Day 2 of Habitat 2008

Habitat 2008 kicked off yesterday evening at 1800 on the dot. Preparing for the exhibition had gone well and we left yesterday at 1230, stand all set up and ready to. Others were still frantically doing last-minute preparations to meet the 1400 deadline and the stand opposite us had yet to make an appearance. We wondered if that space would be filled or whether we'd have to spend the whole exhibition staring at an empty stand. 

Once the stand was ready, I quickly went round the other stands to see what everyone else was doing. Our stand certainly looked completely different to all the others (that's not it in the photo, I'll put some up tomorrow). I wanted to create a space where people would come and sit for a while, browse through the interiors magazines and books, look at the website and generally be inspired. I've achieved the look, the people just need to stop and hang out there for a while now. We've been busy handing out the interiors postcards, there's been quite a lot of media coverage and we did well with today's "Diario" - an article, photo and ad in the "Habitat" supplement and two extra photos of the stand - our stand is certainly more colourful than the furniture shop stands and feels more like a real room. I guess it also photographs well - using colour makes it more interesting.  

When we came back yesterday at 1700, the stand opposite us had been set up with massage chairs and cushions. We've made friends with the guys on that stand, they're enjoying the music on our stand and we're enjoying the massage chairs. I'm glad that space has been filled with some fun people - some of the stands are very techy!

All the Ibiza officials were at the show yesterday, as were the press. I was introduced to the official delegation and even the organisers are using the line "this is the first time someone British has exhibited at Habitat" - it paid off to push that to them. 

It's now Saturday afternoon leading up to lunch time. It's still fairly quiet, some families here with their children. The children are enjoying the sweets on the stand. The visitors are mainly locals from Ibiza, a few members from the international community here and there. Not being able to really speak to anyone in Spanish reiterates the point to me that I need to put learning Spanish as my next priority, after promoting the work. I've had one interesting conversation so far with a French property developer. I've offered our interior design services for any further development projects. I've yet to see anyone I know - I hope people come down, it'll be more fun when you've got friends hanging out at your stand. That's also when the general public will see that you can sit down here, read the papers and take it easy. So far, no one has ventured in and sat down - apart from me and Bea!

Will be interesting to see if the coverage in the "Diario" encourages people to come and find out more. The British Consul dropped by the stand in the late afternoon. I'd sent her a letter of invitation, telling her that I'd be exhibiting so it was good to see her here. She'd seen the piece in the "Diario" - I'm starting to make myself known on the island.

Late afternoon has been a lot busier than the morning. I'm not sure they will have the 15,000 people that are supposed to attend. If that's the case, it will be absolutely rammed all day tomorrow as there are a lot of numbers to be made up. We've had friends visiting the stand which has been lovely - hopefully we'll see more familiar faces tomorrow!