ITA Update: Expo Registration Now Available

It’s Time To Register For Nashville

The 2008 ITA Tanning World Expo, the largest tanning expo in North America, will be held Sept. 18-21. It is THE event to attend for those who want to get a leg up on their competition. Last year, hundreds of exhibitors flooded the show floor with the latest product developments in the industry, and this year’s Tanning World Expo promises to be even better.

From special educational sessions such as the “Tan-Right Show” and “Total Salon Makeover,” to the welcome reception on Friday night—your opportunity to make new connections and catch up with old friends—the expo is guaranteed to be a hit.

To start things off right, the ITA has a new registration offer for 2008. After listening to members’ desires to bring additional staff at an affordable rate, the ITA is introducing the “Buy Two” offer. When you pay for two tradeshow-only registrations from your salon, all other staff members at that location can register for free! Be sure to visit www.tanningworldexpo.com for additional details and to register. We look forward to seeing you (and your salon staff) in Nashville!

Vitamin D News Continues To Make Headlines

The ITA has been hard at work, keeping the latest pro-sunlight information on vitamin D in the news. In early May, the ITA ran a national ad in USA Today that highlighted some of the most recent positive headlines about the sunshine vitamin. This ITA-sponsored ad was seen by more than 1 million Americans. Since that ad, the ITA also has been contacting reporters, producers and radio-show hosts about running segments on the benefits of UV exposure from the sun and tanning equipment—and it seems to be working. In fact, pro-vitamin D stories were up 40 percent in May compared to the same period of time last year,and news reports still are using the ITA images and video to illustrate the message that the dangers of tanning have been hyped.

One of the most important things you can do as a member of the industry is become an educator. You need to educate your staff, your customers, your vendors and the community at large about vitamin D and indoor tanning. We’ve heard that many salons are using reprints of the ITA ads in their own local campaigns. Others make sure that newspaper and magazine articles about vitamin D are available in their lobbies. These are great ways to spread the word. Ultimately, by working together, we can change the way people think about sunlight and tanning beds.

President’s Message

I’m sure you have noticed that, in the past few months, media coverage has been a bit different from in the past—not only have there been numerous stories written about vitamin D, but many of those articles have focused on our campaign.

Sarah Longwell, communications director for the ITA, and I have been interviewed by the national media dozens of times since the campaign began. In every interview, our message about the benefits of moderate UV exposure is the lead, with our detractors trying to defend their reasoning behind telling the public only half of the story.

I’ve always said that if consumers are given all the facts, they will make sound decisions about their own bodies and they will understand that—for most people—the benefits of UV exposure far outweigh the risks.

As far as I am concerned, this is just the start. For too long, dermatologists and the sunscreen industry have controlled the playing field in this debate. But now, we have the media’s attention. Let’s try to keep the discussion on our terms.

Dan Humiston
President, Indoor Tanning Association