US embassy cable - 04TAIPEI3110

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 003110 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 3320/USFCS/EPS/OPPI/CAT/NHESSER/JRULAND 
USDOC FOR 3132/USFCS/OIO/EAP/KZENS/ADESARRAN 
 
SECSTATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC AND AIT/W 
 
FROM AIT/KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP, ETRD, TW 
SUBJECT: END-OF-SHOW REPORT: NEW PRODUCTS USA 2004, 
INTERNATIONAL CATALOG EXHIBITION - KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN, 
SEPTEMBER 23-24, 2004 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. One hundred and fifty-nine American businesses 
received 555 trade leads as a result of their 
participation in New Products USA Multi-State Catalog 
Show in Kaohsiung on September 23 and 24, 2004.  U.S. 
State participants were pleased with the high quality 
of the attendees as well as the event's organization 
and facilities.  Seminars on commercial services, 
effective communication with US companies and promotion 
of US tourism held on the floor of the show greatly 
increased attendee interest and participation.  This 
year's event provides valuable information on demand 
for particular merchandise from the southern Taiwan 
market.  End Summary. 
 
Analysis of End-of-Event Survey 
------------------------------- 
 
2. Four states participated in the show: Florida, 
Georgia, Missouri and New Jersey, represented by 
personnel from their economic development agencies.  On 
the End-of-Event Surveys, all State representatives 
indicated they were very satisfied with the service and 
assistance provided by Department of Commerce and the 
Commercial Section at AIT, Kaohsiung Branch. 
 
3. Missouri and New Jersey stated that they "probably 
would" participate again while Georgia was neutral, 
marking "unsure". On the other hand, Florida thought 
the catalog show was not for the sophisticated Taiwan 
market and marked "probably would not" participate in 
the program again. 
 
4. The following comments were written on the End of 
Event Surveys: 
 
"Thanks a lot for the great help from U.S. Department 
of Commerce and Commercial Section at AIT, Kaohsiung 
office." 
 
"Show traffic was much less than expected.  May be 
catalog show is no longer suitable for the 
sophisticated Taiwan market.  However, the show was 
very well organized.  CS staff in Kaohsiung was very 
helpful and professional.  Thank you all for your 
dedication!!!" 
 
"Opening ceremony was very nice.  Short seminars were 
also a good idea to attract a larger attendee group. 
Tourism presentations were also a nice addition and 
opportunity for states in the show as well as those not 
present.  I think it would be beneficial for state 
partners to have country market briefings in each stop 
and one-on-one time with the SCO's/local office reps. 
This gives us good local insight to market that we can 
pass on to our companies.  Local staff was very helpful 
and organized and made the show enjoyable!" 
 
"Excellent support from the post, the local staff in 
terms of briefing, logistic support (i.g. Copying 
machine on site); etc" 
 
5. International Trade Specialists Joe Ruland and 
Jennifer Harrington represented some 96 companies 
recruited by DOC from States not otherwise 
participating. 
 
Initial results from State Representatives 
------------------------------------------ 
 
6. The State representatives included their trade leads 
on the End-of-Event survey.  State trade lead totals 
were: 
 
State               Leads     Firms     Ratio* 
 
Florida               78      22         3.5 
Georgia               40      10         4.0 
Missouri              52      15         3.5 
New Jersey            55      16         3.4 
 
U.S. DOC Recruited   330      96         3.4 
 
Total                555      159        3.5 
 
*Ratio equals average leads per company 
Attendance 
---------- 
 
7. Two hundred and six companies pre-registered for the 
event plus twenty-five companies registered on the spot 
and one hundred and eighty local companies, some with 
multiple attendees, meaning a total of 550 visitors, 
attended.  Pre-screening and pre-registration ensured 
high-quality attendees for the American participants. 
The pre-registration process generated substantial 
background information.  Walk-ins were small in number, 
but of excellent quality. 
 
Visitor Reaction 
---------------- 
 
8. Visitors and State representatives alike were 
impressed by the quality of the venue and set-up.  The 
Commercial Section acknowledges the invaluable 
assistance of AIT/K Management Assistant Joe Chao in 
arranging the dcor and making provision for 
representatives to hang their state flags.  Mr. Chao 
received many compliments on this score.  Two copy 
machines were available free of charge to ensure every 
participant had company/product information. 
 
9. Representatives from various trade associations were 
impressed by the quality of the exhibition.  They 
appreciated the time and effort staff of CS Kaohsiung 
had put into organizing the event.  From their personal 
experience, they empathized with AIT/K staff over the 
time and effort it took to deliver a perfect event. 
 
Marketing 
--------- 
 
10. Promotion for the event was targeted and thus 
extremely effective.  Using the CS Kaohsiung updated in- 
house previous attendee list, direct faxes were sent 
via Winfax for direct and cost effective promotion.  CS 
Taipei's E-Export Center pitched in to send out 
additional faxes and e-mail notices.  This year, CS 
Kaohsiung enlisted 4 cosponsors from trade 
organizations and paid for additional faxing lists to 
attract more participants.  Cosponsors  Taiwan External 
Trade Development Council (TAITRA), Kaohsiung and 
Tainan Offices; the Kaohsiung City Importers and 
Exporters Association and the Tainan City Importers and 
Exporters Chamber of Commerce notified several thousand 
potential attendees through their extensive databases. 
CS Kaohsiung and the E-Export Center also worked up a 
number of free press articles and calendar event 
listings in newspapers and trade periodicals. 
 
11. CS Kaohsiung sent additional marketing flyers to a 
list of more than 100 industrial and trade related 
associations.  As noted, AIT/K takes great care in the 
pre-screening and registering of potential visitors to 
ensure that attendees were viable and commercial 
contacts.  In light of the evaluations and comments by 
the participating state representatives and the number 
of trade leads generated, this focused approach is 
highly effective in building qualified leads for US 
companies. 
 
Value-added Support from CS Kaohsiung and Taipei 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
12.A press release in English and Chinese was 
disseminated to local media outlets prior to the 
opening.  On September 23, Lin Yun-chien, Deputy Mayor 
of Kaohsiung, Greg Loose, SCO of CS Taiwan, Robert 
Forden, Chief of the American Institute of Taiwan, 
Kaohsiung Branch and Wang Ming-Jer, Director of Taiwan 
External Trade Development Council delivered opening 
remarks and cut the ribbon to mark the formal opening 
of the exhibition.  Before the opening, SCO Loose and 
Branch Chief Forden briefed delegates of the NPUSA2004 
on the Taiwan market.  Attendees were asked to drop 
their business cards in order to win door prizes. 
Business cards thus collected will be valuable tools 
for further contacts follow-up.  In addition, staff of 
CS Kaohsiung designed and conducted an on-site survey 
to collect information on merchandise/products 
specifically sought after by the visitors. 
13. SCO Loose and PCO Harbaugh conducted a seminar 
introducing various commercial services to an audience 
more than fifty.  Commercial Assistant Cally Tsao also 
walked the audience through the website-BuyUSA.Gov step 
by step so the audience would have a better idea of the 
DOC's Internet marketplace. In addition, Commercial 
Assistant Wendy Tien from CS Taipei gave a seminar on 
"How to Effectively Communicate with US Companies", 
which also drew a big crowd of attendees.  Since 
tourism is one of the categories of the catalog show, 
CS Kaohsiung worked with SeeAmerica Committee of Travel 
Industry Association of America (TIA) in the USA and 
AmCham VisitUSA subcommittee in Taipei,via the 
coordination of CO Richard Craig and Trade Specialist 
Shirley Wang on US tourism promotion.  Representatives 
from the U.S. states of Idaho, Louisiana and Montana 
gave presentations on the wide range of beautiful and 
historic sites in their respective states.  In 
addition, attractive and informative posters, catalogs 
and brochures on tourism in a number of other U.S. 
states were displayed. 
 
14. This wide range of highly informative seminars and 
other activities added value to the show for attendees 
and state representatives alike. As mentioned, one 
state representative wrote in the comment section of 
her survey, "Opening ceremony was very nice.  Short 
seminars were also a good idea to attract a larger 
attendee group.  Tourism presentations were also a nice 
addition and opportunity for states in the show as well 
as those not present."  Bringing these seminars to the 
catalog show increased the level of excitement in the 
room and helped vary the pace of participant traffic to 
State and DOC booths. 
 
15. Staff of AIT Kaohsiung's Public Affairs section 
assisted CS Kaohsiung in obtaining media coverage that 
greatly enhanced the visibility of both New Products 
USA and CS Kaohsiung.  The show received coverage in 
six different newspapers, and garnered mention on local 
television news and radio as well. 
 
Market Evaluation 
----------------- 
 
16. Despite all the effort and value-added programs, CS 
Kaohsiung has noticed an obvious decrease in visitors 
and trade leads.  As one state representative honestly 
stated in the comment section of his end-of show 
survey:" Show traffic was much less than expected.  May 
be catalog show is no longer suitable for the 
sophisticated Taiwan market."  On the other hand, CS 
Kaoshiung was pleased to find how many serious and high 
quality commercial contacts came to the show, with most 
expressing enthusiasm to learn more about American 
product lines.  Our conclusion is that niche 
merchandise can still find a market in Taiwan.  CS 
Taiwan will continue bridging all interested parties 
via different commercial programs and will continue to 
consider, utilize and support catalog shows if DOC 
continues to recruit delegates. 
 
17. Visitors to the show expressed greatest interest in 
the categories of industrial and environmental 
equipment.  However, some of them expressed 
disappointment in not seeing more catalogs on heavy 
machinery, raw industrial materials such as steel, wood 
and paper pulp and automatic packaging equipment.  CS 
Kaohsiung will follow up with and assist these visitors 
in finding their needed products.  In addition, CS 
Kaohsiung will forward relevant trade inquiries to 
responsible trade specialists and participating state 
offices. 
 
FORDEN.  PAAL