New Categories, Pavilions and Partnerships for 2022 Summer Atlanta Market

Atlanta Market expands sourcing and shopping opportunities in its 1,000-plus temporary exhibits to create a dynamic and engaging trade show floor designed for discovery through addition of new categories and showcases and extensions of industry partnerships, July 13-17, 2022, at AmericasMart Atlanta.

“With the Atlanta Market temporary exhibits returning to nearly historic size, we are curating the buying experience to enhance the industry’s largest trade show offerings,” said Scott Eckman, International Market Centers (IMC) executive vice president, chief revenue officer. “This summer, that means creating new neighborhoods to showcase luxury brands and new-to-market exhibitors, partnering with industry organizations to create destinations for members and showcasing the values-based brands that have joined IMC universe this year.”

New Categories and Showcases

Atlanta Market’s 30-plus gift and home décor categories expand in summer 2022 with the addition of two new categories — Boutique Luxe and Cash & Carry Luxe — and the creation of two Emerging Brands Showcases featuring up-and-coming gift and personal care brands.

“The Luxe expansions present new opportunities in the hot fashion accessories market.” — Scott Eckman, IMC

Boutique Luxe and Cash & Carry Luxe expand Atlanta Market’s fashion accessories and jewelry offerings to offer a higher price point for order writing and immediate sales as the category continues to trend across retail verticals. Boutique Luxe is a juried collection of luxury accessories and apparel products. Cash & Carry Luxe is a juried collection of high-quality, luxury jewelry and fashion accessories for immediate delivery. Atlanta Market’s five other luxury offerings are Body & Soul Luxe, Gourmet Luxe, High Design Luxe, Tabletop Luxe and Outdoor Living Luxe.

The Emerging Brands Showcases will present some 25-plus brands exhibiting at Atlanta Market for the first time. Presented in two shared areas on the trade show floor — personal care brands in Body & Soul and lifestyle brands in General Gift — the showcases are an opportunity for small brands to introduce products to buyers and ease into the Atlanta Market experience. Envisioned as a trend incubator, brands will graduate from the showcase into full booths after the summer 2022 Atlanta Market.

“The summer 2022 category expansions help buyers identify trending product. The Luxe expansions present new opportunities in the hot fashion accessories market while Emerging Brands Showcases help buyers identify the small brands that will be the next big thing,” added Eckman.

Showcasing New Brands Through Dough

Values-based commerce will have a prime showcase on the trade show floor as a key element in IMC’s plan to bring new voices and perspectives to its community of brands comes to fruition at the summer 2022 Atlanta Market. Buyers can explore and place orders from some 12 women-owned brands identified by IMC’s VP of Social Impact Vanessa Bruce in a new showcase located in the Building 3 atrium. The brands come to Atlanta Market via Bruce’s Dough network of women-owned brands — encompassing health and wellness, apparel, accessories, skincare, home décor and food and beverage — which was acquired by IMC in early 2022.

New and Expanded Industry Partnerships

Three premier trade organizations — Fair Trade Federation, GC Buying Group and the Greeting Card Association (GCA) — are planning new showcases of member brands at the summer 2022 Atlanta Market. These three additions join the established Gallery Collection presented by the Museum Store Association (MSA) with nearly 20 brands and the Georgia Grown pavilion of nearly 20 brands in Gourmet.
GCX: Expo & Education is a one-day vendor display of some 75 housewares and gourmet brands open to GC Buying Group members and market attendees on Wednesday, July 13. As an added benefit to buyers and sellers, brands exhibiting in the GC Expo have the option to extend their participation within the gourmet and housewares categories for the full five days of market.

The GCA Village presents some 15 member companies showcasing greeting cards, custom invitations and imprintables, gift wrap, journals, planners, notebooks and more in a pavilion in General Gift. Additionally, GCA will recognize winners and finalists of its 2022 LOUIE Awards, honoring the best cards of the year at the market.

Fair Trade Federation will identify and designate verified fair trade businesses exhibiting in the Emerging Artists, the Gallery Collection, Global Designs, Handmade Designs, Handmade Jewelry, Made in America and Museum Gifts/Fine Gifts. Verified businesses are dedicated to holistic fair trade, meaning the entire business is socially and environmentally responsible in everything they do, according to the organization.

“Trade organization involvement is the ultimate endorsement for the buying experience at Atlanta Market,” said Eckman. “We look forward to working with these groups both to showcase their vendor members to the wide range of buyers attending Atlanta Market and to create at-market opportunities for their members to gather.”

In summer 2022, Atlanta Market temporaries will be presented Wednesday, July 13 through Saturday, July 16, from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, July 17, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Antiques is open Wednesday, July 13 through Friday, July 15, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Saturday, July 16, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.