6114 La Salle Ave. #186 Oakland, CA 94611   Phone:  510.547.6191 Fax:    510.547.2581 www.marketingacumen.com

Marketing Acumen and ExpoMarketing Group Announce Strategic Alliance to Support Excellence in Tradeshow Management and Marketing for “Busy People”

Oakland, CA – May 25, 2004 – Marketing Acumen, a marketing management consultancy providing tools, training and consulting, today announced a joint marketing alliance with ExpoMarketing Group, a provider of cost-effective tradeshow services. The goal of the alliance is to educate marketing professionals and junior employees on techniques for easily and quickly producing results-oriented tradeshows.

Plans for the alliance include comprehensive resources and support for busy people faced with planning and implementing a tradeshow and producing measurable results. To achieve this goal the Marketing Acumen and ExpoMarketing alliance covers three critical areas: 1) Promotion and distribution of Marketing Acumen’s “Tradeshow and Event Acumen Toolkit”; 2) Joint marketing of each other’s services; and 3) Informative web seminars on producing successful tradeshows and events.

The “Toolkit” provides all the information and tools necessary for a novice or experienced tradeshow manager to seamlessly and quickly manage a tradeshow or event, while incorporating best practices from experts in the business. The “Toolkit” includes a 50+ page workbook; 5 project plans based on Microsoft Project, enabling users to initiate automatic email briefings; sample tradeshow budget; and multiple document templates.

As part of the alliance, ExpoMarketing has included a special offer for a free tradeshow and event evaluation inside the “Tradeshow & Event Acumen Toolkit.” The product sells for $119 and can be purchased online and downloaded immediately at: http://www.marketingacumen.com/offers/TStoolkit.   

In addition to promoting the “Toolkit,” the two companies intend to jointly produce future web seminars on topics surrounding the optimization of tradeshow results.  The two companies will also work together to market products and services to current clients and prospective customers. The combined offerings provide customers full-range tradeshow and event services, from strategic planning through event logistics, enabling clients to increase program returns while reducing costs.

“We are excited to be working with Marketing Acumen; true experts at the positioning, planning and messaging of the complete, integrated communications and marketing program,” said Laurie Pennacchi, Managing Director of ExpoMarketing. “The “Tradeshow & Event Acumen Toolkit” provides valuable insights, practical guidance and the necessary tools to manage the difficult process of both exhibiting and marketing one's presence at an event, and I believe our joint marketing activities as well as our soon to be announced web series will provide excellent results for anyone thinking about adding tradeshow marketing to their existing strategy.”

 “We chose to partner with ExpoMarketing because they are a leading tradeshow agency.  With over 20 years of experience and a talented, creative staff, they are experts at delivering outstanding exhibits and managing the many logistics required to produce a successful tradeshow,” said Marketing Acumen Principal, Maria Lopez-Knowles. “With our background in marketing strategy, and ExpoMarketing’s proven expertise at producing the numerous elements of a tradeshow, our alliance is a natural fit. We complement each other's services and add greater value to each of our customer bases.”

For details on the variety of integrated marketing programs available through Marketing Acumen visit: www.marketingacumen.com or call Maria Lopez-Knowles at 510-547-6191. For more information on ExpoMarketing’s one-stop tradeshow services, please visit: www.expomarketing.com or call Melissa Mears at 408-656-0879. Contact either firm for the time/location of upcoming seminars on producing tradeshows and events.

About Marketing Acumen

Marketing Acumen, LLC, is a marketing management consultancy that empowers marketing professionals – regardless of their level of expertise – with the tools, training, consulting and mentoring necessary to effectively manage the complete spectrum of marketing programs, deliverables, and budgets. Marketing Acumen’s unique blend of products and services empower marketing professionals with proven best practices and the solutions to implement them – over and over again – on their own. Customers realize improvements in their marketing program returns, with a quick ramp-up and short learning curve. Founded in 1998, Marketing Acumen is based in Oakland, CA, and does business around the globe. (www.marketingacumen.com)

About ExpoMarketing Group

Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, ExpoMarketing Group is a provider of start-to-finish trade show and event management services. The company is a single source for cost-effective, turnkey event solutions. ExpoMarketing offers clients a full range of services, including exhibit rentals, graphic design & production, promotional programs, and logistical support. Founded in 1991, ExpoMarketing has an impressive list of clients, including National Semiconductor, Nextel, Extreme Networks, Samsung Electronics, Mitsubishi and Intuit, as well as many start-up organizations.