FIRST POST-COVID GLOBAL CONSUMER TRADE FAIR OPENS ITS DOORS IN BERLIN

Berlin, 3^rd – 5^th of September 2020

For the first time since the start of the Corona crisis, a leading global trade fair for consumer electronics will be opening its doors

IFA 2020 Special Edition is the first major global fair for consumer and home electronics that will physically take place since the pandemic.  From September 3^rd to September 5^th, outstanding brands and up-and-coming start-ups will showcase their novelties, trends and highlights at the Berlin exhibition grounds.

"After all those event cancellations, our industry urgently needs this platform in order to present its innovations.  Virtual events are certainly helpful, but they lack the emotional connection" says Director Jens Heithecker.

This year, the main question is:  Which innovations will prove successful in the "new normal" of the post COVID 19 situation?

Due to the new importance of our homes and the boom of household appliances, the focus is primarily on smart home applications and products that have a positive influence on the living climate.  Besides, the focus is on cutting-edge technologies, such as IoT, 5G, Mixed Reality, AI and robotics which will redesign the world in the era of digital working and learning, telemedicine and digital health.

The number of participants is limited, because health and safety are top priority.  Nevertheless, there will be non-virtual live events that will focus on B2B core functions of IFA.

Cross-industry innovations will be presented at SHIFT Mobility meets IFA NEXT.  For the first time, the platforms for both, technologies that will change our mobility (SHIFT) and future-oriented products, concepts and solutions from high-tech companies, startups and research institutes (IFA NEXT) will be combined and will serve as an expert network.

These event components aim at trade visitors.  Media representatives can experience the latest products, press briefings and IFA keynotes live at the IFA Global Press Conferences.

00:00 Board IFA 2020 Special Edition

00:02 various shots entrance of IFA

00:43 various shots Global Press Conference

01:39 Huawei stand

02:20 various shots of stands

03:17 various shots SHIFT Mobility

03:49 soundbite Kai Hillebrand, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of gfu 

“What we of course have to see is that the pandemic has different faces in the world. So if I talk about Europe at this point of time, I can really see that Christmass season will become a success for home electronics. Where in other parts of the world are maybe lagging behind or ahead of us, where already the business has been picking up. What you see is 'working at home', 'eating at home', 'entertainment at home' is something which became embedded in the new way of working, the new way of thinking. And that means, products are needed by consumers to go through these activities at home."

04:24 soundbite Jens Heithecker, Executive Vice President Messe Berlin, IFA Executive Director

“Every business is human. And business has been done between human beings. And we learned over the last couple of weeks: Yes , we have Zoom and all the other devices. But at the end we are tired of this. We want to come together, we want to see into the eyes, we want to have a feeling for the other people and we want to feel the emotion of the get together.

04:55 soundbite Jens Heithecker, Executive Vice President Messe Berlin, IFA Executive Director

“A lot of companies said: Yes, that is an idea. We solved the main problem: The unsafety. They didn’t know what will happen in September, from then in 3-4 months. What will happen with the pandemic, what will happen here. So what we offer them is to reduce the risk of pre-investment with smaller presentations, with more flexibility. So that we  can see how is the pandemic doing so we can decide very late in June / July how to do this. And at the end you see a lot of exhibitors are already in this show, presenting  their innovations. And you see other companies officially not being exhibitors, but communicating around IFA in the city or in the internet online. This is the real power, the inner power of IFA that even these companies are attracted to IFA."

05:54 soundbite Marko Buehler, Director Beurer GmbH

"We see a general trend that people buy more products for their home in sense of a cocooning initiative, so making their home really beautiful. So instead of going to a manicure studio, they bring the manicure device to their home and treat themselves. Or instead of flying to your sea holiday, you bring the sea climate to your home. And business has been done between human beings.

06:18 soundbite Walter Ji, President of Europe Huawei Consumer Business Group

So 5G majorly will provide a high speed, massive connectivity to consumers. As everybody understands right now, especially during the pandemic situation, people rely on the connectivity much more than before, because they need to keep social distance. They might work remotely at home. Or it relies on tech to keep connected to their friends or their families. So which means, connectivities are crucial to the new life.

06:59 end