Sure, it’s the biggest pet trade show in North America, but what PetGuide readers really want to know is what free swag I got and how much I could actually fit in my suitcase!
After three exhausting (but toasty warm) days at the 2015 Global Pet Expo in Florida, I’ve returned armed with a ton of cool, new pet products, lots of interesting (and inappropriate) anecdotes, a wack-load of new friends and a suitcase packed to capacity with goodies and samples.
For those of you who might not be aware, Global Pet Expo is the place to be if you’re a pet retailer. Companies from around the world showcase their products and introduce upcoming trends for the year ahead. Just a few of cool products I saw were chicken harnesses and leashes, cannabis supplements for dogs, doggy rain boots and pet herbal teas. I’ll go into my top Global Pet Expo “steals” in a special upcoming video.
One of the awesome perks of belonging to the press at these kinds of events is the free pass to delectable PR breakfasts, lunches, dinners and cocktail parties. After you’ve had a taste of the usual fried fare at the conference kiosks, you learn to plan your day around these special meal times. And it was during the American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) media luncheon where the pet press learns of the latest industry spending numbers (and noms on a delicious meal). It turns out that 2014 was a banner year for the pet industry – overall spending exceeded $58 billion! Now that’s a lot of kibble!
We’re spending more on pet services such as grooming, boarding, walking, training, daycare and even spa days – this segment saw the highest level of growth in 2014. As in years past, pet parents spend the most food ($22.26 billion), followed by supplies and over-the-counter (OTC) medications ($13.75 billion) and vet services ($15.04 billion).
While all of these numbers speak volumes as to the growing trend of pets being viewed as part of the family, I also wanted to share some Global Pet Expo numbers of my own. Sure, these figures aren’t as important to the continued health of the country’s economy, but they are pretty interesting (and funny, if I do say so!). As Editor of PetGuide.com, it’s not only my job to scarf down free food, but also meet with pet industry experts and manufacturers, learn about new products coming to market, collect press kits for future use on the site… and swipe as much free swag and samples as my suitcase can possible hold! And it’s not until I get home and unpack that I actually see what goodies were scored.
Without further ado, here are my super-important facts and figures from the 2015 Global Pet Expo show… about what I could fit into my suitcase to bring home (along with some fun-to-know facts).
Global Pet Expo Event
Global Pet Expo Conference Size
Exhibitors
Miles walked
Tradeshow walking shoes
Blisters on feet
Band-Aids used
Outlet mall amazing deals: 3 (I had to go to Florida to get Ugg boots for the Canadian winter – go figure)
Adoptable puppies petted
Shenanigans had (that can be shared with polite society): at least 10… that I can talk about. Just a few include strong margaritas, pee-your-pants-funny dinners at Tommy Bahamas, an amorous cockroach, inappropriate chicken fondling with prestigious vet and author Dr. Marty Becker, sticky mustaches, pirate eye patches, grand theft pet products (video to follow), and a fancy shark fascinator.
Press Kits: 30 lbs. (I put all of the kits on my bathroom scale to weigh them, in batches of three. Now I get to file them away. Good times)
USB sticks
Pens
Pens around when I need one
Sticky note pads
Business cards exchanged
Stuff to review
Pet stuff: 12 (Oscar is one spoiled dog. He’s got 2 new hats from Rubie’s Costumes, 2 B’seen collar nightlights, a “See Me” slip-on reflective collar from Corky’s collars, a super-cute Posy handmade squeaky toy from Oo Ma Loo, and 2 packs of Rock Your Fur wipes.)
Grooming/Air Freshening products
Poop bags
Food
Treats: 17 (These run the gamut, from Whimzees alligators, to Chewysaurus Liver T-Rex Treats, to Kitty Kush Catnip that comes with a built-in grinder.)
T-Shirts
Kickstarter products ordered
Human swag
Reusable bags
What the ?!? swag: 5 (These are items that I’m not too sure what their purpose is. It includes something that I think is a hamster Flexi leash… but I’m not sure.)
Weight of suitcase
Weight of carry-on:
Total weight of press kits, swag and other items
I’m still getting over my show lag, as it takes a few days to get back to my regularly scheduled work routine. But I can’t wait until the 2016 Global Pet Expo – and I’m going to bring an extra suitcase, just in case.
