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Booth Activities
For additional information, please contact:
Francine Garner, Exhibits Manager | Phone: (202) 942-9240 | Fax: (202) 942-9340 | Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Exhibits are a part of the scientific program and all items or activities on the exhibit floor must conform to the scientific nature of the meeting. Giveaways should be associated with products or services of the exhibiting company, and/or related to the professional activities of the booth visitor. All giveaways (booth premiums and food) must be approved in writing by ASM Exhibits Management.
Giveaways
Exhibiting companies are permitted to distribute giveaways in accordance with the AMA Ethical Guidelines.
In addition, exhibitors are encouraged to review and adhere to other applicable guidelines and codes of ethics, such as the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals, Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) Code of Ethics on Interaction with Health Care Professionals and the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Compliance Program Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. Pharmaceutical and device companies are reminded to pay special attention to the recently revised PhRMA and AdvaMed Codes, respectively which prohibit their members from distributing many traditional giveaway items.
ASM leaves the practice of giveaways to each exhibitor’s discretion, based on the determination of their legal and regulatory departments. A giveaway should not exceed a retail value of $100. Also note that no giveaway or its packaging can bear the ASM logo, name, acronym, or conference name.
Food/Catering Activities at Booth
Food and beverage giveaway items approved by ASM must be ordered through the Convention Center’s official caterer. If you are considering a giveaway of food/beverage items, please submit your request in writing to ASM Exhibits Management, listing your giveaway and out lining how it will be distributed.
ASM maintains certain square footage requirements for in-booth activities. In order to provide a safe meeting atmosphere and meet fire safety regulations, activities are approved based on design of the booth and the sliding scale below:
- 2,500 or more square feet: in booth presentations and most multiple activities are permissible;
- 900 to 2,500 square feet: may be limited to two concurrent activities;
- 100 to 900 square feet: limited to one activity including food and beverage
To facilitate booth installation and eliminate expensive on-site booth adjustments. ASM requires a complete schematic of each island booth. The schematic must accompany the request for in-booth presentations and activities and include the location of all proposed booth activities. If ASM approves an exception to the guidelines, ASM will still monitor activity concerning crowds at any exhibit booth and will require that adjustments be made as needed in order to maintain passable aisles and insure the safety of everyone in the exhibit hall.
ASM has the sole right to determine what constitutes a crowd-generating activity.
Raffles and Drawings
Raffles and drawings may only occur before or after the official show hours. The winner need not be present to win. You may post the winner’s name in your exhibit space. Cash for completing surveys/questionnaires is prohibited (this also includes Travelers Checks, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards). The booth must contain adequate storage space to accommodate its giveaway (pallets may not be wheeled into the hall during exhibit hours). The booth must accommodate everything that its giveaways generate, including the giveaways, trash, or emptied boxes. During exhibit hours the aisles are for traffic only and may not be used for trash, collapsed boxes, loading or unloading, pallets of giveaways, or trash collection. Please submit your raffle activity request in writing using the enclosed form. Approval from ASM Exhibits Management is required before raffles/drawings may occur.
In Booth Celebrity Activities or Theatre Presentations
If you are planning to have a celebrity appear in your exhibit space or setup audience seating, please be sure that enough exhibit space has been purchased to comfortably seat your celebrity, exhibit staff, and meeting participants. No lines will be allowed to form in the aisles or overflow into another company’s exhibit space. All entertainers/celebrities, and magicians, etc. must be approved by ASM Exhibits Management.
Approval for giveaway must be submitted using the enclosed Booth Promotion Form by August 10, 2012.