When Wilbert VP Raechel Blitchington arrives in Vegas this May, it will mark the eighth straight ICSC Las Vegas Show The Wilbert Group has attended. 

With so many clients in retail and commercial real estate, we have developed a proven program to support clients around one of the biggest and most important trade shows in the country. The Wilbert approach is both strategic (we are currently creating ICSC plans for clients) and tactical (Raechel is packing comfortable shoes because she will hustle between media interviews, taking photos and video for clients’ social media channels and listening to panels led by top retail experts).

Before: We want everyone in Vegas talking about our clients and their projects before they walk through the doors at LVCC. We do this by:

• Working with clients to craft award-winning submissions for the annual MAXI Awards
• Identifying newsworthy project milestones or leasing announcements to generate buzz ahead of the conference
• Securing long-lead editorial opportunities in retail trade publications, knowing that many of these magazines publish special features to align with ICSC.
• Running strategic social media campaigns that promote the clients attending the conference and their projects. Check out content we created last year for Portman and Toro Development Company.

During: Many journalists attend the show, and we want our clients featured in the ensuing media coverage. In 2023, we facilitated 13 interviews with media outlets including Shopping Center Business, Chain Store Age and C+CT.

One of our favorite pieces of coverage was this story that came out months following ICSC and included commentary from five Wilbert clients – most of which were interviewed by the editor of C+CT during the conference. Beyond the immediate coverage, the in-person interviews allow our clients to develop and strengthen their own relationships with the media.

After: We provide photos and quotes for roundup stories that journalists do following the show. We look for timely opportunities for trend-focused pieces that support our clients’ projects, whether it's a LinkedIn blog or regional retail market update with Southeast Real Estate Business. We use the photo and video content we captured live on the show floor for recap posts on clients’ social media, weaving in takeaways from the conference. And of course, we post a fun recap Reel to our own Instagram. 

And finally there is an intangible benefit. When Raechel’s Delta flight touches down in Atlanta on May 22, she will be smarter, more knowledgeable, more connected. She will know what the media is looking for right now, what conversations our clients need to be in and the nuances of the current commercial real estate landscape. This means Wilbert has the context to help our clients stand out in the second half of 2024.