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Organiser DMG World Media ran a series of roadshows in the run-up to the Ideal Home Show in a bid to attract a younger audience. DMG visited seven shopping centres in London and southern England from 21 January to 5 March. The roadshow comprised two furnished rooms, a lounge and garden. Staff offered free tickets and talked to consumers about what was on offer at the four-week show. DMG marketing director Caroline Turvey said: “We wanted to breathe some life into the show as our research showed that it had previously come across as old-fashioned. We used more up-to-date celebrities for the poster campaign. Sharon Osborne appeals to our middle-market while Zoe Ball and Graham Norton were chosen to attract the younger age group.” The spring Ideal Home Show opened on 8 March at Earls Court and ran until 2 April. The 26,000sqm show featured a huge waterfall, created by Johnstone Events, as part of the Tropical Village. BlueForest and its sister company Exotic Traditions created a treehouse for the attraction and the interior was designed by Channel Five’s How Not to Decorate presenters Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister. Other new features included the Concept Living area which promoted recycling and sustainability – the overall theme of the show. Products included Discard, a biodegradable disposable bin, designed by David Millington at the University of Huddersfield. In the Celebrity Sheds feature, Zoe Ball designed a ‘girly garden retreat’ and said: “I’ve gone for a cosy look but with a lushness too. It’s feminine and it’s nostalgic, evoking the era of my favourite films.” As Event went to press, DMG expected final attendance at the Ideal Home show to top 400,000. Last year’s Earls Court event attracted 370,000.