• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, October 13, 2011

Steve Gigliotti, president of ad sales for Scripps Networks, said the company mines trade shows to cement relationships with existing clients and discover new ones. 

In the lifestyle categories Scripps serves -- food, home and travel -- he said Scripps executives look to boost the roster of “endemic” advertisers by attending events for the construction, kitchen and bath and gourmet food industries, among others. The hitting-the-pavement can take place frequently in Orlando and Las Vegas.

“Meeting with our clients, meeting with new clients and planting the seeds and developing new business,” Gigliotti said of the opportunities at the shows. “It is the trademark of our sales organization. Why do we go through all that trouble? We like to create a market of our own, and that helps us insulate ourselves against the ups and downs of the ad business.” 

Scripps operates Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel. Ad revenues were up 12% for the first half of the year.

Gigliotti spoke at an investor event, where CFO Joe NeCastro said Scripps will take full ownership of the Travel Channel in either 2014 or 2015. Scripps owns 65%, with Cox the balance. 

It also continues to seek the remaining 31% of the Food Network it doesn’t own, cuurently controlled by the reorganizing Tribune.