Event budgets rise by 6%

Originally posted on www.citmagazine.com by Alison Ledger
The Q1 2014 IPA Bellwether Report has revealed the largest rise in marketing budgets for 14 years, with event budgets rising by 6.2%.

Marketing budgets have grown for the sixth successive quarter and have risen in Q1 to the greatest degree in seven years, according to the Q1 2014 IPA Bellwether Report, published today (17 April).

All areas of marketing saw growth, with main media advertising being the primary beneficiary of the uplift, recording a series record net balance of +11.7%.

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Gutting travel, conference budgets invites problems

Originally posted on Federal Times

Federal travel and conference spending is predictably tanking under the combined pressures of severe budget cuts and the repercussions of a string of high-profile conference scandals that started in April 2012.

The scandals -- embarrassingly lavish conference events held by the General Services Administration, the Veterans Affairs Department and the IRS that were brought to light by inspectors general investigations -- provoked a quick and harsh response from Congess and the White House. Travel and conference activity across government slowed to a trickle within weeks.

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