ISPO Sets New Benchmarks As A Virtual Show
ISPO Munich Online 2021 proved to be a sought-after industry meeting for the international sports and outdoor industry under the motto "Sport is stronger". In addition to the product and company presentations by 545 exhibitors in the Expo Area, the conference program on the social megatrends of sustainability, health, digitalization, and creativity was also in high demand.
“Even as a digital event due to the current situation, ISPO Munich has lived up to its role as a leading platform and source of inspiration for the entire sports and outdoor industry,” sums up Klaus Dittrich, CEO of Messe München. “Especially now, it is more important than ever to take a united front as we tackle social challenges. The guiding principle “Sport is stronger” unites our industry. We have seen this impressively over the past few days.”
Dr. Jeanette Friedrich, Head of ISPO Group, emphasizes: "We are very grateful for the trust that exhibitors, speakers and partners have placed in us in advance. Only together can we continue to develop. ISPO Munich Online sends out a strong signal for a sports industry that is digitally at the cutting edge and that is playing a pioneering role in the area of sustainability and the linking of sports and health."
545 exhibitors from 110 countries presented their products and innovations at ISPO Munich Online 2021. 31.574 trade visitors took advantage of the two-part event with the digital Expo Area and complimentary conference program with more than 150 lectures, discussion sessions and workshops. The top user countries after Germany were (in this order): Italy, Great Britain, Austria, Japan, and China. The “Public Streams” for end consumers, offered for the first time, were joint by a total of 22.000 people.
The entire spectrum of the sports and outdoor industry was represented in the Expo Area: Industry leaders like Adidas Terrex, Gore, Mammut, Icebreaker as well as textile suppliers and innovative start-ups. They all presented themselves and their products in digital brand rooms and offered a comprehensive market overview.
The conference program was dedicated to a different social megatrend on each of the five event days: from innovation & creativity to digitalization, health, and sustainability. ISPO Munich Online successfully transferred proven formats such as the 'Runner's World Symposium' all about running or the interactive ISPO Brandnew Live Pitch into the digital world.
Top-class and international live talks underscored the event's claim to bring together opinion leaders and thought leaders. This included, for example, the Women Empowerment Panel by "Connecting Women" or the large panel discussion on sustainability where participants from business, politics, NGOs and associations discussed the most important steps for a sustainable future.
All conference presentations and numerous workshops will be made available to all conference ticket holders after the event online after the event.
End consumers have long since changed from passive recipients to active members of the sports industry. Following this development, ISPO has integrated all sports and outdoor fans via streaming into ISPO Munich Online for the first time this year.
Together with partners such as Peloton, Blackroll, European Outdoor Film Tour, Technogym, the European Championships Munich 2022, and the FreerideFilm Festival presented by ABS & PYUA, ISPO created a diverse program of films, interviews, and hands-on activities.
In addition, ISPO's own quality seal ISPO Award organized a 'Public Choice Award' for the first time to determine the best product of the year together with the sports community. Endurance extreme athlete Kilian Jornet was presented with the prestigious ISPO Cup. The 51st edition of the honor for special personalities in sports was broadcast live on the Internet for the first time.
At the same time, ISPO and hundreds of runners collected donations for the Kilian Jornet Foundation for the protection of the mountain world at the Run for Good.
Statements from exhibitors and partners underscore the success of ISPO Munich Online 2021: "The digital ISPO Munich is another positive example of the digital transformation of our world. We appreciate the professional setup. For us, it was clearly a must to be part of ISPO Munich Online," says Achim Löffler, Global Business Leader Consumer Oriented Fabrics at Gore.
Dr. Oliver Pabst, CEO Mammut Sports Group:
"ISPO Munich is a central exchange platform for our industry and an important pacesetter. The first digital ISPO Munich was an excellent opportunity for us to show how we use digitalization to present our brand and the focus topics of sustainability, digitalization, innovation and quality. I was personally pleased how the Brandroom was used for intensive exchange with our retail partners."
Marc Fischer, Senior Director at adidas Outdoor Europe confirms: "Especially in this special time of the pandemic, ISPO Munich Online offers us an ideal platform to present adidas Terrex as an innovative outdoor brand."
But the desire for personal contact also remains, as Fabian Heigemeier, Product & Sales Manager at HEAD Sportswear describes: "In the current crisis, the ISPO Munich Online platform is a helpful tool for making one or two new contacts. Nevertheless, especially in these times you can feel how important personal contact is. We are already looking forward to welcoming our customers and interested parties in person again in Munich.“
The next event in the ISPO network will be ISPO Shanghai in China from July 2-4. A little later, from July 6-8, 2021, Europe's largest outdoor trade fair will be the OutDoor by ISPO will take place in Munich. It will be designed as a hybrid event - with offerings both on-site at the trade fair grounds and online.
