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rAge, South Africa®€TMs Biggest Gaming and Technology Expo is ready to rock

Need for escapism sees gaming industry prove its resilience in economic downturn

South Africa’s gaming and technology industry is proving recession-resilient as gaming fanatics find respite from the woes of the economic downturn in their favourite games and gadgets. rAge, South Africa’s biggest technology and gaming expo has opened for exhibitor sales, and by all accounts, the seventh rendition of the expo looks set to be wall-to-wall with the latest cutting-edge computer and videogames, technology, gaming gadgets and lifestyle entertainment products.

rAge 2009 will take place from 2-4 October 2009 at the Coca Cola Dome, Northgate in Johannesburg and is the only showcase of its caliber for the latest in PC and console gaming, computer hardware and software, gaming peripherals, local game development studios, gaming apparel and accessories, comics, anime, figurines, trading cards, board games, media and creative arts colleges, the latest technology gear, movies, music and more.

“This annual event brings together the most popular and cutting-edge games, technology, gadgets and products under one roof. The expo allows visitors to get some hands-on time with, and a close-up look at the things they love and desire most. The expo has enjoyed an average year-on-year attendance growth of 30% and exhibitor growth of 20%, making it the biggest and fastest-growing expo of its kind in the country. rAge, now in its seventh year, is set to improve with an expected attendance of well over 20,000 visitors this year. Perfectly positioned to take advantage of pre-Christmas sales and marketing campaigns, the expo is a not-to-be-missed event on the South African gaming and technology industry calendar,” says Michael James, senior project manager of rAge.

“From an exhibitor and marketing point of view, the gaming and technology industry seems to be benefitting from the need for escapism from the global economic crisis. Media Control GfK International has predicted that global videogame sales will grow from $32 billion in 2008 by 12% to $36 billion during 2009 (excluding rental revenue). This scenario paints similar flashbacks to the Great Depression in the 1930s when movie theatres were packed despite the worst economic crisis in world history,” says Michael.

Niche exhibitions such as rAge are growing significantly in South Africa as a marketing and sales tool, offering exhibitors the lowest cost per lead in terms of marketing budget and an opportunity to trade slightly outside of traditional formulas and environments and experiment with new, innovative concepts with limited risks. “A large percentage of show visitors also tend towards cash buying which means exhibitors enjoy improved cash flow and liquidity. Follow-up business after the show adds a valuable component to this powerful sales and marketing exercise. The days of using exhibitions as flag waving exercises are long gone. Today’s best marketers expect exhibitions to deliver a significant return on investment – in measurable terms, including cost per lead and cost per sale. Many even track the value of each exhibition over three, six and 12 months – after all, a single new customer can represent a huge lifetime value to your company,” concludes Michael.

For more information on rAge go to www.rageexpo.co.za.