NEWS .../ Cont’d. from
NEWS .../ Cont’d. from page 1 ”THE MEETING PLACE FOR GLOBAL TRADE” In the consumer electronics sector there is keen demand for new products in the areas of home audio, home cinema, mobile navigation, telecommunications and privately used IT, while the trend among domestic appliances focuses on aspects such as lifestyle, simpler controls, health and energy efficiency. IFA 2008 is the ideal venue for discussions between leading experts and also offers many opportunities to experience memorable entertainment and new products first hand. All the major manufacturers of consumer electronics equipment and domestic electric appliances will be exhibiting together in the halls and on the outdoor areas at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, on an area measuring 152,200 square metres. Jens Heithecker, IFA Director reports: “The IFA 2008 is widening its scope. This year the standard of exhibitors, trade visitors and media representatives from all over the world remains at a high level. By combining consumer electronics and the domestic electric appliance industry we can ensure a highly attractive business environment for our exhibitors, trade visitors and partners. In 2008 the wider scope of IFA will provide an even larger platform for the writing of orders than in 2007.” “We expect the integration of the domestic electric appliance industry to lead to increased popularity for the consumer lifestyle products of both sectors, as well as intensified interest in the IFA among international trade visitors and the media”, explains Dr. Rainer Hecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the organisers of the IFA, Gesellschaft für Unterhaltungs- und Kommunikationselektronik (gfu). International buying groups add strength to the IFA The leading international buying groups, Electronic- Partner, EURONICS International, expert International and telering, will be continuing their strategic partnerships at IFA 2008. Close partnership between the industry and competent retailers is the key to effective marketing of all new products. The aim is to bring the entire range of innovations and information together and to make it available at one location to meet the needs of customers. The successful inclusion of IFA Home Appliances section has widened the scope of this trade show, opening up new commercial opportunities for retailers because in its new form IFA covers all the different product sectors served by today’s retailers. Many years of partnership with international buying groups have given added strength to IFA as a major order-writing trade show and emphasises its role as the world’s most important event for the industry. World’s largest consumer fair IFA continues to gain in popularity and quality, not only through the inclusion of the domestic electric appliance industry but also due to renewed growth in its core areas. IFA has established a reputation for introducing a whole range of new technologies and products. At the same time IFA provides an exciting and entertaining show, combined with a unique diversity of innovations. Berlin is the place where the direction of future media policy is set, and the thousands of German and foreign journalists who attend ensure that it attracts the maximum publicity. The constant improvements that have taken place mean that IFA 2008 will be more international and more entertaining, with a greater emphasis on media policy and trade than ever before. Its dynamic expansion matches that of the period of growth that has been experienced by the various markets for consumer electronics products and domestic electric appliances for several years. As a result of this process its appeal remains undiminished and it continues to feature new products and developments. New hall structure in 2008 Beginning in 2008, and against the background of the integration of leading consumer electronics and domestic appliance brands, a number of changes are being made to the hall allocations at the IFA. The International Trade Visitors’ Reception, occupying 800 square metres, is being moved from Hall 1.1 to allow for the inclusion of Home Appliances@IFA. New temporary halls were planned between Halls 1 and 25 in order to accommodate the “International Halls“, which were previously situated in the lower halls at the southern end of the Exhibition Grounds. In response to increase interest from Taiwanese exhibitors, IFA will be setting up a special “Taiwan Image Hall”. The “International Sourcing” section has also been assigned a separate display area in one of the temporary halls on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. Showstoppers 2008 During the IFA 2008 Showstoppers @ IFA, IFA’s official partner for the American market, will be creating a new format for business contacts and product presentations. “Our aim is to make North American exhibitors, trade visitors and media representatives more aware of the global importance of IFA. IFA is the ideal place for establishing new business links with retailers, buyers and the “who’s who” of the international consumer electronics industry, for holding meetings and for finalising business”, Heithecker explains (eds. See also feature page 34). 4 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday, 25 th August 2008
NEWS IFA... LISTENING TO THE MARKET… INTERVIEW WITH DR. CHRISTIAN GÖKE – CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER – MESSE BERLIN GMBH Miss IFA & Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Operating Officer Messe Berlin at the IFA Prelude-Press conference 31 st of July 2008 Dr. Göke, it looks like it’s going to be another successful IFA this year but with a lot of changes from last year… Tell us about the 2008 edition… Well there are tons of changes. The major change will be the integration of the home appliance industry, the so called “white goods” industry. This is a historic change in the concept of IFA and we will be looking forward to it. You mentioned recently that there was an increase in trade attendees at the 2007 IFA. That’s very impressive and must make you very happy. Well it makes us happy because it’s the basis for us to build upon this integration of the white goods industry. Bear in mind that the trade visitors, at the end of the day, are our core customers, because they are the core customers of the exhibitors, and they are the ones paying us! So when we are able to increase the figures of international trade visitors, our exhibitors are happy. If our exhibitors are happy, that’s our life insurance. An overall increase from 2005, 2006, and up to 2007, what are some of the figures? We had an increase in international trade visitors’ figures with regards to Europe in every single European country with the exception of Switzerland. And it was all in the range of 20%, 30%, 40%, some up to 70%. And that, in terms of an established lead event, is an amazing increase. And I have to say that obviously our concept worked out and we will definitely continue on this path. Back to the Home Appliances at IFA, people are probably wondering how important that is for IFA. Can you tell me a little more about the reasoning behind bringing in home appliances to IFA? We are doing nothing else but trying to mirror what is happening in the market. On the retailer’s side, for the last years, this migration has already been taking place. In any superstore, you will find consumer electronics and you will find white goods. The consumers do not differentiate between consumer electronics and the white goods industry. In fact we recently conducted a survey in Europe and asked what were the top ten electronic products in a consumer’s household. 5 out of the top 10 were white goods and the rest were consumer electronics. So the consumers and the retailers already anticipated this step. Now let’s focus on the manufactures’ side: historically, the manufacturers had a division for the white goods, and one for consumer electronics. There seems to be a trend now to combine those two. Phillips was the first to move, calling it “Consumer Lifestyle Products”. So what is left? What is left is that there used to be one global lead event for home appliances and another one for CE (IFA)… and only some minor national shows already displaying both segments. We feel that a trade show has to be the perfect mirror picture of the market and this is why we went for this integration this year. Tell me about the press event in Spain, some of the press statistics. We hope we are able to fulfil the needs of our journalist friends. We started out this endeavour in Athens two years ago, where we concentrated our international press activities on one weekend. Formerly, we visited some 20-25 countries, on a national basis and then we thought, why don’t we combine it in one major event? What if we can bring 250 Download Video at w w w.ifa-international.org international journalists for one weekend? And why don’t we do this in a more relaxed atmosphere, giving us the time to really go in depth with the journalists and to convey our message in a more relaxed environment? It all worked out. Athens was a good start, Monte Carlo surpassed everything, as it was a great event, and once WHAT MOBILE TV TECHNOLOGY IS MAKING ALL THE NOISE AT IFA?? again, I think our locations scouts have done a great job. The environment in Mallorca was breathtaking and the feedback we got is that we should continue in this way because it seems as if the journalists really enjoyed the weekend and that was exactly what we tried to achieve. It’s part of the overall effort of IFA to welcome international journalists in fact. Absolutely. The international journalists are our great leverage. That’s exactly what we are aiming at, and that’s the only way to convey brand positioning and brand images. IFA International • Monday, 25 th August 2008 www.ifa-international.org 5
