Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board, Spielwarenmesse eG, discusses the evolution of the trade show circuit and how Spielwarenmesse is growing and taking its show on the road in this extended edition of The Toy Book’s 2023 State of the Industry Q&A roundtable. Want more insight from the all-stars of the toy industry? Click here to explore this year’s lineup!
The Toy Book: Following the pandemic and the welcome return to in-person trade shows, how important is the hybrid model on a global level?
Christian Ulrich: The products presented at the Spielwarenmesse are particularly emotional and need to be experienced with all the senses. On top of that, we have established that following the pandemic, everyone has a huge desire to meet up and talk in person. That’s why, for us, physical events remain at the forefront of what we do. The year-round Spielwarenmesse digital platform complements the experience of the fair, offering additional services to those involved in the market and helping them make contact and stay in touch.
TB: How is Spielwarenmesse’s World of Toys initiative set to grow in 2023?
CU: Our overseas fair program, World of Toys, is expanding again this year. We are very much looking forward to celebrating our premier at Toy Fair New York, which takes place from Sept. 30-Oct. 3. Prior to that, we will also be represented for the first time at the Tokyo Toy Show from June 8-11 to support companies interested in entering the Japanese market. At the fairs both in Japan and in the U.S., exhibitors on our shared stands will benefit from the full-service package from Spielwarenmesse eG.
TB: This year, the general public was invited to visit the Model Railways and Model Construction Hall for the first time. Why was it important to open the doors to the public for what has traditionally been an industry-only event?
CU: The desire to open the Model Railways and Model Construction area to consumers came from the exhibitors themselves. They have a special relationship with their target group and maintain close contacts to get direct feedback from them on new products. The concept cannot be made to work for other product groups, though, which is why we made an exception for this one.
TB: What are Spielwarenmesse’s key initiatives for the year ahead?
CU: Once the Spielwarenmesse is over, we analyze the event and start planning for the following year. In addition, we are pushing ahead with our other products at home and abroad. These include our latest new addition: BRANDmate in Offenbach, near Frankfurt, is a cross-sector, business-to-business networking event covering cooperation agreements, partnerships, and licensing. There is also SPIEL in Essen – the biggest public fair in the world for board games. We ran this successfully by ourselves for the first time in 2022 and will be expanding it further.
The dates for the 2024 edition of Spielwarenmesse have been revealed. Click here for details.
A version of this Q&A was originally published in the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
