Booth Activities
On-Site Sales of Products & Services
- While the primary purpose of the exhibits is to further the professional education of attendees through displays and demonstrations, sales and order taking are permitted when conducted in a professional manner.
- Products for sale must be the exhibitors’ own unaltered, marketed products, and the products or services must be pertinent to the attendees’ professional interest (See Eligibility to Exhibit).
- The Academy reserves the right to restrict sales activities that it deems inappropriate or unprofessional.
- Exhibitors are responsible for following the business license and sales and use tax regulations that vary from state to state.
- If you plan to sell or take orders at the Assembly, please review all pertinent sales tax information in your Exhibitor Service Manual (available online in May).
Request for Booth Activity Approvals
You must request approval for booth activities by July 15.
Space Integrity/Promotional Activity
- Interviews, demonstrations, detailing or distribution of literature or samples can take place only inside the assigned booth space.
- “Button-holing” attendees’ is unprofessional and not allowed.
- Advertising, canvassing or soliciting business is permitted only by exhibitors, and then only in the space assigned to them.
- Walking actors, robots, or other such people or devices may not operate outside the assigned booth space. This includes travel to and from a company’s multiple booths during show hours.
- Demonstration areas may not extend to the aisle line of the exhibit: space must be left within the exhibit area to absorb visitors. Presentations are only allowed in a 20’ x 20’ or larger exhibit space.
- Should visitors interfere with normal traffic or overflow into neighboring exhibits, the presentation must be limited or eliminated.
- Exhibitors using celebrities for in-booth promotions must request permission, in writing, from the Exhibit Manager prior to July 15. Include the celebrity’s name and the dates/times he or she will appear in your booth. If necessary, the exhibitor is responsible for hiring security to assist with crowd control.
- Exhibitors may conduct drawings. All items for the drawing must be less than $100 in value and be related to the physician’s practice or patients. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to notify the winner and deliver the prize. (NOTE: Raffles which require an attendee to purchase a ticket, make a donation, and/or purchase/place an order to be eligible for the drawing are not allowed.)
Entering Another Exhibitor's Booth
Booth personnel should not enter another exhibitor's booth space without first obtaining permission.
Soliciting Exhibitors
- Exhibitors may not solicit other exhibitors. This is a violation of AAFP rules and regulations. Doing so may jeopardize his or her company’s future exhibiting status.
- The AAFP reserves the right to determine if a violation of this policy occurs, as well as the right to remove the solicitors and/or their company from the exhibit floor.
- Exhibitors are asked to inform the Exhibit Manager if they are solicited.
Orientation for Booth Personnel
The exhibition hall will be open from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17, and Thursday, September 18 from 7:00 – 9:00 a.m. for exhibitors conducting booth personnel orientation sessions. Orientation sessions are only allowed to be held within the confines of your exhibit space. Important Reminder: Admission to the exhibit floor is by badge only. See Registration Hours for Exhibitors for additional information.
Food & Beverage
- Food and beverage samples are excellent traffic generators.
- You may distribute food/beverage samples related to your businesses.
- If you want to distribute food/beverage samples not germane to your business, you can purchase them through the exclusive food service contractor.
- All food and beverage samples, including those related to your business, must meet the conditions of and be approved by the official food service contractor. Contact information will be available in May 2008.
- If refrigerated storage is required, please contact FREEMAN.
- Exhibitors distributing food and beverage must order porter service to remove your empty cartons and/or containers.
Music, Sound and Audiovisuals, and Odor-causing Devices
- Exhibitors must obtain their own license for using copyrighted music.
- All ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or other copyright fees applicable to music or entertainment used as part of an exhibit are the full responsibility of the exhibitor.
- All sound and audiovisual equipment must conform to fire regulations of the city of San Diego and the San Diego Convention Center.
- All speakers must face inside the booth and not toward the aisle.
- Video monitors or projection screens must be placed inside the booth so viewers do not block aisles.
- Exhibitors may not use electronic or electrical devices that cause noise, odor or other types of annoyance to those in attendance. The Exhibit Manager reserves the right to determine when sound or odor must be discontinued.
Clinical Testing
- Exhibitors wishing to conduct clinical tests in their booths must request permission from the Exhibit Manager, in writing, prior to June 25.
- Blood samples, taken either by fingertip or intravenous drawing of blood, must be disposed of in accordance with local and state health ordinances and/or laws.
Hazardous Demonstrations, Display Devices & Materials
When designing your demonstration and display, please note that the following devices and materials require pre-approval by the San Diego Convention Center Director of Fire Safety. Contact information will be available in May.
- Lasers
- Smoke-producing devices
- Heating appliances
- Any welding, brazing or cutting equipment
- Compressed gas or compressed liquid cylinders
- Radioactive materials
- Gasoline, kerosene, flammable cryogenic gases, and any other flammable, toxic liquid or gases
Hazardous Waste Disposal
- Fluids, chemicals, petroleum-based products, food items or contaminated materials must be identified and disposed of in the manner prescribed by local, state and federal regulations.
- Hazardous waste and/or infectious medical waste is any material being stored, recycled, or thrown away that could cause injury or death, or pollute air, land, or water regulated by any applicable environmental or public health law.
- Exhibitors who generate materials that fit the above criteria must inform the Exhibit Manager and the San Diego Convention Center staff of its presence and planned disposal. This must be done when you send your space application.
- Exhibitors are responsible for payment of all expenses associated with booth activities that result in any type of hazardous waste.
Bags/Stickers/Balloons/Pins
- Containers (plastic bags, totes, briefcases, etc.) may display brand names or product identifications.
- Exhibitors may not distribute stick-on emblems, or unofficial badges.
- To save you and your company removal fees, no helium- or air-filled balloons may be used as booth decoration or inflated to distribute to attendees or guests. See Giveaways for additional information.
- Exhibitors may not put pins on badges.
Photography/Videotaping
Many booth designs contain copyrighted or trademarked materials, therefore permission for photographing or videotaping a booth must be given by both the authorized occupants of that booth and the AAFP. This applies to exhibitors, attendees and the medical and lay press.
Film Crews
- Exhibitors that plan on having a film crew videotape your booth must contact the AAFP Public Relations Department at 800-274-2237, Ext. 5204.
- In addition to following all AAFP rules and regulations, film crews must also follow the city of San Diego’s fire safety and union regulations.
All-Event Media Registration Guidelines
The following all-event media guidelines have been adopted as protocol by leadership of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Members of the media found in violation of these guidelines will immediately be dismissed from the AAFP event they are attending and will forfeit media credentials for subsequent meetings. Exhibitors may hold their own press conferences and are responsible for making their own arrangements. The AAFP should be notified in advance to handle press queries. If you anticipate media needing access to your booth, please contact the AAFP Public Relations Department at 800-274-2237, Ext. 5204.
- The AAFP reserves the right to limit access to AAFP-sponsored meetings and events.
- The AAFP reserves the right to inspect the credentials of anyone registering as media.
- Based on space requirements, the AAFP reserves the right to limit the number of press badges issued to a single media organization.
- Media representatives must present identification to verify affiliation with print, broadcast or recognized Internet media. Freelance writers must submit a letter of assignment or letter of intent from the media outlet being represented. Unassigned freelance writers must present bylined articles from a recognized news organization for consideration. Business cards or membership cards from communications or writers’ organizations are not sufficient to establish eligibility.
- Press badges are available only to working media representatives who can show evidence that their attendance will result in coverage of the meeting or event in print, broadcast or Internet media.
- Medial representatives may NOT also register as exhibitors. Dual-role publishers/editors may be registered if bylined samples are presented.
- The AAFP will not issue press badges to: publishers or a publications’ advertising, marketing, public relations or sales representatives; publishers, editors or reporters from manufacturers’ house organs or promotional publications; public relations staff of exhibitors or educational institutions; writers creating analyses or reports sold as a commodity to customers; or other individuals or their representatives who are not actually reporting on the meeting or event. Any press badge holder who sells, markets or represents a company or organization for the purpose of obtaining advertising or subscriptions form any meeting registrant or exhibitor immediately forfeits press credentials.
- If attending a meeting where AAFP public relations staff will not be in attendance, advance re-credentialing is required, or admittance will not be granted.
- Exhibitors and representative firms many not display or distribute promotional press materials in AAFP-sponsored medial rooms.
- AAFP program content may not be used to develop continuing medical education (CME) without the express written consent of the AAFP.
- Live broadcasts from continuing medical education courses and any other AAFP event may not occur without written consent from the public relations manager.
- Filming, photographing, and live broadcasting of any kind in exhibit halls at Academy meetings is allowed only at the discretion of the public relations manager.
- Camera crews and photographers must be accompanied at all times by AAFP public relations staff.
- NOTE: Items in the AAFP Scientific Assembly exhibit hall are available to paid registrants only.
Booth Staffing
- As a courtesy to attendees and fellow exhibitors, exhibitors must open their exhibit and staff it through the following times: Thursday, 9/18 – 9am to 5pm; Friday, 9/19 – 9am to 4pm and Saturday, 9/20 – 9am to 2pm
- Exhibitors are expected to make their airline reservations in accordance with this policy.
- Violators are subject to a reduction in points or denial of the right to participate in future Academy exhibitions. See Enforcement of Rules & Regulations.
- Exhibitors who are the sole staffers for booths may, of course, take brief breaks.
In-booth Education
- Companies with island booths may provide formal in-booth education within their exhibit space.
- Because of space constraints, companies with in-line space may not hold formal presentations.
- In-booth education is not eligible for CME credit.
- Companies providing in-booth education must display a sign, “This Educational Session Does Not Qualify for CME Credit.”
- Companies choosing to provide in-booth education must inform the Exhibit Manager, in writing, no later than June 25.
- An exhibitor cannot distribute CME materials unless they are the CME provider (in accordance with 4.5 ACCME standards).
