NY Now hires industry veterans, launches new branding

NEW YORK — NY Now, the New York-based gift, home, and lifestyle trade show, has added four industry veterans to its sales and marketing team and launched a refreshed brand identity designed to reflect the show’s evolving direction.

To support the transformation process, NY Now has intentionally hired new team members with deep industry knowledge to drive the show’s growth with very thoughtful and strategic direction, officials said. New team members include:

• Ashley Ciofrone, senior manager, customer success —  Ciofrone has 13 years of experience in the gift, home and tradeshow industry and has been involved with NY Now throughout her career. She is focused on customer experience and brand support.
• Michelle Karol, vice president of business development —  Karol has more than 18 years of experience in the gift and home industry, with a strong background in handmade, gift, luxury, and kitchen and table categories. She has worked across several tradeshows in business development roles, with a focus on cultivating exhibitor and buyer partnerships. She spent the past 11 years working on the Las Vegas Market and prior to that, seven years at NY NOW with specific oversight of the Handmade division.
• Leanna Worrall, vice president of business development — Worrall has more than 20 years of experience in the gift, home and trade show industry, with a background that spans exhibiting, trade show sales and operations, and permanent showroom leasing. Worrall was with Andmore/IMC for 12 years and prior to that worked seven years on the California Gift Show and San Francisco International Gift Show.
• Sarah Zeigler, content and communications lead — Zeigler has more than eight years of experience in the gift and home industries working on the Atlanta Market with a background in marketing communications. She will lead content and communications for NY Now, with a focus on brand storytelling and audience engagement.

“We’re excited to welcome Ashley, Michelle, Leanna, and Sarah to the team,” said Dorothy Belshaw, CEO of NY Now. “They each bring deep industry experience and a genuine commitment to the brands and buyers in our community. In addition to their individual contributions, many of them have worked together previously so they create an immediate spirit of collaboration and camaraderie, essential elements of the team’s culture and an important foundation for effectively serving our customers.”

New branding

The updated brand identity brings a fresh visual look to NY Now while retaining the name that exhibitors, buyers, and industry partners have known for years. The new team and renewed brand reflect the show’s focus on strengthening relationships and improving the experience for those who participate.

Inspired by New York City landmarks, the new brand mark translates one of the city’s most recognizable shapes (the route emblems of the subway system) into a mark that is “monumental in presence, deliberate in form and carrying the unmistakable feeling that this brand belongs in the same conversation as the city that inspired it,” officials said. The brand refresh begins now and will culminate in a full environmental rollout at the August show.

“NY Now and New York City both have deep roots as centers of connection, commerce and discovery,” said Belshaw. “The new branding leans into those parallels and reflects the city’s bold energy and iconic imagery.”

NY Now, recently acquired by Rockview Management Inc, is a twice-annual wholesale tradeshow held in New York City serving the gift, home, lifestyle, jewelr, and accessories industries. Rockview Management Group (RMG) is a newly formed entity created by industry veterans Belshaw, William Lacey and Karen Olson.

The upcoming NY Now Show runs Aug. 2-4 at Javits Center.