New Digital Events and Services: Messe Düsseldorf departs into a Hybrid Trade Fair Autumn

Messe Düsseldorf clearly steps up its digital offensive: under the buzzword “Hybrid Trade Fair” it extends and optimises its digital service portfolio, establishes new virtual events – thereby reinforcing the hybrid character of its leading international trade fairs. Hybrid trade fairs are a mixture of the physical event on site and digital content. This move consolidates the pole position of Düsseldorf’s leading global trade fairs as central communication and information platforms for their respective industries – both during the trade fair opening hours and throughout the entire year. Along these lines the leading international trade fairs glasstec and drupa will serve up new virtual events in October that will get their communities in the mood for the industry get-togethers in 2021 in Düsseldorf. Other Düsseldorf No. 1 events as well as guest events are also set to massively extend their digital ranges.

Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, regards hybrid exhibition formats as complements for physical trade fairs in the future: “Business needs digital formats just as much as live contacts and experiences on site. Our leading international trade fairs offer both. These have already long taken place 365 days a year and have developed into the first point of contact for their respective industries.” Exhibitors present themselves and their products on the online portals of the Düsseldorf trade fairs and use the Matchmaking function to get in touch with their customers. “We are constantly developing these offerings with a view to making our customers’ content even more attractive and user-friendly – and making our leading international trade fairs what they are: the pivotal hubs of the sector – at all times and on all channels,” stresses Diener.

New Digital Formats for drupa and glasstec

drupa – the no.1 for printing technologies, and glasstec, the world’s biggest trade fair for the glass industry, will be the first of Düsseldorf’s leading trade fairs to launch two new digital events: drupa preview and glasstec VIRTUAL. The new digital formats comprising the three segments Conference Area, Exhibition Space and Networking Plaza will considerably enhance the time in the build-up to the events in 2021 and enable industry players to network, introduce themselves and provide information in the run-up. At the Exhibition Space exhibitors can post product information and videos. Furthermore, they can offer web sessions in the Conference Area where participants will have the possibility to interact with the speakers. On the occasion of glasstec VIRTUAL from 20 to 22 October this area will feature interactive expert lecture and panel discussions on the current market situation and themes trending globally. From late October at its Conference Area drupa preview will offer new teaser videos at regular intervals. These will feature high-calibre international speakers highlighting themes to be addressed at the drupa forums 2021 as well as brief interviews with industry experts. At the Networking Plaza industry players will find participants of interest to them via the new Matchmaking Tool, that they can establish contact with and meet and exchange with in virtual rooms.

Dr. Christian Plenge, Executive Director Digital Strategy and Communication, emphasises the benefit especially during these times: “Live contacts are taking place under new conditions in the age of Coronavirus, they become more exclusive and are attached to a higher perceived value. At the same time, online formats for communication, presentation and distribution gain in importance. Our trade fairs have long been hybrid events and formed part of the digital transformation, which constitutes a strategic pillar for Messe Düsseldorf. The current situation now proves an engine additionally driving our digital portfolio.” The other leading international Düsseldorf trade fairs will also extend their digital ranges and services further – just like the forthcoming MEDICA in November.

One Industry, One Portal

The portals of Düsseldorf’s leading international trade fairs currently feature not only information on exhibitors’ contact persons, news and the events held at stands but also some 34,000 company profiles as well as over 105,000 product descriptions with text and images. The digital portfolio of  Messe Düsseldorf also includes the drupa blog, the MEDICA Magazin of the medical device technology trade fair of the same name, TIGHTLY PACKED, the e-magazine of the packaging trade fair interpack, and EuroShop 365 of the Retail Technology trade fair EuroShop, to name but four. Wolfram N. Diener stresses: “The linking of sector-specific content with exhibitor-specific information is what’s so special about our Portals. They mirror the entire world markets of their respective industries.”

Guest Organisers also bet on Hybrid Formats

To guest organisers who use Düsseldorf exhibition centre for their trade fairs, hybrid exhibitions are also of major importance. For example, 14 to 18 September 2020 will see Germany’s first major virtual trade fair held for vehicle fleet decision makers: flotte.digital. The “Flotte! Der Branchentreff” event scheduled for March 2020 was one of the first events that had to be postponed on account of Coronavirus. With flotte digital, conceived as a “hop on hop off” format, the organiser – Flotte Medien GmbH from Bonn – now offers people in charge of fleet management a virtual trade fair this year plus a comprehensive technical programme – comprising expert meetings, roundtables, workshops, webinars and live lectures. All this will be offered this year even before the next “Flotte! Der Branchentreff” goes ahead as usual at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 24 to 25 March 2021.

Düsseldorf Congress: Service Portfolio for Virtual and Hybrid Conferences

Beyond this, Düsseldorf Congress, the subsidiary specialising in congresses, meetings and events, has launched services for organising virtual and hybrid conferences, annual meetings and customer events as well as webcasts. To this end it offers the spacious and flexible premises of CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf as a broadcasting studio – equipped with professional image, sound and event technology. CEO Diener: “We are constantly adding to our services – both digital and physical. Our customers’ needs are centrestage.”

World Media Group (WMG) News Service