News

February 14, 2017
Messe Frankfurt shows begins new festive season with a host of fresh ideas

Innovations, new product ideas and sales concepts bring trade up to speed: the three international consumer-goods fairs ChristmasworldPaperworld and Creativeworld, as well as the new Floradecora trade fair ended for 2,938 exhibitors from 63 countries with countless new contacts and well-filled order books. Over 85,400 trade visitors from 154 countries made their way to Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre to place their orders for the coming season and cultivate important business relationships. Summing up the results of the fair, Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, said: “Healthy growth of three percent in the number of exhibitors and a four percent increase on the visitor side confirms that our four consumer goods fairs – Christmasworld, Floradecora, Paperworld and Creativeworld – represent the international hub for the worldwide trade. The top decision makers from all sales channels were here – altogether, there were more visitors in Frankfurt, especially from Germany, than a year ago.”

Braun, who spoke with numerous trade associations and exhibitors, added, “Simultaneously, the high level of internationality (60 percent) meant manufacturers enjoyed excellent export opportunities.” Three quarters of all visitors are top managers and have the necessary decision-making authority, which underscores the very high visitor standard.

Christmasworld 2017 generates ‘Happy New Business’ for more exhibitors and more visitors

Christmasworld and Floradecora attracted 43,233 visitors from 110 countries (17,690 from Germany and 25,543 from abroad) to Frankfurt am Main at the end of January. A total of 1,070 exhibitors from 42 countries presented their latest products and decoration trends. Of this total, 67 companies from six countries took part in the new Floradecora fair in Hall 11.1. More than 10,700 trade visitors from the three Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld trade fairs visited Floradecora for professional reasons on the four days of the order fair.

This year, there were not only more visitors to Christmasworld from abroad (+8.4 percent) but also significantly more from Germany (+11.7 percent). After the host nation, the best represented countries were Italy, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Austria,Switzerland, Belgium, China, Poland, Spain, Russia and the USA. Also striking was the increased number of visitors from the retail and wholesale trades.

“Once again, Christmasworld has topped the previous year’s results with a big increase in both exhibitor and visitor numbers. As the flagship of the international decoration sector, it continues to forge ahead and underscore its unchallenged position as the leading trade fair for seasonal and festive decorations. Without exception, all indicators are pointing to growth. Therefore, the outlook for good business is bright for all participants”, said Cordelia von Gymnich, vice president, Consumer Goods II, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH.

Blend of Christmas and seasonal decorations with fresh flowers and plants a source of satisfaction among trade visitors and exhibitors

The results of the visitor survey confirm that the product portfolio is right on target: significantly more than 90 percent of visitors said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the spread of products and manufacturers, as well as with the trade fairs themselves. 96 percent of respondents said they had achieved their trade-fair goals. As in the past, the greatest trade-visitor interest was shown in Christmas and Advent decorations with 68 percent (2016: 64 percent) followed by seasonal decorations (35 percent), gifts (30 percent), florists’ requisites & garden decorations (28 percent), candles (25 percent) and visual merchandising & lighting (22 percent).

For Christmasworld exhibitors, the visitor standard, the number of new contacts and the propensity to order during the fair were significantly up on the previous event. According to the exhibitor poll, all three indicators were at least two percentage points higher than the previous year and three quarters of exhibitors said they were satisfied to extremely satisfied with the fair. “The number of visitors has been very good and the new, fourth fair, Floradecora, actually enabled our members to reach new customers from garden centres and florists. Our visitors from the retail trade came, in particular, from Italy and Russia, including Siberia and Mongolia. North America was once again represented by several major customers. All in all, the result of the fair is positive – with increased sales and a good visitor standard. After all, this is where the decision makers come and, last but not least, Christmas always comes around once a year”, said Hamid Yazdtschi, CEO, Gilde Group, summarizing for his members.

A great premiere: new Floradecora order fair generates important impulses and growth chances for the trade and green sector

The first Floradecora took place parallel to Christmasworld as a new trade fair for fresh flowers and plants with over 60 suppliers presenting their products and concept solutions in Hall 11.1. In addition to numerous Christmasworld exhibitors, the European Lifestyle Association also welcomed Messe Frankfurt’s innovative spirit in developing new formats and assortments for the trade: “Floradecora provides the new momentum the industry needs. The concept is impressive and we very much hope that the exhibition establishes itself in Frankfurt”, said EVL Managing Director Heike Tscherwinka.

Visitors to Floradecora were also very pleased with the fair and 92 percent said they had achieved their goals for the fair. The most visitor interest was shown in cut flowers (59 percent) followed by ceramics, planters and florists’ requisites (42 percent), indoor plants (40 percent), decoration wrapping materials (39 percent), plants for the balcony and terrace (34 percent), decorative greenery (31 percent) and flower bulbs (21 percent).

‘Surprise, Surprise’ links two worlds

For the seventh year running, Holland’s Rudi Tuinman and Pascal Koeleman of 2Dezign created a gigantic special show as a source of inspiration for new product presentations, shop windows and large-scale decorations. Under the motto ‘Surprise, Surprise’, they inspired visitors with colours ranging from candy to loud shades and an exuberant, astonishing spectrum of decorations, including a giant birthday cake and pink-blue elephants. Always in combination with decorative products from exhibitors, fresh flowers and plants were the absolute attention grabbers of the presentation. “The focus is not on individual products. It’s all about creating an atmosphere. Make something different! Surprise your customers! Give them a good feeling! Then, adults become children and always want to go back to your shop”, said Rudi Tuinman of 2dezign explaining the aim of the presentation. Incidentally, the idea for the new Floradecora trade-fair concept came from this special show because the interest shown by visitors in fresh products rose from year to year.

Christmasworld Trends: quality, quirky, traditional

The Christmasworld Trend Show in the Foyer of Hall 11.0 showcased ways of winning over the customer with new colours, materials and designs, using four different colour scenarios: ‘a fanciful celebration of joy’, ‘a distinctive figure of modernity’, ‘a valuable handling of tradition’ and ‘a gentle touch of nature’. The overarching leitmotif, ‘delightful moment’, identified by the bora.herke.palmisano Trend Bureau, reflects the latest currents in fashion, interior design and architecture, as they manifest themselves in the products being promoted by the exhibitors. In 2017, people will be using the Christmas festival to allow the spirit to relax, to enjoy moments of peace and quiet, to bathe in their memories – and it is the more delicate shades that best fit in with this. Accordingly, the colour palette at Christmasworld reflected this: warm copper, rich gold, snow white, as well as lustrous, sumptuous reds, natural greens and relaxing shades of blue create a calm, pleasant, but also festive, ambience. With the help of formal echoes of times past, quality products such as hand-blown baubles and traditional motifs, old values are revived and lend a feeling of safety and cosy security. Vintage is a key trend for 2017, and not only at Christmas time. So too are casually found objects and holiday souvenirs; and humorous figures from the world of comics and fairytale make for festive moments in spring and winter. Alongside these, products made from natural materials as well as the gentle light of candles all remain popular, often with a high-quality feel and on display with polished, shiny surfaces. Particularly striking is the presence of pineapple and cactus motifs, together with botanical patterns, which represent a thread running through all product areas and which were also on show ‘in the flesh’, as new trends in plants at Floradecora.

Floradecora Trends: creative and surprising

The impact of flowers and plants is to create surprise. Above all, shades of pink and rose, turquoise, lilac and peach made themselves felt in the new varieties of roses and tulips, gerbera, lilies and lisianthus, presented in unusual arrangements and creating some stunning images. Traditional pot plants such as anthurium, amaryllis, kalanchoe and orchid create a stir when presented as cut flowers. Terraces and rockeries, hanging baskets, sumptuous bouquets and formal sprays are now modern. Pot-plants from grandmother’s time are celebrating a comeback with alpine violets, bromeliads and gloxinias. Cacti and succulents, too, fit in with the retro trend and are thought to provide an ideal touch of greenery for a lifestyle in the urban jungle. Single blooms, single pots take a back seat in favour of effective, prettily packaged and unusual ensembles. Everything may be rethought and juxtaposed; the main thing is that the effect is positive and conjures a surprised and, indeed, joyful smile on the face of the beholder. And it is at festive times, in particular, that creative freedom is at its most unlimited as a result. Flowers, grasses, leaves and plants extend the emotive effect of atmospheric decorations and play a stylish part in all the various trends on display at Christmasworld.

New format for the Premium Business Programme a success

Shopping centres, retailers, cities and municipalities seek to inspire their guests and customers with impressive decorations and presentations revolving around seasonal occasions. What is going to be possible and necessary in the future was the subject of discussion at the Premium Business Programme in a new event format with two themed, target-group-specific conferences. The Retail Day on the Friday was organised in cooperation with the German Council of Shopping Centres (GCSC). In his visionary lecture on ‘Retail Trends 2030’, trendwatcher and futurologist Richard van Hooijdonk presented mega-trends that are set to change shopping behaviour over the coming decades and, therefore, have a decisive impact on business. To ensure a perfect atmosphere, the GCSC brought its members together on the eve of the fair for a New Year’s Reception in Frankfurt. As a special novelty, the Centre Management Forum was also held in Frankfurt and formed the first part of the day.

At the Urban Marketing Day, which was held in cooperation with the German City and Urban Marketing Association (Bundesvereinigung City- und Stadtmarketing Deutschland e.V. –bcsd), Stefan Suchanek, lecturer for visual rhetoric and presentation in Munich, discussed sensuous and sensible urban decorations in his lecture and workshop on ‘Your town – your people’. The day was rounded off by the presentation of the ‘Best Christmas City’ awards. There was an extremely positive response from the around 300 Premium participants to the new practice-oriented programme at the new location, the Christmasworld Premium Lounge in Hall 11.0, which is distinguished by direct link to the fair with its lighting innovations and trends.

Best Christmas City honours the efforts made by German towns and cities

The four most attractive German towns and cities last Christmas were announced during the bcsd City Marketing Day: Rüdesheim am Rhein won the public voting and a professional ‘Christmas Check’ by the Gesellschaft für Markt- und Absatzforschung (GMA). Triberg im Schwarzwald, Freiberg and Potsdam are the winners of the jury voting to find the ‘Best Christmas City’. Each wins a high-grade urban decoration for the coming season, to be provided by Christmasworld exhibitors Blachère Illumination, Ilméx and MK Illumination.

A total of 49 cities entered for the third edition of the competition organised by Christmasworld, the German City and Urban Marketing Association (bcsd) and Public Marketing magazine. “The jury had a tough job because the quality of presentations in the towns and cities at Christmas has risen and it is becoming more difficult to find significant differences” said bcsd General Manager Jürgen Block. Common to all presentations is the leading role played by light in creating an emotional atmosphere. Ideas and lighting concepts adapted to the individual urban centres are also important for the sponsors. Summarising, Karl-Heinz König of MK Illumination said, “Despite all the technology involved, the idea is to make people happy.” Or, as Fernando Cabrera from Ilmex put it, “Our aim is to touch people’s hearts with light.”




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