In November 2020, after an intense exchange with the industry, Koelnmesse cancelled the on-site edition of ISM 2021 with deep regret due to the Corona pandemic. To give exhibitors the opportunity to present the latest products and trends at ISM, the world’s largest trade fair and innovation platform for sweets and snacks, even without a physical event and to make this experienceable for digital trade visitors, the trade fair team has launched an extensive new product and trend campaign. The preparations for the next edition of ISM, which is scheduled from 30.01.-02.02.2022, are also in full swing.
Running over the course of several months, the campaign will comprise of a combination between a wide range of communication measures, such as webinars, specialised articles, interviews, press releases and presentations of new products. The offer is rounded off by a digital version of the New Product Showcase Award, which distinguishes the industry’s top innovations.
“We know that the sweets and snacks industry works towards ISM every year to present its latest, but also established products to an international audience. The ISM campaign allows us, in the absence of a physical event on-site, to carry on offering our customers a central platform for the sweets and snacks industry, where they can inform themselves about important themes or industry trends and present their innovations,” Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, explained.
Parallel to the campaign for new products and trends, the preparations for ISM 2022 are running at full speed. The event is planned in a hybrid format. Based on a digital platform developed by Koelnmesse, which was already successfully implemented at the largest European trade fair for digital marketing and advertising, DMEXCO 2020, ISM 2022 will thus also offer new digital formats for exhibitors and visitors in addition to the physical presence. The platform is “state of the art” and offers the exhibitors for instance the possibility to present their products as photo and text information within the digital exhibitor showroom and additionally increase the attention their company attracts by embedding video content. Furthermore, content on products and companies can be presented in digital panels or conferences to a circle of interested parties and of course addressed in greater depth via special networking functions in chats or digital meetings. In addition to a large number of further tools, the platform thus also provides support in addressing new visitor target groups and will continue to enhance the offer of ISM long-term well beyond 2022.
