Championing new consumer trends

Always attuned to the latest consumer interests, Marketing Director Yumi Kase is consistently on the lookout for fresh exhibit concepts that resonate with current market trends. Her latest success story  ̶  Oshikatsu Expo ̶  is a standout example of how her strategic foresight and creative direction are driving both visitor excitement and tangible business results.

Yumi has been personally immersed in ‘Oshikatsu’ – the Japanese cultural phenomenon of supporting one's favourite idols or anime characters  ̶  for over 15 years.

“Over time, as I reflected objectively on what I do, it became clear that Oshikatsu isn’t just a hobby  ̶  it taps into real business opportunities,” Yumi explained. “‘Having an oshi’ is now widely accepted, and social media has helped spread the concept of Oshikatsu so that it’s become part of everyday culture. That broader social recognition, combined with how fans behave—purchasing goods, traveling, promoting their oshi—made it obvious: this culture has economic viability, trendiness, and virality.”

Initially held as a dedicated zone within Giftex Tokyo, Oshikatsu Expo was launched as a stand along event in Lifestyle Week Expo in 2024. “I vividly recall that when we conducted our first email promotion targeting exhibitors in November 2023, we received an unprecedented number of inquiries,” said Yumi. The event subsequently  garnered significant media attention, including extensive TV coverage.

Fast forward to July 2025, and the latest Oshikatsu Expo not only attracted over 120 exhibitors; but thanks to the growing corporate interest in utilising Oshikatsu for business marketing, it expanded to incorporate Oshikatsu services, supporting a thriving market sector now valued at over $5 billion annually.

Thanks to Yumi’s foresight and determination, the Oshikatsu Expo is becoming a hub of commerce and connection, where companies discover innovations and form partnerships in one of Japan’s fastest-growing consumer categories.

Powering digital connections for RX customers

Senior Product Manager Wilson Ng combines an innovative mindset with a natural talent for communication and collaboration – the ideal skillset for successfully rolling out Colleqt QR, RX’s trailblazing digital solution that’s transforming how exhibitors and visitors connect at our events.

Colleqt QR is a smart system enabling visitors to scan QR codes on stands to instantly access exhibitor and product information in return for their contact details.

“For attendees, it’s like a personal event companion – a clever, sustainable alternative to lugging around bags of printed brochures and business cards which organises everything they scan into a neat digital package, emailed at day’s end for easy follow-up and sharing,” explained Wilson.

Highlighting another core motivation behind the solution Wilson said: “Exhibitors often worry they might have missed valuable visitors during busy show days. Colleqt solves this by capturing the contact details and interests of prospects who visited their stand, but they couldn’t talk to.”

Unlike a standalone app, Colleqt is a progressive web application—accessible via browser, eliminating friction and enhancing adoption. But Wilson pointed out that it isn't just about software engineering; its success depends on strong coordination across RX. “Digital, marketing, show teams, and on-site operations teams work hand in glove to ensure QR codes are printed, deployed, and staffed correctly. Localised tweaks for different markets and business units add complexity but also reward.”

As Wilson continues to drive the rollout of Colleqt across RX, he is energised by its potential. “Exhibitors already have a powerful lead collection tool in RX’s Lead Manager App, with which they can scan visitor badges to collect their contact data, add notes, and rank by priority for quick follow up. Colleqt is all about empowering attendees to collect information at their own pace, whilst simultaneously generating additional sales leads for exhibitors,” he said.

“Our ambition for Colleqt QR extends well beyond day-to-day usage,” Wilson went on to reveal. “We see Colleqt as a foundational platform for data-driven insights: as visitors use it, RX captures behavioural patterns that can guide future event design and offer new growth opportunities for our customers.”

Creating ideas that spark joy and growth

As marketing co-ordinator for the Snack Show in Paris, Juanita Torres Cerron is always looking for new and exciting ways to bring her event to life. Her boundless creativity and ability to inject fun into every customer interaction make the Snack Show a refreshing, dynamic experience for exhibitors and attendees alike.

Conscious that some exhibitors were growing weary of email campaigns, Juanita set out to do something different: “I’ve always been curious by nature, and scrolling through social media, I saw how webinars surged during the pandemic —and it hit me: why not bring that format to our own shows?”

Among many webinars she has since organised for Snack Show and EquipHotel Paris are several which empower exhibitors to use RX’s digital dashboards and communication tools to improve their event ROI. “The content is designed to help exhibitors engage audiences and drive meaningful connections. Customers love the interactive format and are truly grateful for the assistance,” she revealed.

Facing quieter footfall on day two, Juanita introduced the ‘Wheel of Fortune -  an interactive game that injected real energy and fun to the show floor. “Exhibitors contributed products for the wheel and in return, they enjoyed brand exposure throughout the show and in our dedicated promotion campaign,” she explained.  “It was great visibility for them and visitors got a real thrill spinning the wheel. Exhibitors loved it; attendees lined up, and brands got extra exposure through tailored email campaigns, website features, and on-site print materials.”

In another stroke of genius, Juanita created an Ambassador Programme, incentivising exhibitors to share their e‑invite links. The result? A spectacular 78% increase in visitor pre‑registrations driven by exhibitor referrals compared to the previous year.

“For this I took a pre-existing idea and re-energised it by creating more exciting and desirable prizes” revealed Juanita. “Where previous programmes had offered a bottle of champagne for the exhibitor who invited the most visitors, I introduced three rewards designed to boost brand awareness for the winning entries – a video display at the entrance to the show, an advertisement in our Snack Show Trend Book, and an advertising banner in our visitor newsletter.” As a result, many more exhibitors were motivated to participate.

“I love coming up with new ideas,” Juanita enthused, “and what I really appreciate about RX is that no one ever says, ‘you can’t do that.’ Instead, the response is always, ‘Go ahead, try it, and we’ll see how it goes.’