BFA UK Sales Group Expresses Doubts Over Proposed ‘CEBA’ Event

The British Federation of Audio
PO Box 365
Farnham
GU10 2BD
Phone: + 44 (0) 1428 714616
Fax: + 44 (0) 1428 717599

e-mail:
chrisc@british-audio.org.uk

At a recent meeting of the British Federation of Audio’s UK Sales Group in the BREMA boardroom in London, the topic of CEBA appeared on the agenda, much to the surprise of the majority of members present who themselves, nor their companies, had never heard of it!

The Chairman of the BFA UK Sales Group, Mike O’Mahony of Hayden Laboratories explained that his company had been contacted by Lexington Oak Media of Croydon, who informed him of the proposed “most prestigious awards for the electronics industry” event, to be called the Consumer Electronics Banquet Awards - CEBA. BFA Press Officer, Andy Giles also indicated that he had received a call from Lexington Oak Media asking for nominations from him for just one of his PR clients when he could in fact have submitted nominations for at least ten. Only one other member at the meeting could recall receiving details from anybody about CEBA and it was confirmed that the BFA Secretary had no knowledge of it, nor indeed had CEDIA whose Operations Manager, Simon Spears, was present.

In an open discussion it was opined that any member of the BFA - or the industry at large - would be advised to nominate as many products as they deemed suitable - given the opportunity. It would surely be foolish to miss a potential PR exercise and its possible exposure. The CEBA organisers offer seven award categories with individual sections ranging from TVs through Keyboards, Games, Telephone Equipment, Mobile Phones and ‘New Gadgets’. Traditional audio is barely mentioned but Home Cinema is, as is Car Audio. The awards nominations will be judged as winners by “an expert panel of dignitaries,” which includes press members and store buyers.

In the letter accompanying the nomination form, Lexington Oak Media rather surprisingly inform the recipient that their awards ceremony “is being described as the UK’s version of the CES Innovations Awards” and that it “is generating tremendous excitement throughout the Consumer Electronics Community”. There is to be a “lavish banquet with 4,000 guests in the Spring of 1999 at London’s Alexandra Palace” but at the time of the meeting no firm date had been set. What had been suggested, however, was the price of a table of ten for the ‘lavish’ dinner - £2500.00 was the figure quoted. If this is correct, and it must be said that no confirmation had been received, it means an individual ticket will cost £250.00. The meeting pointed out that this would mean realising a total net income of £1,000,000 if all “4,000 guests” attend!

In conclusion the BFA UK Sales Group expressed its collective opinion that it wished nothing but well to any activity that promotes the interests of United Kingdom consumer electronics sales, particularly hi-fi, home cinema and related audio products. However, shrinking budgets and a proliferation of awards ceremonies already in place and committed-to will probably make it difficult for many members of the BFA, and indeed the industry in general, to find the money to support CEBA for this year at least. However ‘lavish’ the dinner!