Will Ulta Beauty's Convention-Style Trade Show Become a New Retail Trend?

Ulta Beauty might be taking a page out of the geek or nerd community playbook by opening up its doors to a fan-centric convention experience set to take place in San Antonio, Texas, this April 26.

With tickets priced at $160 — and ticketholders being offered an attendee bundle or "swap bag" worth over $1,000 — it appears that Ulta is looking to attract as many brand fans as industry experts during its one-day convention/trade show held at the Henry B. González Convention Center during the heart of spring.

As Retail TouchPoints detailed, the experience, titled Ulta Beauty World, was described as offering an "all-access pass to discover the best in makeup, skincare, hair care and wellness." It will also provide hor d'oeuvres and themed beverages as well as an Interactive Signature Studio, which further signals a customer-centric approach to the traditional trade show offering wherein attendees will be able to nab a personalized tote or cowboy hat, as well as customized beaded bracelets or keychains.

Additionally, Ulta shared on its website that Ulta Beauty World will feature over 195 brand partners with "exclusive experiences and giveaways" during the event, along with hair and makeup tutorials, expert panels, and ear piercing.

“We at Ulta Beauty know there’s nothing quite like the power of beauty to create, connect and bring people together,” said Kelly Mahoney, CMO at Ulta Beauty, in a statement.

“With Ulta Beauty World, we’re inviting beauty enthusiasts to step into our world like never before — offering an immersive playground for beauty discovery that brings to life the possibilities that lie within each of us. We’re thrilled to welcome beauty lovers of all generations and celebrate the very best of beauty in a truly unforgettable way," Mahoney added.

Blending the Trade Show With the Convention as a Concept

While not overtly controlled by a singular branded entity, Ulta's move could be an early example of the morphing, or blending, of the conventional trade show with the broader concept of a fan (or customer) convention.

Social Tables outlined three distinct categories of gathering in this vein: the trade show, the conference, and the convention. While only the latter was offered traction in the form of "fans," the former examples were beholden, and often restricted, to industry insiders, analysts, and reporters. What Ulta appears to be aiming at is a blending of the three concepts, something best exemplified in previous years by CES — formerly the Consumer Electronics Show — aimed at technology aficionados.

And yet, CES still withholds participation from the general population, requiring prospective attendees to be either working within the industry or working in media, or as a content creator, covering consumer technology. Regardless, CES welcomed nearly 140,000 attendees in 2024, as a press release underscored.

In today’s retail landscape, where participation and personalization are increasingly valued, is there space for events that combine industry discussions with the excitement and engagement of brand fans?

Enter San Diego's Comic-Con and the $160M in Revenue It Generated Last Year

While not explicitly operated or controlled by a singular brand, San Diego's iconic comic convention, or "Comic-Con" has been in operation since 1970 from rather humble beginnings.

According to KPBS, the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con generated over $160 million for the region — in both direct and indirect spending by visitors — in the wake of more than 135,000 attendees descending upon the metro area to participate in the proceedings.

"Every Comic-Con attendee is not just a fan, but they're also a hero for our city. They're helping our city fix our potholes, helping our homeless, with every single costume they [wear]," Mayor Todd Gloria said of the event, per ABC10News San Diego. According to a 2022 study conducted by San Diego State University, 14,000 rooms across 60 hotels were booked in advance of that year's convention.

Disney has also jumped aboard this trend, ramping up activity in recent years according to a company press release.

Per The Standard, 100,000 Disney fans who are official members of D23, the Walt Disney Company fan club, gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center from Aug. 9 to Aug. 11, 2024. Panels, movie trailers, and a mountain of merch were accompanied by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to spur anticipation, excitement, eyeballs, and revenue for Disney during that event.

As the divide between industry analysts, experts, and representatives is blurred by brand superfans, frequent buyers, and influencers of all size and scope, is the role of the traditional cloistered conference diminished? Particularly given that retail is a business almost entirely beholden to the whims and desires of the consumer opening their wallets for spend, even in the essentials category in capitalist societies, the question poses itself.

And as integration and fandom between certain brand loyalists and the companies they follow — whether as a broader segment as in the case of Comic-Con or as a singular entity as in the case of Disney die-hards — continues, should retailers consider their own lucrative in-person or omnichannel gatherings?