The highlight of CeBIT 2009, indeed, was the hopeful messages of the Terminator in spite of the economic recession around the globe. “CeBIT is the world’s largest technology trade fair. CeBIT is all about pumping up your business, pumping up the economy, and finding new customers around the world, because in today’s economy the world is the marketplace. And when it comes to technology, if you want to see the best you all know that CeBIT right here is the place to be,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.
By learning the newest buzzword Webciety and studying the new technology icon Green IT, exhibitors and visitors both share a massive amount of knowledge and information and build networks at the top level. During the period of March 2 ~ 6, over 5,000 ICT related companies are expected to exhibit their best and newest products.
Why CeBIT
David Song, team manager of the Korean company Monueal, remarked during the CeBIT 2009, “We’ve been participating CeBIT three consecutive years because CeBIT has the highest concentration of international decision-makers in the information and communication technology industry. In the first year of our visit, CeBIT helped us to meet many European buyers and created a whole new market for our company. Since then, CeBIT has never let us down in terms of expansion of our business network.”
The slogan of CeBIT 2010 is Push Your Business. “With a clear display structure, new services, optimized visitor promotion and a broad-based range of press services, the leading trade fair for the ICT industry gives you what you need to build a successful future for your business. And because CeBIT is a focus of attention for all sectors of industry, it delivers more high-quality contacts,” said Martina Lubon, the Vice President of Deutsche Messe.
“CeBIT remains the leading platform for the IT industry. The show has started well for us. It has already delivered a number of high-quality leads, which leaves us feeling very positive about the days ahead,” said Martin Jetter, CEO of IBM Deutschland GmBH. CeBIT mobilizes trade visitors via selected opinion formers and multiple channels. Indeed Lubon hoped that the US$7 billion business that was done this year will be higher next year. Tomorrow’s business relationships are waiting to be tapped again at CeBIT 2010.
Beyond the fact CeBIT is a cost effective gateway to the international market, CeBIT helps ICT-related companies be well aware of the current flow of the ICT industry. Lubon added, “CeBIT is the first fair and organizer that creates trends. We are the ones who created the term like Webciety and created a all new direction of the business. That goes for Green IT as well.”
What’s different this year
Booth discount waits this year for those who exhibit at CeBIT for the first time, and or the ones who are returning to exhibit at CeBIT after a few years of break. In 2010, previously held 6 days long exhibition will lose one day to make it 5 days long week-day-based exhibition in intention to encourage more businessmen to participate next year. Lubon said, “Number of exhibition categories is planned to increase next year. Connected Life, Real 3D, Mobility, and Webciety will be on spotlight while the special events including Forum SME, Planet Reseller, Data Center, and Game are expected to be marked on many attendees’ scheduler. Visitors are basically gaining opportunity to see ALL in one site.”
The partner country of 2010 is announced to be Spain. Spain is currently the fifth in size in European market.
Blast from the Past
CeBIT generates new business even in difficult times. In spite of the current financial crisis, CeBIT 2009 mobilized hundreds of thousands of industry professionals, and succeeded to underline its status as the world’s leading ICT show. Approximately 400,000 visitors attended last year with 75 percent of professional visitors. “Fifty six percent of the visitors do not attend any other ICT shows apart from CeBIT,” Lubon added. Although only 20 percent of the visitors come from outside Germany, the fact can be interpreted as 20 percent of visitors have the privilege of meeting and interacting with a much greater number of European businesses.
CeBIT + Media = A Broad Audience
The CeBIT helps transporting the comapany’s message via international media channels and establish direct links with the journalists who report on CeBIT. “Journalists from 62 countries have reached a total audience of 1.1 billion this year. That is more than the population of Europe (700 million) and the United States (300 million) put together.
Push Your Business
CeBIT suggests setting the current worries aside for a moment and make an aggressive business plan to buck the crisis. While an eagle rises above and soars through the clouds in heavy rain, some birds hide themselves in shiver yet the heavy rain finds them inevitable to death. Chairman of the Board, Craig R. Barrett of Intel Corporation shared his philosophy on the CeBIT show floor last year and foreshadowed the next thesis of CeBIT, Push Your Business. He noted, “You can’t save your way out of a recession, you have to invest your way out of a recession. I can’t get anymore excited than I am about CeBIT and about what goes on here. This is really the best, I think, that the world has to offer. It’s the innovation engine at its best.”
