INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER GOODS SHOW

International Consumer Goods Show cancelled

January 2021 – Back in September 2020, a decision was reached by Messe Frankfurt and the industries involved to forgo any physical events at our home base in the first quarter of 2021. Now, following close consultation with customers, it has become necessary to postpone the international physical trade fairs planned for April and May – Prolight + Sound, the International Consumer Goods Show, Heimtextil, Techtextil and Texprocess – as a result of the regulations and travel restrictions that have been imposed.

There is currently no end to the pandemic in sight. Events are effectively banned in Germany, and ongoing international travel restrictions mean that it is impossible to make any trade fair plans for April or May 2021. “The coronavirus pandemic has taken centre-stage, and our plans have not escaped its impact. In light of the current situation, it would not be possible for us to satisfy our customers’ requirements for international trade fairs in April or May,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.

That is why Messe Frankfurt has decided, following close consultation with its customers and partners, to postpone the hybrid Prolight + Sound event planned for April and the three textile fairs Heimtextil, Techtextil and Texprocess scheduled for May, and to cancel the International Consumer Goods Show scheduled for April. An annual spring event is essential for the trend-based order cycles in the entertainment, technology, consumer goods and textile industries, which means that postponing these events until the second half of the year would not serve the interests of exhibitors. In addition, this is the time when industry participants normally shift their preparations into high gear – logistics lead time that is particularly essential for exhibitors at Techtextil and Texprocess, some of whom need to bring machinery to Frankfurt for their presentations. As a result of the current situation and ongoing travel restrictions, exhibitors are faced with huge uncertainties regarding who will be allowed to be present and their customer contacts, making it extremely difficult to commit to trade fair participation. It simply is not possible at present to offer any planning certainty for investments in trade fair presentations for April or May.

Focus on digital formats

Due to the fact that physical events are not possible, Messe Frankfurt has created numerous digital offerings for its customers. Consumer Goods Digital Day on April 20th, 2021, for example, offer customers the opportunity to get together at a digital location where they can engage in dialogue and obtain information. The content of the Digital Day will be focused on ways in which retailers can help their businesses, particularly since it has not been possible to hold any international flagship fairs in Frankfurt featuring the relevant presentation possibilities and supporting programmes since Ambiente 2020. This content will be supplemented by the opportunities presented by Nextrade, the first order and data management portal for the home and living sector. Nextrade also offers attractive possibilities for manufacturers of finished home and household textiles to present their products, as well as a frequently used channel through which they can promote business with retailers and traders. Additional digital information and content offerings are already being planned for Heimtextil, Techtextil, Texprocess and Prolight + Sound.

Braun: “The ongoing shutdown of retailers in our visitor countries has made relevant up-to-date information and solutions essential, and we are satisfying this demand with our digital offerings during this volatile time. As you know, we are also continuing to do everything in our power to make safe and successful trade fairs possible, because nothing can take the place of face-to-face encounters.”

As a result, Heimtextil will now take place from 11 to 14 January 2022, followed by Christmasworld from 28 January to 1 February 2022, and Paperworld and Creativeworld from 29 January to 1 February 2022. Ambiente will be opening its doors from 11 to 15 February 2022 in its customary slot, followed by Prolight + Sound from 26 to 29 April 2022. Techtextil and Texprocess will then take place in the second quarter of 2022.

Promising registration status for the International Consumer Goods Show 2021

December 2020 – Over 2,000 exhibitors from 63 countries have already registered for the International Consumer Goods Show in Frankfurt am Main from 17 to 20 April 2021. The trade fair will uniquely combine the product groups of Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld. Almost the entire western part of the exhibition grounds will be occupied in new layout of Halls 8 to 12, supplemented by the Digital Days, where the purely digital content of Creativeworld will also be on display.

Nothing is forever. And this is for now: The trade fair 2021 will be unique in many respects and therefore not comparable with a usual Ambiente, Christmasworld or Paperworld. On the one hand, the International Consumer Goods Show is a unique combination of the product groups of the Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld trade fairs in the exceptional situation of the global pandemic. On the other hand, the live trade fair experience on site is additionally digitally enhanced, thus creating the best possible combination of physical and digital trade fair participation.

“Most important for us is that we make business meetings possible again in the first half of the year and are a reliable partner for our customers. Thanks to our comprehensive safety concept, the real exchange, which cannot be replaced by anything else, is possible at any time on site at the exhibition center. The Digital Days provide a complementary virtual exchange with award-winning technology that uses artificial intelligence to precisely dovetail supply and demand,” emphasizes Nicolette Naumann, Vice President Ambiente, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. The new, hybrid concept enables international visitors to meet existing and new customers, get inspired and place orders, both in Frankfurt and from their workplace or home office.

“We are very pleased that over 2,000 exhibitors from 63 countries are breaking new ground with us. Digital trade fair supplements will remain in the future. In our view, this is the best answer to the current challenges,” adds Naumann. In 2022, however, the events will again be separated and take place in the usual order cycle.

Western area almost fully booked with new product mix
The International Consumer Goods Show covers the product segments of Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld, which will be newly planned in Halls 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Buyers will find the Creativeworld offerings exclusively online on the Digital Days platform.
The almost fully booked-up western section of the fair presents furnishing and decorative accessories, living concepts, gifts and jewelry/fashionable accessories, products for the table, kitchen and household as well as festive and seasonal decorations, paper, stationery and office supplies, handicrafts and artists’ supplies. This addresses a very broad group of buyers from the consumer goods industry – from volume buyers to small retailers, importers and commercial end users.

Digital Days ensure international reach
Special times require clever measures: The Digital Days will take place parallel to the physical trade fair and offer even broader networking for all industry participants from around the world – including those who will not be able to travel to the event in April 2021 due to possible travel restrictions.

“Thus, the International Consumer Goods Show 2021 offers the best of both worlds: The irreplaceable live trade show experience on site and an online matchmaking and networking platform that primarily drives new customer business. We are thus enhancing the function of a trade fair. In addition to the event at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds, the Digital Days in the virtual space will create opportunities to generate leads, make direct contact with customers and significantly increase the reach of our corporate presence,” says Julia Uherek, Group Show Director Consumer Goods Fairs, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH.

All participants benefit from new additional digital features for interaction and networking. Based on the three pillars Matchmaking (for new contacts and meetings), Live-Stream (for knowledge transfer and inspiration) and the order platform Nextrade, visitors have the opportunity – parallel to the face-to-face event – to network, be inspired and order directly.

The live streaming makes the framework and conference program a digital experience. Four livestreams are available for this purpose:
1. The first stream reflects the fringe program of the physical trade show, via the Academy stage with expert contributions, panel discussions or guided tours on trends. This is broadcast live in the stream directly from the event.
2. The second stream explicitly stands for Creativeworld, which will be completely suspended as a physical event this year, but will have a high presence at the Digital Days. From a separate studio, you will find the “latest insights” on materials, techniques and tools, exciting speakers and lectures.
3. The third stream focuses on special interests such as the topic of sustainability or the Remcon Seminars with current topics from the recycling industry with lectures, panels and discussions.
4. The fourth stream is exclusively available for exhibitors – for their own product presentation, for exhibitor panels and seminars or press conferences. Exhibitors can translate what takes place at the physical trade fair as events at their stand into digital form here. For this purpose, a dedicated web studio is available at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition grounds, where exhibitors can rent a studio. Or they can broadcast directly from their company headquarters or another studio.

On the basis of the exhibitor’s company profiles maintained online and the buyer’s interest queries during ticketing, AI-supported matchmaking independently networks with suitable business partners from all over the world, thereby pushing new, potentially interesting contacts around the clock. If there is a match, exhibitors and visitors can enter into direct contact via chat functions or face-to-face calls. Or they can use the digital Speed Networking feature to quickly make new contacts.

Using the digital order and data management platform Nextrade, buyers can order directly from exhibitors – just like at the trade fair. At Nextrade, suppliers and their products are present around the world 365 days a year, around the clock, and can thus activate inquiries and orders from dealers at any time at individual conditions. Dealers have access to all necessary up-to-date data such as pictures, price lists and product texts. This opens up completely new sales and distribution channels for exhibitors, especially abroad. The B2B marketplace Nextrade is the first order and data management platform for the home & living industry that has been bringing together supply and demand digitally for a year now – and thus creates great added value for both sides.

The best thing about the digital additions is that there are no restrictions due to trade fair opening times – exhibitors and buyers can thus be reached before the trade fair, during the trade fair days and even afterwards, and are able to actively generate leads. For example, physical visitors can initially concentrate on their visit to the trade fair and then follow interesting live streams, find additional business partners and place their orders.

Two to three pre-events before the event will familiarize participants with the new technology so that they can get started right away on April 17. “So everyone can try out what the virtual trade fair experience feels like and how it can best be combined with a real trade fair visit. There is a lot of potential here and we are very proud that we can realize this and make it a real experience with the Digital Days. With our digital offerings that complement the physical trade shows, we want to be the best partner for our customers for business encounters,” summarizes Uherek.

Events & Highlights on site and digitally strong sources of inspiration
Not only the need for personal contacts and direct exchange is immense. It is also the hunger for trend scouting, inspiration, for an international market overview – at a fixed date each year, with participants from all over the world, as only a leading international trade fair can offer. And it is precisely in these difficult times that the trade needs new impetus to boost consumption. The supporting program of the International Consumer Goods Show starts right here. It covers future-oriented topics such as sustainability, home office, DIY and cocconing, which provide new ideas for product range design, but also convey essential know-how to keep pace with increasing digitization. Sustainability, for example, will be the main theme of the digital supporting program on the last day of the show.

Planned are trend areas for Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld, an Academy stage with exciting contributions and valuable tips on current topics (e.g., window dressing, integration/expansion of digital services, etc.), a Talents area for the promotion of young designers. There will also be an exhibition for the negative award “Plagiarius” for particularly audacious imitations, to raise awareness of product development and brand protection. Everything that is physically offered will also be transported in parallel to the Digital Days in their live streams. In this way, virtual visitors also have a part in the trade show experience.

The only exceptions are Creativeworld themes such as Creativeworld Trends or the Creativeworld Academy, which will have their own stage within the framework of the Digital Days. The new, purely digital Creativeworld Academy provides a special platform for creative exchange on the latest products, materials and techniques from manufacturers. For the virtual Creativeworld exhibitors, it is a perfect opportunity to present their new products to a qualified trade audience and receive direct feedback.

With their ticket for the International Consumer Goods Show, visitors also receive full access to the Digital Days.

The International Consumer Goods Show and the Digital Days will take place in Frankfurt am Main from April 17 – 20, 2021.

International Consumer Goods Show – Special Edition bundles consumer goods portfolio of Messe Frankfurt in 2021

The Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld trade fairs will be held as a joint event under the name International Consumer Goods Show – Special Edition in Frankfurt am Main from 17 to 20 April 2021 as a one-off. This live event will be supplemented by targeted digital offerings from the Consumer Goods Digital Days. Due to the merger, the new date and the hybrid character of the event, new business-enhancing synergy effects for the entire industry will result under the current pandemic conditions.

22nd September 2020 – The B2B events that have taken place again in recent weeks have proven one thing: trade fairs can be successfully implemented with a comprehensive safety concept. However, the preparation of international trade fairs also includes the fact that exhibitors must now commission trade fair service providers. Around 85 percent of exhibitors at Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld come to Frankfurt from abroad. “From large sections of the international consumer goods industry, there is a desire to hold Ambiente, Christmasworld, Creativeworld and Paperworld 2021. Many companies hope that their presence at the fair will give their business a boost after the re-start of the economy. We feel more committed than ever to this necessity”, explains Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

Due to the continuing travel restrictions for international travelers, a later date in April 2021 offers exhibitors greater planning safety. Messe Frankfurt has therefore decided to implement a one-off reorganisation of the consumer goods events in spring for the year 2021. Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld will be held jointly under the name of the International Consumer Goods Show – Special Edition in Frankfurt am Main from 17 to 20 April 2021. For the first time, this new live trade fair will be flanked by the digital offerings of the Consumer Goods Digital Days. The purely digital offerings of Creativeworld will also be on display here, which will not be held as a live event in 2021. “The trend-oriented order cycles of the consumer goods industry require an annual event at the beginning of the year. The merging of Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld at the new time under the name of International Consumer Goods Show – Special Edition offers all participants the opportunity for business meetings, ordering and networking in Frankfurt and is the best answer to the current challenges”, explains Stephan Kurzawski, member of the Management of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH.

Consumer Goods Digital Days as a guarantee for greater reach
Also new in 2021 are the expanded digital offerings, which will be held for the first time and concurrently with the live trade fair under the name Consumer Goods Digital Days. Building on the pillars of matchmaking, live streaming and knowledge transfer, exhibitors and visitors alike will have the opportunity to network, find inspiration and place orders directly parallel to and beyond the presence event. Kurzawski explains: “With our new digital offering, we offer exhibitors and buyers onsite and online the best prerequisites for achieving their sales, marketing and thus their corporate goals. It is an investment that we are making in the conviction that we will continue to be the best partner for business encounters in the future”.

The International Consumer Goods Show – Special Edition and the Consumer Goods Digital Days will take place from April 17 – 20, 2021 in Frankfurt am Main

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