International Baking Industry Exposition​ (IBIE) is the largest trade show for the grain-based foods industry. The event occurs every three years and is managed by a volunteer committee of industry representatives from three sponsoring associations: the American Bakers Association (ABA), the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA), and the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). IBIE operates in a crowded marketplace with several niche competitors. In recent years, the show has been impacted by industry consolidation, the prolonged recession, and slow recovery.

To overcome these challenges and increase attendee interest, it was time for a show revamp. There are various subsets of bakers and suppliers that attend IBIE. Working closely with the IBIE team, we focused on the core audiences and envisioned ways to expand these groups through two primary strategies: identifying four new niche markets and targeting non-domestic wholesale bakers. In addition to expanding audience targets, we determined promising markets and developed innovative, cost-effective digital campaigns to reach them.