No Parking at Book Exhibition -- Motor Traffic .... Guerilla Marketing
The book exhibition being held at Bandaranaika Memorial Hall these days is being held with the participation of an unimagined crowd in attendance. Much of the crowd who are in attendance for the exhibition are seen spending their time there from
afternoon till night time and the crowd lessens only during morning hours. Those who come in vehicles are not provided parking space inside. Though as in previous years as was the customary procedure, they had tried to bring the vehicles inside. However from 9 in the morning the police have taken steps to turn them back but had not directed them towards alternate locations. As a result some were compelled to roam about and finally park their vehicles by the roadside. Those who were taken inside were those who were armed with passes.Because of the parking issue at the exhibition all roads around from Bauddhaloka Mawatha had been closed and there had been a traffic congestion of an extraordinary nature. As a consequence those who hope to go to some location around Colombo would find a better option in avoiding those routes. On the other hand much of the crowd who are present at the exhibition are seen interested in seeing the books exhibited than buying the books. As on certain occasions and locations where pilgrims are observed, the environment in this instance too are not short of those selling food, bookmarks and sim cards.
Certain individuals from Guerilla Marketing were noticed to hand over pieces of cardboard and directing people to certain places saying: "Get your offer from there" and those who thus go over there is confronted by a representative who is well prepared to sell them a data package and he would launch his strategy saying: "Sir ... madam, this is the offer". When entering the book exhibition as a form of pass the person entering is expected to buy a bookmark for Rs. 20. (But there is however no place where such a purchase is checked). What could be cited as a significant factor for buyers of books at the exhibition is the offer extended at every bookshop is the 20 per cent discount given for them. If the book bought happens to be purchased directly from the publisher of the book himself; the discount could even be higher. Towards the rear is found a unit offering second hand books for sale and one has the opportunity of perusing the books and making his or her selection.
It is seen at first glance that the majority of publishers these days are bent on selling publications relevant to subjects of studies of school children. Publishers who show an interest in publishing books on literature are few and far in between. At certain shops, short notebooks being printed in an eye-catching manner is seen for sale. The second place where sales are concerned goes to cheap type of novels and translations. More than their contents, what catches the eye is the caption or the cover of the publication. Those publications adorned with an emotional woman depicted in the cover of the book and the caption which is portrayed with a sense mixed with sexuality actually sell like hot cakes!
When purchasing books, places where payment is made in cash notes are seen in the majority. There are of course places where payment could be made both in cash as well as cards. Recognised and bookshops which have carved a name for themselves of course have been allotted about 3 sales outlets. It is not only selling of books that takes place at the book exhibition. There are places where communication and dialogues are observed throughout the day, places for children to engage in drawing and ceremonies of launching something too. Apart from this, display-cubicles for various departments too are to be seen.
In addition to this, there is a competition operated by a radio channel which provides Selfies for the visitors as well as a competition which selects winners from a wheel of fortune from a stationery shop. Another channel operates as a middleman which assists by offering book donations for the helpless for the purpose of building a library. This channel is allotted for the purpose of buying books and to claim gifts for it. There are more than enough places for one to buy food and drinks during intervals while engaged in seeing the exhibition. Ranging from Rs. 50 upwards a drink is available with a variety of soft drinks, tea, instant food, noodles, sambol sandwiches and manioc.
The authority which conducts hotels inside as a matter of custom happens to be Mount Lavinia Hotel and their prices of food and drinks of course are of a higher capacity. A restaurant belonging to the BMICH is available separately. Of those who visit the exhibition, it is noted that about thirty percent are purchasing various books. Most categories of young people have made the book exhibition a place of entertainment, it is observed. Though at first thought it could be said that there is nothing wrong with it, on certain occasions it is understood that those who come to make selections of books find that they are stuck inside the sales outlet with inconvenience.
What most of the publishers said was that this book exhibition was the one that drew the biggest earnings in history. To meet the demand, certain publications had to be printed once again during the process the exhibition was in progress and thus made available to the would-be buyers.