POLYGON & ISPO'S BACK TO THE ROOTS FORMULA FOR ACTION SPORTS

Polygon – ISPO introduces new “Back To The Roots” Concept for Its Action Hall

 

ISPO Exhibition Group Director Markus Hefter gave us some first hand insights about the innovative action hall set up for the upcoming ISPO in Munich:

 

 

Q: Polygon is primarily a modular booth solution, what are the best assets of this new concept and what advantages have the exhibitors compared to previous years at ISPO in B6?

 

A: Polygon is a contemporary exhibition concept, and provides a new, standardized division of Hall B6. The focus is on the snowboarding and skateboarding area, with the concept being flexible enough to also add street/urban & sneakers. Four different stand sizes are provided, and because of this we can guarantee the exhibitors fixed prices without additional costs. The hall is designed like an atrium, with lower partitions in the center of the hall and higher partitions at the edge. This allows visitors a broad overview and ensures that all the exhibitors have prime spots. ISPO MUNICH is intended to be even more accessible to the action sports industry – and therefore also attractive to companies that have not attended in past years.

 

Q How did you develop the concept and decide on its framework?

 

A In line with the motto "Back to the roots", higher priority is to be given to products and innovation. For this, we have let nature inspire us. The polygonal structure is equivalent to the hexagons of a honeycomb, but differs in that the sides can be opened outwards. The result is an inviting, open design, which promotes informal cooperation and communication. Sustainability was also an important theme when choosing this new exhibition concept. The long-term planning (the concept was in development for at least three years) strongly embraces reusability – amongst other things, because it does not produce any unnecessary advertising material, and does not include any carpeted areas either.

 

Q Please elaborate on the standardized sizing, and what impacts it will have on the vibe of the hall.

 

A With the new hall concept, we are bringing together the action sports industry and opening the door for small and medium-sized exhibitors. The companies can show their products in an environment in which the focus is firmly on products and innovation – and not the staging.

Exhibition areas of between 20 and 216 square meters are available, at a fixed price of EUR 260 per square meter. The price includes the space, stand, lighting and electricity. Thanks to standardization, pricing starts at EUR 5,200, making exhibiting affordable for everyone. By setting the height of the partitions and the size of the stands, we can ensure that there is an extensive overview over the hall. Advertising banners hanging from the ceiling and structures that go beyond the partitions are not permitted. This also helps to significantly reduce costs for exhibitors. There are four packages that companies can choose from:

• Rhizome: Partitions 1.60 m in height, arranged around the center aisle, stand size between 20 and 40 meters squared.

• Root: in the north and south of the hall, partitions up to 2.50 m in height, stand size also between 20 and 40 meters squared.

• Bole: Partitions 1.80 m in height, stand size between 50 and 80 meters squared.

• Crown: For companies that need more space. Stand size: 88 to 216 meters squared and the option to have structures up to four meters high.

 

Q What are the major tasks you will be developing over the next months?

 

A Recently, an initial meeting was held with representatives of the industry. Many more meetings will be held in the coming months. At the same time, we are establishing the concept with selected exhibition builders and we are preparing the necessary registration forms to make sure that everything meets the renowned service standards of ISPO and Messe München GmbH.

 

Q Is Polygon an international concept and thus going to be introduced at ISPO in Beijing?

 

A We are launching the concept at the coming ISPO MUNICH and we want to see how it goes there first of all. Having said that, we will definitely seek out a dialog with exhibitors at sister exhibitions ISPO BEIJING and ISPO SHANGHAI and present the concept to them.

 

Q Where do you see the best opportunities for action sports brands in the future – in general and at ISPO?

 

The action sport scene has long stood for creative ideas and innovative products. After years of growth, the market has become more difficult, with turnovers stagnating and even dropping in some sectors. In particular, the snowboarding industry, one of the main areas of the hall, has suffered because of the late winters with little snow, and because of the rising costs of winter sports. This means that an industry event such as ISPO, at which manufacturers can get an overview of the market, swap ideas and develop new visions together, is all the more important. We should be returning to what made the sector great – innovation and creativity. There are several very interesting approaches coming from industry: buying should become an experience, and even greater emphasis should be placed on advice. In addition to the young people involved in action sports, there should also be a focus on other target groups, such as families.

 

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