Fairfax Media buys The Baby and Toddler Show
Fairfax Media’s events arm has signed a deal to acquire The Baby and Toddler Show from Sinlg Market Events, and the publisher continues to look to diversify its revenue streams.
SYDNEY, 5 September, 2014: The Events division of Fairfax Media Limited [ASX:FXJ] has signed a conditional agreement to acquire The Baby & Toddler Show from event operator Single Market Events.
The Baby & Toddler Show (www.babyandtoddlershow.com.au) is now in its sixth year and continues to provide a direct response to the needs of the high-growth baby market, with the two events staged annually in Sydney and Melbourne attracting more than 32,000 parents in 2013.
The Baby & Toddler Show has grown in scale over the last few years and is now a key part of the marketing mix for many nursery and FMCG brands that want to reach and influence new and expectant parents. The Baby & Toddler Show is supported by some of the biggest names in the industry and more than 200 highly-valued suppliers.
Fairfax Marketing Services Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy, said: “Single Market Events has built a very successful show in Sydney and Melbourne. We have been greatly impressed by the work of Tim Etchells, Cory Watson, Keir Duncan and the team. We look forward to working with them to accelerate the growth of the events alongside our target to more than triple the size of the Fairfax Events business to more than $100 million in annual revenue with a matching total charitable fundraising amount.”
Chief Operating Officer of Fairfax Events, Angus Dillon, said: “Our strategy is focused on identifying growth opportunities that can benefit from Fairfax’s strengths and capabilities. This investment will allow us to leverage Fairfax’s existing brands Essential Baby and Essential Kids, and the broader Fairfax audience. We intend to do this whilst continuing to build our existing event platforms across business, community, entertainment, food and sport, with more to come. Fairfax will provide significant additional promotion, accelerate expansion and drive greater return for our partners through the establishment of an integrated multi-platform event offering.”
Managing Director of Single Market Events, Tim Etchells, said: “We are very proud of The Baby & Toddler Show and look forward to seeing it grow for many years to come. Our fantastic team is excited to be partnering with Fairfax Events and the opportunities ahead. It is a great fit for the show and a natural progression from our partnership with Essential Baby.”
Essential Baby (www.essentialbaby.com.au) will, upon the acquisition being completed, become the title partner in association with a high profile presenting partner to be appointed. Essential Baby is Australia’s largest parenting site that was “founded and run by mums for mums” in 1999.
Now operated by Fairfax, Essential Baby provides a broad range of resources and information to Australian women through both an online and retail presence.
Essential Baby attracts a large-scale audience of women at all stages of the parenting cycle including conception, pregnancy, early motherhood and parenting, sharing the real journey of motherhood alongside them.
Source: Fairfax Media press release
