15.12.2008 - Editorial, m+a Newsline International 6 / 2002, March 28, 2002

A titbit to grin over from the biggest fair in the world: Microsoft stole the show from market leader Sony in the segment for play stations - one that is worth billions. For the first time in the CeBIT history, this reputed exhibitor had to remove products from its stand on a sizeable scale. Following a complaint by Microsoft to the fair organisers Deutsche Messe AG in Hanover, on the Sunday of the CeBIT Sony cleared away all 27 of its PlayStation 2. According to the nomenclature on fair content, neither entertainment electronics nor games may be displayed - as a matter of principle. "CeBIT is fundamentally a business fair and an event for professionals, that's how the nomenclature is worded," said a spokesman for the show. Sony says it complied with Deutsche Messe's request to dispense with presentation of the PS 2 equipment "to keep the peace at the exhibition".
That meant "game over" for Sony. The roughly 100 m2 PS 2 area at the Sony stand, which measured more than 2,000 m2 in all, was cleared away and cordoned off, visitors being asked to "show understanding for the situation" in notices directly under the PlayStation logo. As a consequence of this affair the organisers and exhibitor committee are now mulling changes. Incidentally, Microsoft had brought its own Xbox along to the expo, but cunningly presented it behind glass …
All in all, with around 700,000 visitors (against 849,252 last year) and 7,962 exhibitors (8,093) on total net floor space of 424,173 m2 (431,875), the CeBIT 2002 managed to silence the sceptics. The distinctive international character of the show was developed even further, with some 24.2% (22.9%) of all professional visitors in 2002 coming from abroad. Growing interest from Eastern Europe was particularly gratifying, at around 12.3% (10.4%). Somewhat surprisingly - and significantly - the number of trade visitors from America actually climbed from 8,900 last year to 9,400.
Facts that will certainly have encouraged the exhibition organisers in Hanover to delegate a CeBIT offshoot to the land of Comdex. For years, the computer world stared in fascination at this US exposition. Although the CeBIT had long since overtaken it in terms of exhibitor and attendance figures, since America is perceived as the nerve centre of the IT industry the Comdex still enjoyed leader status in its own special way. It was there that the US corporations' major innovations were showcased. But while the CeBIT gained in glory, the Comdex lost its shine and business clout. The CeBIT is now setting out to capitalise on this, when, from March 18 to 20, 2003 the first CeBIT America is launched in New York. Maybe there, too, with some equally amusing anecdotes?

christine.seizinger@dfv.de

m+a NEWSLINE International No. 06 / 2002 of March 28, 2002

Quelle: m+a Web-News vom 11. Dezember 2008