Messe Frankfurt has set up a Digital Advisory Board to oversee its digital activities. With this step, the company is seeking to engage with its customers more intensively regarding the digital transformation of marketing in the trade fair industry and the evolution that this entails for the trade fairs themselves. The new Digital Advisory Board includes exhibitors from a wide range of industries as well as representatives from Messe Frankfurt's Digital Business unit.
The objective consists of better understanding the needs of exhibitors with regard to digital offerings and providing visitors with improved digital trade fair support by specifically working on new ideas and innovations. The board will meet twice a year. The agenda of the Digital Advisory Board's first meeting included the future expectations of trade fair visitors, digital marketing surrounding trade fairs and an assessment of Messe Frankfurt's digital innovations.
extensive digital offerings
"Messe Frankfurt's success has always been based on listening closely to our customers and addressing developments together with them. Not only the intensive exchange pertaining to existing offers and experience gained in various industries, but also the concrete working methods of design thinking provided a variety of valuable impulses, which we are continuing to work on", said Klaus Reinke, Board of Management, Messe Frankfurt Group.
Focus here was placed on examining the needs of future visitors from the generations X, Y and Z
For example, the participants defined four archetypal visitor groups. Focus here was placed on examining the needs of future visitors from the generations X, Y and Z. These include extensive digital offerings for information and networking, new infotainment offerings and networking spaces, to name a few. In addition to this, the entire trade fair customer journey with all its touchpoints was examined to collect concrete examples and new ideas for addressing visitors.
voice control applications
Last but not least, three prototypes of digital Messe Frankfurt offerings were assessed with regard to feasibility. The digital voice assistant based on the Alexa technology was determined to be a good approach to evaluating future voice control applications.
"Due to the group of participants from very different backgrounds and the excellent preparation, the kick-off of the Digital Advisory Board served to initiate numerous interesting discussions about digital trade fair marketing. I look forward to seeing how Messe Frankfurt will continue to provide its exhibitors and visitors of the future with the highest degree of innovation through digitalization," said Sheila Rietscher, Director Brand & Strategy, KAHLA/Thüringen Porzellan GmbH.
digitally address visitors
Messe Frankfurt is providing exhibitors with whole new ways to directly and digitally address visitors
Other members of the Digital Advisory Board include Maik Manteufel, GILDE HANDWERK Macrander GmbH & Co. KG; Claudia Kreowski, Grohe AG; Alexander Hanel, RUDOLF GmbH; Gerold B. Welz, Porzellanfabriken Christian Seltmann GmbH; Dr. Florian Resatsch, Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG; Lars Adler, HOFF-INTERIEUR GmbH & Co.KG; Matthias Haeckel, Groz-Beckert KG.
Great interest was shown in Messe Frankfurt's existing offering for audience marketing using data-based and programmatic advertising. Using this, Messe Frankfurt is providing exhibitors with whole new ways to directly and digitally address visitors, and implement processes for lead generation based on this.
openness and commitment
"We were pleasantly surprised by the openness and commitment, with which the participants contributed to the work of our Digital Advisory Board. The number of good examples and ideas for the future made the day a valuable experience for all participants. We look forward to the next workshop with our board members", said Martina Bergmann, Vice President Digital Services at Messe Frankfurt.
