Exhibitors have called Cross Media organiser Informa's acquisition of rival show MediaPro from CloserStill Media a positive move for the events calendar.

Informa will integrate the show into its forthcoming Cross Media 2012 exhibition, which will be held at the Business Design Centre in Islington on 3-4 September.

MediaPro, which was due to take place this October at London Olympia under the banner ‘Marketing without frontiers’, has now been cancelled.

Harry Skidmore, chief executive of Easibind International, which had committed to both shows, said the consolidation was a "blessing in disguise" for his company.

"It simplifies our position. Olympia was going to present a logistical issue for many companies so in that sense, it is a positive move. I think the acquisition makes sense and I have high hopes they will be able to develop the brand," he said.
Mark Lawn, UK and European marketing director of professional print solution at Canon Europe, added that the move was positive for the industry.

He said: "The integration of Cross Media 2012 and mediaPro presents us with a great opportunity to demonstrate the power of print within the cross-media mix to new audiences.

"At the show we aim to inform, inspire and build dialogue between marketing professionals, brand owners and the marketing service providers who work with them by showcasing best practice within marketing communications across multiple channels."

One industry source added that he "was not surprised" that MediaPro was open to acquisition.

"The organisers were always trying to make the show something it wasn’t and it didn’t work. Informa will make a much better go of it, especially how it ties in with their Cross Media offering," he added.

Cross Media 2012 event director Nick Craig Waller said the acquisition was "a massive coup" for the business.

He said: "Without a doubt there are a great number of synergies between the two events and visitors will benefit from that as a result.

"This will enhance the educational content that we can offer visitors from the marketing community. The agency, marketing, publishing and creative visitor audiences that have gravitated to MediaPro since its launch will find all the guidance and inspiration they need at Cross Media 2012 – it’s a perfect fit."

Informa Print Group director Trevor Crawford said initial discussions with exhibitors had been positive, owing largely to the smaller scale of stands compared to conventional hardware-led exhibitions.

Gareth Parker, value proposition manager of production print at Ricoh UK, which will exhibit at Cross Media 2012, said the acquisition was "a bold move" that can only benefit the industry.

He said: "We’re pleased, of course, with the anticipated increase in visitors but more than that, we’re looking forward to engaging with an even richer audience of creatives."