Posted by Will Ng Responses (5)

Several weeks ago on this blog, I called for a meetings industry promotional campaign to respond to the damage inflicted upon thousands of meetings and events, which are being postponed or canceled as a result of scrutiny by the media hounds and the government.

Yesterday, my call, as well as yours, was answered.

In an unprecendented movement, Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, representing an industry coalition that includes Meeting Professionals International, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Professional Convention Management Association, Site, and Destination Marketing Association International, announced the Meetings Mean Business publicity campaign that will create national print and TV ads explaining why America needs meetings. See the news story on the homepage of www.mimegasite.com.

Not long after my blog post, I was made privy to a plan by the U.S. Travel Association and the coalition by an industry source. He invited me to take part in a conference call with Dow, the exact details of which at the time were unknown. Ultimately, that call was postponed until, I reckon, yesterday, when Dow went public with the PR effort, ending weeks of speculation as to when and how the industry would respond.

For 45 minutes yesterday, Dow delivered a fiery oratory, practically declaring war on politicians "who have made the meetings industry their political punching bag." The Meetings Mean Business campaign got off to a rousing start with a scathing ad in USA Today aimed at those politicians, and even the President, which read, "Want To Lose One Million More Jobs? Just Keep Talking."

While Dow lauded the many grassroots and nascent pro-meetings efforts undertaken by individuals and small factions, he also took a veiled swipe at the industry, basically asking why it took so long to band together as one lobbying voice to flip not just the current crisis but all geopolitical issues that affect meetings and hospitality suppliers. (While that question can be left open to discussion, the current necessity is the mother of invention.)

Never one to mince words, Dow, who on several occasions has dubbed meetings a Rodney Dangerfield industry—one that gets no respect—promised more print and TV salvos on behalf of a sector that supports one million American jobs. And, taking a page from politicians, with whom he said he'd rather be partners than enemies, Dow and Meetings Mean Business are looking for their own Joe the Plumber—how about Jane the Housekeeper and Bob the Banquet Captain?—to represent hardworking Americans who rely on our industry and as a campaign rally point.

We need the snarl Dow brings, and let's hope he brings more of it to Washington.