So the rumors are flying that Apple has pulled out of NAB 2008. I posted that Avid had done so a while ago, meaning this is the second major exhibitor to opt-out of a booth at NAB 2008. It’s disappointing, for sure, but the red flag is in the comment by the Apple spokesperson:

“Apple is participating in fewer trade shows this year,” said Anuj Nayar, senior manager of PR at Apple. “Often there are better ways to reach our customers. The increasing popularity of our retail stores and Apple.com Web site allows us to directly reach more than 100 million customers around the world in innovative new ways.”

We organizers need to constantly re-make ourselves and prove our worth to our industries. It’s not enough anymore to simply say “by exhibiting you’ll be supporting the industry you sell to, thereby ensuring the health of the industry you sell to.” Exhibitors need compelling reasons to exhibit - and the face-to-face interaction that cannot be duplicated online has got to be a huge component of that argument.

Apple’s case is a bit unique, because they have their retail stores for face-to-face interaction so it’s tougher to make the case with them. But it’s a good reminder to me that I’ve got to make our case for exhibiting based on how it’s going to benefit their company and their bottom line and not why it’s just “good for our industry.”