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A common feature in business events is booth girls. They serve to attract attention, and this is almost a standard expectation. However, this is becoming more and more a controversial practice.
For decades, booth girls have participated in car shows, technology expos, and trade fairs. Their role is apparently to attract people to visit booths. This has been hailed as a marketing strategy by those on one side of the debate, and many others have branded it as archaic and an abuse of female gender.
Ex-booth babe Jessica Robert describes that booth girls can make a brand more appealing while speaking to Vice about the dilemmas involved. She says that while they increase visibility, they have to deal with unwanted sexual attention from men.
The discussion of booth girls is hardly new, but it has become significantly more frenzied. Many industry professionals are beginning to raise the question about whether booth girls have a place in modern business events. This is a turnaround in thinking that's worth noting.
One of the findings showed that 62% of professionals did not think well of booth girls. This increased from a few years ago. This response reflects only a microcosm of social changes following changes towards increasing synchrony with egalitarianism and ethical marketing.
In 2019, the Consumer Electronics Show prohibited booth babes. It was a move highly covered by the media and set what many think to be the beginning of the end for booth girls' business event careers.
Critical ethical questions arise with the use of booth girls. Is the convention using these women because of their skills, or is this selection based solely on looks?
David Ogilvy writes in "Ogilvy on Advertising" says companies should emphasize content and not looks. "The consumer is not a moron.” He adds that “using nude women in advertising is counterproductive”
Besides that, consent must also be addressed. Do the women know their roles, and are they comfortable? Businesses should handle the issue of such concerns candidly.
It comes to a point when there is quite a difference between professional talent for promotions and flat-out use of women as eye candy. Professional talent brings skills and understanding of products - the customer benefits.
The eye candy is, however, not so much conversant with content but primarily aesthetics. This leads to a superficial image of the brand and may, therefore, drive customers away. Marketing expert Alan Weiss says, " Talented professionals add value to a brand through meaningful customer engagement and by representing the brand's values.".
The impact is clear financially. While professional talent may charge more, the ROI is higher. Companies report that ROI from using skilled professionals is about 20% higher than that with booth girls.
The use of booth girls at business events is a topic that has several dimensions. Nevertheless, the trend is clear: businesses are slowly moving away from this practice. There are numerous benefits to be derived from affiliating to professional talent. It is ethical, efficient, and economical. At the same time, digital tools make equally strong cases for themselves.
A common feature in business events is booth girls. They serve to attract attention, and this is almost a standard expectation. However, this is becoming more and more a controversial practice.
For decades, booth girls have participated in car shows, technology expos, and trade fairs. Their role is apparently to attract people to visit booths. This has been hailed as a marketing strategy by those on one side of the debate, and many others have branded it as archaic and an abuse of female gender.
Ex-booth babe Jessica Robert describes that booth girls can make a brand more appealing while speaking to Vice about the dilemmas involved. She says that while they increase visibility, they have to deal with unwanted sexual attention from men.
The discussion of booth girls is hardly new, but it has become significantly more frenzied. Many industry professionals are beginning to raise the question about whether booth girls have a place in modern business events. This is a turnaround in thinking that's worth noting.
One of the findings showed that 62% of professionals did not think well of booth girls. This increased from a few years ago. This response reflects only a microcosm of social changes following changes towards increasing synchrony with egalitarianism and ethical marketing.
In 2019, the Consumer Electronics Show prohibited booth babes. It was a move highly covered by the media and set what many think to be the beginning of the end for booth girls' business event careers.
Critical ethical questions arise with the use of booth girls. Is the convention using these women because of their skills, or is this selection based solely on looks?
David Ogilvy writes in "Ogilvy on Advertising" says companies should emphasize content and not looks. "The consumer is not a moron.” He adds that “using nude women in advertising is counterproductive”
Besides that, consent must also be addressed. Do the women know their roles, and are they comfortable? Businesses should handle the issue of such concerns candidly.
It comes to a point when there is quite a difference between professional talent for promotions and flat-out use of women as eye candy. Professional talent brings skills and understanding of products - the customer benefits.
The eye candy is, however, not so much conversant with content but primarily aesthetics. This leads to a superficial image of the brand and may, therefore, drive customers away. Marketing expert Alan Weiss says, " Talented professionals add value to a brand through meaningful customer engagement and by representing the brand's values.".
The impact is clear financially. While professional talent may charge more, the ROI is higher. Companies report that ROI from using skilled professionals is about 20% higher than that with booth girls.
The use of booth girls at business events is a topic that has several dimensions. Nevertheless, the trend is clear: businesses are slowly moving away from this practice. There are numerous benefits to be derived from affiliating to professional talent. It is ethical, efficient, and economical. At the same time, digital tools make equally strong cases for themselves.
