UFI, ICCA and EMECA unite to form the European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEEIA)

Welcome to the latest edition of Snöcap.

Spotlight: UFI, ICCA and EMECA have signed a formal agreement to unite their European advocacy under the newly expanded European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEEIA), building on the EEIA framework that EMECA and UFI established in 2012.

Also read: Informa’s big night at the prestigious Neal Awards (including six wins for Aviation Week), IAEE’s post-acquisition integration roadmap for Exhibitor Group, and Snöball’s launch of Stop the Scroll Formats.

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UFI, ICCA and EMECA unite to form the European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEEIA)

Three of the world’s leading events and exhibition associations — EMECA (European Major Exhibitions Centres Association), ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) and UFI (the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) — have signed a formal agreement to unite their European advocacy under a single body: the European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEEIA).

The move expands the existing European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA), founded by EMECA and UFI in 2012, to formally incorporate ICCA and extend its mandate to cover exhibitions, meetings, conferences, and congresses. The EEEIA will represent the collective interests of the broader European events and exhibition industry before EU institutions and key international stakeholders.

The EMECA Secretary General continues to serve as EEEIA Secretary General, with the EMECA team managing daily operations. Strategic direction and advocacy priorities will now be jointly shaped by all three partner organizations.

ICCA President Marta Gomes said: “By joining the EEEIA, ICCA is strengthening the collective voice of Europe’s business events sector. Working within an established and experienced advocacy platform allows us to have greater impact at EU level and ensure our industry’s value is clearly recognised in Europe’s globally leading meetings and events market.”

EMECA President Elzbieta Roeske said: “In 2012, EMECA and UFI established the EEIA as a strong, united body to represent the exhibition industry in Brussels to policymakers and stakeholders. Welcoming ICCA to the enlarged European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance is a logical step, complementing our representation with business events and congresses. These are becoming increasingly important – also to exhibition venues and organisers – as formats evolve. Amid significant change and uncertainty, it is essential to emphasise our shared need for fair operating conditions in Europe and rule-based trade worldwide.”

UFI President Panittha Buri said: “This milestone represents a significant step forward since the founding of the EEIA in 2012 and reflects the continued success of our joint advocacy for Europe’s exhibition industry. The inclusion of ICCA in the alliance demonstrates that exhibitions, congresses and business events are integral parts of one dynamic ecosystem. Together, we strengthen our collective voice – supporting our members, advancing our sector and ensuring policymakers recognise our vital role in driving Europe’s economy and global competitiveness.”

Snöball unveils ‘Stop the Scroll’ formats to bring flexible, multi-format sharing to event marketing

Snöball has launched Stop the Scroll Formats, a feature that allows event organizers to move beyond single-size, single-layout content when running advocate-driven campaigns.

The feature addresses a core challenge in social sharing: content that blends into feeds rather than standing out. According to Snöball, even well-crafted shares from speakers, exhibitors, and attendees lose visibility when they follow the same format as every other post in a crowded feed.

With Stop the Scroll Formats, organizers can now mix square, portrait, landscape, and fully customizable sized formats across campaigns and audiences, creating shares designed to take up more space in the feed.

The launch builds on Snöball’s existing advocate toolkit, which already gives event participants more than 17 channels to share across, along with personalized messaging and a streamlined sharing experience. The new formats are positioned as the next layer: giving advocates not just a way to promote an event, but a way to be seen doing it.

According to Snöball, the feature is designed to drive measurable outcomes, with greater feed visibility translating to more engagement, clicks, and registrations — all sourced from people the target audience already knows and trusts.

Aviation Week wins 6 out of 12 prestigious Neal awards for Informa

Aviation Week claimed six of the 12 Jesse H. Neal Awards won by Informa at the 2026 ceremony in New York, including the top honor, the Grand Neal, presented to the entire editorial team for the Sept. 1-14, 2025 edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Informa’s 12 wins spanned seven brands across aviation, foodservice, battery technology, payments, and education. Aviation Week’s six awards were:

• Grand Neal Award: Aviation Week & Space Technology, September 1-14, 2025
• Best Single Issue of a Tabloid/Newspaper/Magazine: Aviation Week & Space Technology, September 1-14, 2025
• Best Commentary (Brand revenue over $7m): Garrett Reim, Aviation Week
• Best Overall Art Direction/Design (Brand revenue over $7m): Aviation Week
• Best Technical/Scientific Content (Brand revenue over $7m): Aviation Week & Space Technology
• The Timothy White Award for journalistic courage: Shared by Pentagon editor Brian Everstine and journalists from seven other publications

Aviation Week President Greg Hamilton said: “Aviation Week’s multichannel business thrives on authoritative and trusted content. This award-winning work by our journalists and designers shines a bright light on the driving force behind our growth and success. Congratulations to Chief Editor Joe Anselmo and his team on this well-deserved recognition.”

Three of Informa’s remaining wins went to Industry Dive titles, part of Informa TechTarget. Battery Technology Senior Editor Maria Guerra won Best Explanatory Content, with K-12 Dive, Packaging Dive, Payments Dive, Restaurant Business, and CSP Daily News each taking one award across the remaining categories.

IAEE details integration roadmap after Exhibitor Group acquisition

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has outlined its integration strategy following its acquisition of Exhibitor Group, with leadership continuity and program preservation as the central priorities.

IAEE has formed an Exhibitor Group Division to be led by General Manager Stephanie Gibbs, who will oversee the full portfolio of Exhibitor Group brands, including EXHIBITOR magazine, EXHIBITORLIVE, and the Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) certification program.

IAEE President and CEO Marsha Flanagan said: “We’re committed to preserving what makes these brands invaluable to our industry while enhancing their reach and impact through IAEE’s global network. Stephanie’s leadership ensures that the quality and innovation our community expects will not only continue but flourish.”

Gibbs said: “This moment is about more than integration – it’s about alignment. By uniting Exhibitor Group’s deep expertise in education and engagement with IAEE’s global platform, we’re creating a more connected, informed and empowered industry. Our focus is on elevating the role of exhibitors and ensuring they have the tools, insights and community they need to succeed in an evolving events landscape.”

IAEE also announced plans to integrate the EXHIBITORLIVE experience with its annual Expo! Expo! meeting and exhibition in December 2028 in Las Vegas, coinciding with IAEE’s 100th anniversary.

“This fusion of the ecosystem is a powerful symbol of our united industry,” Marsha said. “Bringing these two premier events together into one location to mark IAEE’s centennial year creates an unparalleled opportunity for connection, learning and celebration.”

Who is hiring?

Apple | Event Project Manager

HMP Global | Manager, Exhibit & Sponsorship Services

Johnson Controls | Data Center Events Leader

Snowflake | Director, Strategic Events

Clifford Chance US LLP | Senior Events Coordinator

Gamma | B2B Events Lead

Anthropic | Field Marketing Manager