it’s human nature, come on you prude” type comments. I’m not a prude (by any means), but I still stick by this:
My wife is pregnant and this sort of thing turns my stomach for our son or daughter (we find out the sex next week). If it’s a girl, I want the child to be able to look up to the industry and business that her dad participates in, since it provides so much for our family. However, the presence of booth babes, “so what?” attitudes and ridicule against those who speak up about how horrible sexism is for the bright and professional young women in our industry makes me filled with shame.
Ironically, it’s the men in our industry who are the biggest fools for falling for the lame marketing of booth babes and the bloggers who draw in traffic by promoting them.
So, do with Shawn’s study what you will, but keep the greater good (of the industry and your own business) in mind when you hire out a model for your booth. The costs (both economic and otherwise) associated with booth babes just don’t pay for the return of quick eyeballs and damage to brand reputation.
