RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2020
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FA 2020 Special Edition has ended, sending the message that
"tech is back" and that consumer electronics and home appliances
industries and the tech media have a hunger for real-life experiences.
This year's IFA Berlin was a hybrid event: three days of keynotes,
presentations and product launches took place in real life under tight
health and safety rules but were augmented by IFA's new virtual
platform, IFA Xtended Space. IFA 2020 Special Edition also hosted
SHIFT Mobility meets IFA NEXT, an innovation platform that brought
together start-ups, innovators and many companies shaping the future
of mobility and everyday life. In addition, the IFA Business, Retail &
Meeting Lounges provided an opportunity for brands and retailers
to meet and do business in a safe, but face-to-face environment.
Global brands seized the opportunity of IFA 2020 Special Edition to
create wow-effects – for example LG with its impressive hologram
presentation, as well as global brands like BSH, Haier, Honor, Huawei,
Miele, Neato, Qualcomm, TCL and many more.
IFA 2021: ON TRACK FOR A FULL-SCALE EVENT
The IFA 2020 Special Edition also put IFA on track to run the show
as a full-scale event. Set to take place from September 3-7, 2021, IFA
Berlin 2021 already has strong industry backing. So far, more than
60 percent of the exhibition space has already been booked. "This
is a new record. Never before have we had such strong interest so
early, so far ahead of the start of IFA," said IFA Executive Director
Jens Heithecker.
IFA 2020 SPECIAL EDITION: A NEW TYPE OF HYBRID EVENT
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of the IFA 2020
Special Edition had imposed tight limits on the number of attendees,
well below those set by Germany's public health authorities. And yet,
over its three days, the IFA 2020 Special Edition made it possible for
6,100 attendees to meet face to face, experience new devices and
discuss the opportunities for the global technology industry.
On site, this year's IFA had 150 companies presenting their ideas,
and they were joined by an additional 1,350 exhibitors from 30
countries at IFA Xtended Space and the IFA Virtual Market Place.
Even though IFA Xtended Space opened its virtual doors just a
couple of days before the IFA 2020 Special Edition got underway,
more than 78,000 people followed the IFA 2020 Special Edition
online, and generated 262,000 views – watching the keynote and
press conferences, following panel discussions and exploring the
virtual product demonstrations. This year's IFA Xtended Space will be
IFA 2020 IFA 2020 S P ECI A L E DI T ION
