Clarion Events has created a striking new look for its London total gaming event which, as Show Director Kate Chambers explains, represents much more than just a quick makeover: “What we have developed is a new corporate identity for an international exhibition which has come of age and which now incorporates all strands of the gaming experience comprising casino, remote, street, bingo, betting, online and lottery.”

She continued: “All the research and stakeholder consultations we undertook during the CI process showed how strong the recognition levels were for ICE, however I must stress that this is not a return to the past. The ‘new ICE’ is contemporary. It has change, technology and opportunity at its core – all of which are important features of the at show experience. We’re delighted with the identity which has also been well received by exhibitors. It gives us a fantastic platform from which to implement the great plans we have to take ICE to a completely new level.”

Clarion’s vision for the development of ICE is, according to Kate Chambers already underway with the objective of delivering visitors and exhibitors with ‘a whole lot more’. She noted: “Our customer pledge to deliver ‘more’ encompasses every facet of the ICE experience including more exhibitors, more heavyweight key note speakers than in the past, more content including seminars on Mobile and Social Gaming, more networking and more opportunities to do business.

“As anyone who has attended ICE will testify it is without doubt the most international and accessible gaming exhibition in the world as well as being the leading event at which gaming innovators select to launch their new products and services.”

Indeed Clarion’s own research shows that exhibitors debut a combined total of more than 2,000 new products at ICE, making it the event to attend for operators eager to see the very latest developments across the entire gaming landscape. The qualities of innovation, internationalism and diversity of the product offering encompassing every strand of gaming, still remain unique to ICE.

The approach adopted by ICE organisers – and one which is very much to the fore in the 2011 campaign – is to work with the market to build and create events that will make a telling contribution to businesses in the sector. As an example, plans are already underway to undertake the first large scale profiling exercise of European casino players using research and profiling techniques employed by organisations including Intel, on-line bank Egg and Korean electronics company LG. The results of this landmark research initiative will be shared with ICE exhibitors and contribute to the development of player-centred products for the betterment of the industry.

Despite the world economy and the pressure on marketing budgets, ICE has continued to prove its enormous value and importance to the entire gaming industry. The fastest take-up off space in the history of the exhibition has resulted in ICE being over 90% sold by mid-July.

Chambers commented: “This is a formidable achievement in the current environment and proof that ICE is the event of choice for the gaming industry and the place that operators are guaranteed to see the suppliers, the innovators and the products that will make a difference all located in a venue (Earls Court) and city (London) that independent research, conducted by Vivid Interface, showed the overwhelming majority (84%) of visitors like and are happy with.

“The new ICE is an invitation to be part of something really significant. It’s about stakeholders joining, embracing, experiencing and touching the future of gaming at Earls Court in January. For ICE the future really does start now.”