A handy guide to NAB Show 2020 PR deadlines

While Mobile World Congress has been cancelled after big exhibitors like LG, Ericsson, Sony, Amazon and Intel pulled out over concerns around COVID-19, NAB Show 2020 has declared that the show must go on. According to NAB, no exhibitors have pulled the plug on the 2020 show to date, and it’s expecting to welcome some 1600 exhibitors and 90,000 attendees on 18-22 April.

If you’re a marketing executive scrambling to get everything ready in the final weeks before the show begins, we know how busy you are. And you probably don’t need reminding that the key deadlines for PR opportunities are coming up fast.

To help you get things organized, we’ve put together a handy list of NAB Show editorial and award deadlines, which you can see at the end of this blog.

But we’re not stopping there. To help increase your chances of being covered in NAB editorial opportunities, here are some tips to bear in mind from our seasoned team:

• Be sure to submit your NAB Show news by the deadlines listed—or sooner if possible to maximize your chances of being included. For example, while the official deadline for the coveted NAB Show Daily News is April 20, you’ll improve your chances if you submit your news earlier.
• If you accidentally end up missing a few deadlines, don’t worry. Most publications will accept news for publication online and in e-newsletters right up until, and even during, the show.

• If you’re planning to make more than one announcement, consider staggering the news. As you’ll see from the list of editorial deadlines, there are opportunities in pre-show, show and post-show issues. Most companies tend to release all their news during the show. But unless you’re a big player or have a major announcement, it’s likely to get lost in all the noise. By releasing news before the show, you can help drive traffic to your booth while preventing your news from getting lost in the crowd. A lot of journalists complain about a dearth of news immediately after a big show like NAB and are crying out for something interesting to cover, so holding some news back until the dust has settled can also work to your advantage.
• Provide images to go with your news. Publications will want product shots and screenshots to accompany their stories, but you’ll improve your chances of being included if you provide images that are eye-catching or creative.
• When it comes to awards, don’t leave them until the last minute, as the best submissions take time to create. For tips on how to craft a winning award entry, check out this insightful blog by LA lorry Tanya Roberts.
• Finally, don’t forget to include your booth number so readers know where to find you, as well as any speaking slots that your spokespeople are involved in.

Good luck! We look forward to seeing you in Vegas!

US deadlines

UK deadlines

If you need help planning for NAB Show 2020 or would like to meet us there, please contact Kim Willsher at (+1) 310 773 3760 or dro us a line at hello@rlyl.com.