Review 2008
IFA 2008 exceeds expectations
Massive success for the industry, dealers and visitors
Berlin, 3 September 2008 – By the morning of 3 September IFA 2008 had attracted an attendance of some 220,000 from Germany and abroad. With orders exceeding 3 billion euros all the expectations of dealers and the industry were surpassed.
With over ten per cent more exhibitors, a ten per cent increase in the volume of orders, and 24 per cent more dealers registered, the successful conclusion of the world’s leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances was confirmed.
This year’s IFA was also more international than ever, with 1,245 exhibitors from 63 countries. Sixty six per cent of the exhibitors came from abroad. Trade visitors were registered from 126 (2007: 93) countries, and one in three came from abroad. Media participation is also more international and more representative than ever before, with 6,560 journalists from 67 countries (2007: 6.664 journalists from 56 countries) attending IFA 2008 in Berlin.
With 122,000 square metres of rented display space, including 11,000 square metres in temporary halls, this IFA covered the largest area in its history.
As Dr. Rainer Hecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the gfu, explained: “The successful IFA concept provides an excellent basis for the long term commercial success of the industry and the trade. In addition to the success of the presentations by the rapidly expanding consumer electronics sector, the displays by the new exhibitors representing electrical home appliances received an enthusiastic response from visitors and dealers, offering impressive proof of the strength of these brands. Their excellent displays augmented the portfolio of the leading trade show for consumer electronics.”
Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Berlin, pointed out: “IFA is the most important platform for orders for dealers and the industry. The inclusion of electrical home appliances has created an unprecedented diversity, further increasing the appeal of IFA as a platform for orders. The organizers and exhibitors from both sectors have drawn unanimous and positive conclusions from this event."
Hans-Joachim Kamp, Chairman of the Consumer Electronics Trade Association of the ZVEI: “We provided visitors with a very broad, high quality range of brand products in Berlin, and IFA provided the venue for a whole range of new technologies and products to make their debut. The energy-saving incentives being planned by politicians have given additional support to our efforts to achieve further improvements in the energy efficiency of our products. In this way IFA provides an important impetus.”
Jens Heithecker, IFA Director: “Everyone has been impressed by the phenomenal response in the media. We were able to even exceed the high expectations that were placed in us here. The coverage encompassed the entire range of products in all their diversity and ensured good public exposure for all the new items in both sectors.”
Dr. Reinhard Zinkann, Chairman of the Electrical Home Appliance Trade Association of the ZVEI, Managing Partner, Miele & Cie. KG, and a member of the board of the ZVEI: “HomeAppliances@IFA has enjoyed an excellent debut. Exhibitors in this sector expressed their satisfaction with the ordering activity by the trade. A large number of visitors were attracted, and both trade visitors and consumers showed keen interest in the products being exhibited by the home appliance industry. Moreover we were very pleased with the impressive media response, enabling us to give particular prominence to the subjects of particular importance to us, especially energy efficiency. The expectations that we had of this trade show were completely met.”
IFA reflects the markets
With everything from giant flat screens to the tiniest TV mobile phones, from mobile media players to complete home cinema – IFA presented fascinating highlights from every area of entertainment. The increased demand for brand name appliances and quality are the basis for this growth.
A comfortable lifestyle, healthy food and its careful preparation are all global trends in the home appliance sector. Political and social discussions about CO2 emissions and climate protection are influencing consumer trends in both of these fields.
International media interest
In addition to providing live coverage, radio and television networks used the IFA as a means of making direct contact with their viewers and listeners. There were numerous shows and presentations providing a varied range of entertainment for trade visitors and members of the public. Over 20 German and international radio and television stations were represented this year, IFA attracted massive media interest. The leading German television networks ARD, ZDF and RTL were also strongly represented in the exhibition halls.
Excellent reaction to informative supporting programme
IFA has traditionally provided a platform for discussions about issues of topical interest to the industry and about changing directions in media policy. Consequently trade visitors were able to obtain detailed technical information on the exhibitors’ stands as well as from more than 80 outstanding specialist events and forums.
The IFA International Keynotes again formed the focus of attention for the media and trade visitors. Top managers from the industry presented current issues, topics and trends from all areas of consumer electronics and, for the first time, from the electrical home appliance industry.
The Berlin Media Week 2008 took place in direct association with IFA for the first time, under the heading of medienwoche@IFA. The conferences, panel discussions and keynote speeches involving the Media Board, Medien-anstalt Berlin-Brandenburg and the gfu, the organizer of IFA, combined to form a joint congress programme for the first time.
IFA 2008 also presented its serviceforum@IFA in the form of a panel for the third time. It is now well established as a meeting place for specialist dealers and markets, retail chains in the consumer electronics and electrical home appliance sectors, specialist trading and craft trade businesses, industry and the media.
An event chaired by Sabine Christiansen reported from IFA 2008 on various aspects, including the CNBC format “Global Players”. This outstanding programme featured an international dialogue involving top decision-makers from business and politics. The exclusive US panel with leading journalists from the USA was also very well attended.
With over ten per cent more exhibitors, a ten per cent increase in the volume of orders, and 24 per cent more dealers registered, the successful conclusion of the world’s leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances was confirmed.
This year’s IFA was also more international than ever, with 1,245 exhibitors from 63 countries. Sixty six per cent of the exhibitors came from abroad. Trade visitors were registered from 126 (2007: 93) countries, and one in three came from abroad. Media participation is also more international and more representative than ever before, with 6,560 journalists from 67 countries (2007: 6.664 journalists from 56 countries) attending IFA 2008 in Berlin.
With 122,000 square metres of rented display space, including 11,000 square metres in temporary halls, this IFA covered the largest area in its history.
As Dr. Rainer Hecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the gfu, explained: “The successful IFA concept provides an excellent basis for the long term commercial success of the industry and the trade. In addition to the success of the presentations by the rapidly expanding consumer electronics sector, the displays by the new exhibitors representing electrical home appliances received an enthusiastic response from visitors and dealers, offering impressive proof of the strength of these brands. Their excellent displays augmented the portfolio of the leading trade show for consumer electronics.”
Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Berlin, pointed out: “IFA is the most important platform for orders for dealers and the industry. The inclusion of electrical home appliances has created an unprecedented diversity, further increasing the appeal of IFA as a platform for orders. The organizers and exhibitors from both sectors have drawn unanimous and positive conclusions from this event."
Hans-Joachim Kamp, Chairman of the Consumer Electronics Trade Association of the ZVEI: “We provided visitors with a very broad, high quality range of brand products in Berlin, and IFA provided the venue for a whole range of new technologies and products to make their debut. The energy-saving incentives being planned by politicians have given additional support to our efforts to achieve further improvements in the energy efficiency of our products. In this way IFA provides an important impetus.”
Jens Heithecker, IFA Director: “Everyone has been impressed by the phenomenal response in the media. We were able to even exceed the high expectations that were placed in us here. The coverage encompassed the entire range of products in all their diversity and ensured good public exposure for all the new items in both sectors.”
Dr. Reinhard Zinkann, Chairman of the Electrical Home Appliance Trade Association of the ZVEI, Managing Partner, Miele & Cie. KG, and a member of the board of the ZVEI: “HomeAppliances@IFA has enjoyed an excellent debut. Exhibitors in this sector expressed their satisfaction with the ordering activity by the trade. A large number of visitors were attracted, and both trade visitors and consumers showed keen interest in the products being exhibited by the home appliance industry. Moreover we were very pleased with the impressive media response, enabling us to give particular prominence to the subjects of particular importance to us, especially energy efficiency. The expectations that we had of this trade show were completely met.”
IFA reflects the markets
With everything from giant flat screens to the tiniest TV mobile phones, from mobile media players to complete home cinema – IFA presented fascinating highlights from every area of entertainment. The increased demand for brand name appliances and quality are the basis for this growth.
A comfortable lifestyle, healthy food and its careful preparation are all global trends in the home appliance sector. Political and social discussions about CO2 emissions and climate protection are influencing consumer trends in both of these fields.
International media interest
In addition to providing live coverage, radio and television networks used the IFA as a means of making direct contact with their viewers and listeners. There were numerous shows and presentations providing a varied range of entertainment for trade visitors and members of the public. Over 20 German and international radio and television stations were represented this year, IFA attracted massive media interest. The leading German television networks ARD, ZDF and RTL were also strongly represented in the exhibition halls.
Excellent reaction to informative supporting programme
IFA has traditionally provided a platform for discussions about issues of topical interest to the industry and about changing directions in media policy. Consequently trade visitors were able to obtain detailed technical information on the exhibitors’ stands as well as from more than 80 outstanding specialist events and forums.
The IFA International Keynotes again formed the focus of attention for the media and trade visitors. Top managers from the industry presented current issues, topics and trends from all areas of consumer electronics and, for the first time, from the electrical home appliance industry.
The Berlin Media Week 2008 took place in direct association with IFA for the first time, under the heading of medienwoche@IFA. The conferences, panel discussions and keynote speeches involving the Media Board, Medien-anstalt Berlin-Brandenburg and the gfu, the organizer of IFA, combined to form a joint congress programme for the first time.
IFA 2008 also presented its serviceforum@IFA in the form of a panel for the third time. It is now well established as a meeting place for specialist dealers and markets, retail chains in the consumer electronics and electrical home appliance sectors, specialist trading and craft trade businesses, industry and the media.
An event chaired by Sabine Christiansen reported from IFA 2008 on various aspects, including the CNBC format “Global Players”. This outstanding programme featured an international dialogue involving top decision-makers from business and politics. The exclusive US panel with leading journalists from the USA was also very well attended.