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BPA WORLDWIDE Standards for Conducting Business-to-Consumer Exhibition and Event Audits
1.0 GENERAL
At minimum, the audit shall include a validation of total audited attendance (as listed under 5.4 of this document) and may, at the organizer's discretion, verify basic demographics used to qualify the target audience within the market segment represented by the event.
2.0 AUDIT ORGANIZATION
The firm or organization conducting the audit of an exhibition or event shall be an independent third party not affiliated in any way with the show or event management, and sanctioned by the Exhibition and Event Audit Commission.
3.0 AUDIT PROCESS
The firm or organization shall adhere to the following standards for the audit process:
3.1.1 Prior to the exhibition or event, review the box office procedures:
·Review gate admission policy.
·Verify the starting numbers for all classification tickets with the box office vendor or person in charge.
·Review the advance ticket policy to ensure the validity of the process for collecting and validating attendance. This will include, but is not limited to:
·Receiving a copy of all types of admission tickets, VIP tickets, discount coupons, exhibitor badges.
·Reviewing any and all registration forms that may be used as entry into the event.
·Verifying that the box office seller of admission tickets is independent from the gate entrance ticket taker.
3.1.2 If registration is required, then prior to the exhibition or event:
·Review the advance and on-site registration system to ensure the validity of the process for collecting registration data. This will include, but is not limited to:
·Review the registration form and fields, registration categories
·Review all processes for registering and verifying visitors.
3.2 After the event, the show management shall provide the auditors with a clean ('de-duped') electronic database of all exhibitors and their personnel working the show, entertainers, media representatives and all others that are to be counted as attendees.
3.3 No admission category can be audited and counted unless it is included in a ticket count or in a database (i.e., exhibitors, booth personnel, performers, educators, etc.) provided by the organizer.
3.4 Organizer shall submit summation reports of all attendee statistics. If exhibit space data is to be audited (optional), summation reports for this shall also be provided.
3.5The testing and validation of the claimed attendance (see section 3.2) shall at minimum include:
3.5.1
A review of the entire database of all exhibitors and their personnel working the show, entertainers, media representatives and all others to check for duplicate records, etc.
3.5.2
A tabulation of all records in the electronic database of claimed attendees for:
·attendance verification
·on-site performance verification
3.5.3
A comparison of the auditor's tabulations (above) to the summation of the same data as provided by the show organizer, with an analysis provided of the resulting variances.
3.5.4
Testing of the database of claimed attendees to validate actual attendance:
·The testing shall be based on a representative sample of all attendees within each major category being audited (i.e., exhibitors, booth personnel, performers, educators, etc.).
·Samples shall be of a size to ensure the accuracy of each attendee category being audited, and if necessary, to make statistically reliable adjustments to attendance figures in each category.
·The primary test of the database will include contacting the sample(s) by phone, email, mail, fax or a combination of these methods to verify that they attended and that the information that is to be reported in the audit statement is correct.
3.5.5
Summation of audited data of attendees to yield total attendee counts of:
·Attendance categories as defined herein (see Sections 5.4 and 7.0).
·Responses provided by the attendees to demographic questions, if applicable.
4.0 ADJUSTMENTS
Adjustments to attendance figures will be made (if required) based on the results of the above tests. Adjustments shall be reviewed with the event organizer, but the final decision to make adjustments rests with the auditing organization.
5.0AUDIT REPORT CONTENTS
The audit report shall include the following as requirements, unless otherwise noted:
·Cross tabulations of data are OPTIONAL..
·If graphs are included, the text table from which the graph is based shall be shown.
5.1 Basic exhibition or event information:
·OFFICIAL NAME OF EVENT
·DATES OF EVENT
·LOCATION
·EVENT PRODUCER NAME
·FREQUENCY OF EVENT
·ADDRESS OF THE EVENT PRODUCER to include:
·mailing address
·phone
·fax
·URL
·NAME AND DATE EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED
·NAME AND DATE AS IT IS CURRENTLY NAMED/BRANDED (if changed)
·LOCATION OF NEXT EVENT (OPTIONAL)
·DATE OF NEXT EVENT (OPTIONAL)
5.2 STATEMENT OF MARKET SERVED
·Brief, fact-based description of attendees, which may include attendees' known audited demographics germane to the event?s theme.
5.3 ADMISSION POLICY AND FEES, IF ANY
·Brief description of admission categories
·Schedule of admission fees listed
5.4 AUDITED ATTENDANCE ANALYSIS
5.4.1 Table of audited attendance figures by the following admission categories:
·PAID ATTENDEES
·DISCOUNT PAID ATTENDEES
·FREE ATTENDEES
·EXHIBITORS AND BOOTH PERSONNEL ATTENDEES (BADGED)
·SPEAKERS/EDUCATORS/ENTERTAINERS ATTENDEES (BADGED)
·MEDIA & ANALYSTS ATTENDEES (BADGED)
·VIP ATTENDEES
·SPONSORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF ATTENDEES (BADGED)
·CHILDREN UNDER A QUALIFYING AGE
·TOTAL
5.4.2 Attendees may only be counted in one admission category. In cases of multiple admission categories applying to one attendee, organizers, in agreement with the auditor, will need to select the most appropriate admission category.
5.5 FIVE-YEAR HISTORY OF AUDITED ATTENDANCE (OPTIONAL)
This shall be in compliance with industry-accepted definitions (see Section 7.0) and shall report all categories as provided in Section 5.4. All certified audits, beginning with the current audit, shall be included in the five-year history, regardless of the audit organization performing the work. However, audits conducted prior to the issuing of these standards may be included, if appropriately footnoted, at event organizers? option.
5.6 NET AND NET PAID EXHIBIT SPACE (OPTIONAL)
Optionally, organizers can elect to audit and report their net (paid and free) exhibit space and net paid exhibit space (see Sections 6.0 and 7.0). If the data is audited, the reporting shall include the total number of exhibitors, total net exhibit space and total net paid exhibit space.
5.7 AUDITED CLASSIFICATION OF ATTENDEES (OPTIONAL, except where required to qualify the target audience defined in 5.2)
Shall, at the organizer's request, include the results of demographic questions audited and geographical distribution of attendees. Each table of results shall be based on total audited attendance, i.e., including attendees who did not provide an answer to each demographic question. Percentages reported shall be based on total attendees. Percentages may also be reported based on those who have answered the specific question.
5.8 ADDITIONAL DATA (OPTIONAL)
Optionally, other information can be audited and included within the audit report. However, this must be census-based and included within the attendee database and/or exhibitor database (i.e., not survey questions added to the audit testing procedure). Examples of this optional information are actual number of attendees from specific entities (e.g., home owners) or specific exhibitors represented on the exhibit floor.
5.9 EXPLANATORY NOTES
Shall include any notes approved by the auditor to provide further clarification to the audit or history of audits, (e.g., events canceled due to force majeure) and the following:
5.9.1 DEMOGRAPHIC GATHERING FORM
The form/questions used to gather attendee demographic information shall be included.
5.9.2 STATEMENT OF VERIFICATION METHODOLOGY
Description of the methods used to verify the number of unique individuals who actually attended the show shall be included.
5.10 AUDITOR?S OPINION
A statement of opinion by auditor as to accuracy of data shall be included.
6.0 VERIFIED EXHIBIT SPACE (OPTIONAL)
If organizer requests exhibit space and number of exhibitors to be audited, the organizer shall provide all exhibit space contracts for examination and testing at the event, final floor plan with dimensions of exhibits that is to exact scale, and the total number of exhibitors and net and net paid square feet of exhibit space used.
The audit organization shall:
a. Sample exhibit space contracts and validate against actual space used on exhibit floor by those exhibitors.
b. Calculate total space from floor plan and test against actual space on exhibit floor.
The audit would also include verification of payment for the space, if being claimed.
7.0 DEFINITIONS
7.1 ADMISSION CATEGORIES
Segmentation of all registrants for the event, based on their role at the event. Includes: Paid Admission Attendees, Free Admission Attendees, Speakers, Media & Analysts, Exhibitors, Sponsors and Non-Exhibiting Sponsors & Their Support Staff.
7.2 ADVANCE ADMISSION
The process by which individuals purchase advance admission from the event organizers or third-party vendors, before the event opens, through phone, fax, mail, or online. These individuals shall be verified as having actually attended the event before they are called attendees.
7.3 ATTENDEE
Any person, regardless of admission category, who can be verified as to attending that exhibition or event.
7.4 AUDIT
A published, independent, third-party-certified census of verified attendees, conducted in accordance with industry-standard guidelines established by the Exhibition and Event Audit Commission.
7.5 BOX OFFICE
The area where admission tickets are sold and/or distributed, typically at the entrance of the event. The box office can be a third-party vendor or orchestrated by the organizer.
7.6 CENSUS-BASED
A complete enumeration of a population (e.g., attendees, booth personnel). A census is differentiated from survey data that is based on collecting data from a sample of the population and extrapolating the information for that population.
7.7 CERTIFIED AUDIT
An audit performed according to these guidelines and sanctioned by the Exhibition and Event Audit Commission.
7.8 CROSS TABULATIONS (OPTIONAL)
Data tables, optionally included in an audit report, that show the results of one question in rows against the results of another question reported in columns.
7.9 DUPLICATE RECORD
The same individual appearing on the admission database more than once, whether in the same admission category or in multiple admission categories.
7.10 EXHIBITOR
A company that has purchased or otherwise negotiated to receive space provided by the event organizer to promote its product or service, and has attended the event.
7.11 EXHIBIT SPACE
Exhibit space is measured in two formats; net and net paid. Net is the aggregate footprint of all square footage in the event, including paid for, trade/barter and complimentary space, including meeting rooms. Net paid represents only space that is paid for.
7.12 MEDIA & ANALYSTS
Those who attend an event and are verified as being on-site at the show and who are qualified as working for a media organization or for a company that specializes in analyzing the industry that the show represents. These categories may be broken out separately at the option of the show organizer.
7.13 NON-EXHIBITING SPONSORS
Those organizations who have paid or bartered to receive promotion at an event but do not have exhibit space.
7.14 QUALIFIED ATTENDEES
Optional wording for those in attendance at an exhibition or event, providing that a clear definition of qualification is provided in the "Statement of Event Objectives and Markets Served" (see Section 5.2) and verified by the auditor.
7.15 QUALIFIED EXHIBITORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF, or,
QUALIFIED SPONSORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF, or,
QUALIFIED EXHIBITORS, NON-EXHIBITING SPONSORS &
THEIR SUPPORT STAFF
(Alternate versions, depending on types of exhibitors/sponsors applicable to specific event.) Employees of exhibiting or sponsoring companies and their support staff who are registered for exhibitor badges in order to staff the exhibit. These registrants may or may not be verified by show management as to whether or not they actually attended the event. The audit report shall be specific on whether or not these registrants are verified participants, and whether or not this number is audited.
7.16 REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE
A sample selected for testing that is statistically representative of each category to be audited.
7.17 SUPPORT STAFF
People who attend an event to provide services to exhibitors or non-exhibiting sponsors, whether employees of the exhibitor or sponsor or hired specifically to provide services at the event. These attendees are included in the Exhibitor admission category.
7.18 SPEAKERS/EDUCATORS/ENTERTAINERS
Those who speak, educate or entertain for an event and are verified as being on-site at the show as a speaker, educator or entertainer in a controlled-access educational program, a keynote or other information/entertaining session.
7.19 SPONSOR
A company or association that is promoted as a sponsor of the event.
7.20 STAFF
Employees of the event organizer, attending for the purpose of supporting the event, should not be included in any category of the audit report.
7.21 TOTAL
Includes all audience groups that were at the event: Attendees, Exhibitors and Support Staff, Media & Analysts, and Speakers. It does not include employees of the show management company or contractor companies who provide services to the show.
7.22 VALIDATION
Attestation by the auditor that a claim is true.
7.23 VENDORS
Individuals hired by the event organizer to support operations of the event, badged as such, shall not be included in any category of the audit report
7.24 VERIFICATION
Confirmation that an issued badge was claimed or used at the event by an exhibitor, that a VIP ticket was counted, that box office admissions were reconciled, etc.
7.25 VERIFIED ATTENDEES
Exhibition and event attendees whose attendance at the event was confirmed in accordance with industry standards established by the Exhibition and Event Audit Commission.
The event audit report shall disclose the methodology used to verify attendance.
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