The recommendation is not “either-or” but “both at once”: in the future, the parallel worlds of digital and high-street retailing must coalesce better. Consumers want to be served round the clock and via all channels. They have long been seeking for more than just the pure product; they are looking for authentic, meaningful, and emotionally charged (shopping) experiences. The players from the sectors involved–retailers, towns and cities, local authorities and cultural institutions–must focus on joint activities for the future’s hybrid consumers.
The Premium Business Program of Christmasworld 2020 will offer insights into this subject: the keynote address by Ibrahim Ibrahim, CEO of Portland Design Associates London, will be entitled “Urban regeneration: The internet will not kill shops, it will liberate them!” One of the topics he will address is how future shopping habits will impact urban space: the functions of town and city centers as well as the demands which the retail sector must meet, are subject to enormous changes. Towns and cities, trades, industries, and other market players must cope with complex tasks if they are to stay attractive and viable. The only way that works is with constructive collaboration. The Premium Program will bring the relevant business partners together for this very purpose and will also invite you to exclusive tours around the leading international trade fair for seasonal and festive decorations. The tours will focus on particularly impressive concept decorations and large-scale illuminations. This means that the benefits for Premium guests are that they can utilize and maintain their networks, extend their knowledge, and meet business partners.
Great times for consumers
“Times are hard for retailers and great for consumers. We know that customers want more and more of everything: more brands, more narratives, more service, more emotionally charged experiences and greater convenience”, that is the credo of Ibrahim. Portland works primarily on brand design, brand loyalty, and specific consumer habits in the digital and real world; urban change is one of the agency’s specialties. Their clients come from various sectors: mobility (airports, railway stations), town and city marketing, shopping center and the consumer-goods segment.
Therefore, representatives of city marketing, local authorities, retailing and malls are invited this time to benefit from the Business Program on Monday, January 27, 2020. The location will remain unchanged, and thus all participants will meet in the Symmetrie Room in Hall 8–directly adjacent to the Christmasworld exhibition halls.
Registration for the free premium program is possible until January 19th, 2020 at christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com/premium. Please use the registration code CWP282.
About Christmasworld
Christmasworld, the world’s most important order venue for the international decoration and festive articles sector, takes place from January 24 to 28, 2020. Held annually in Frankfurt, it presents the latest products and trends for all festivities of the year and provides innovative concept ideas for decorating large-scale and outdoor areas of the wholesale and retail sector, shopping centers, DIY marketsm and the green sector. Christmasworld is characterized by its complete spectrum of festive decorations, while a wide-ranging complementary program with a trend show, special exhibitions, events, and expert lectures is a valuable and informative source of supplementary inspiration for everyday business life in the sector. The 2019 event was attended by 1,085 exhibitors from 44 countries and over 45,300 visitors from 123 countries More info: christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com
