Shopping channel steps out of the TV

HSE24 has always favoured specialist events for its appearances. At the Creativa consumer exhibition the shopping channel gave visitors "hands-on experience" of the TV station.

Which trade fairs, conventions and media events does HSE24 favour?
Fiona Lorenz: We clearly concentrate on B2B. You will find us at medienforum.nrw, ANGA Cable and symposia and conventions staged in the media sector in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. HSE24 also sponsors a number of evening events. Our champagne bar at Get Together held during the International Media Fair in Munich will be one of the hotspots of the event for the fourth time. . You are less likely to find us at public exhibitions. So in that respect, our appearance at Creativa 2006 in Dortmund's Westfalenhalle was a test bed. We are currently evaluating the results.

Can you give us a short summary of your maiden appearance at Creativa in Dortmund?
We are very pleased with the way it went! Every day, visitors to five workshops hosted by Günther Winter were given the opportunity to try out their handicraft skills with experts familiar from the HSE24 handicraft shows. In the generously dimensioned creative area of the exhibition stand, they were able to try out the latest materials, experts tricks and tips and then take their creations home with them - free of charge. The response from visitors to the fair was overwhelming; it was all we could do to keep the stream of visitors to the stand and workshops under control. Our appearance was obviously closely followed by the handicrafts and hobby sector and trade journalists. We have had a lot of positive feedback since then and plenty of invitations to other events.

Where do you see the opportunities and what are the risks of appearing at shows for the general public?
Obviously, this is a great way of making direct contact with customers because the only other opportunity HSE24 has as a shopping channel and online shop to reach its customers is via the telephone or live call-ins during the programs. The risk is quite clearly the investment we have to make in an appearance that lives up to the expectations of our customers. After all, our exhibition appearance must meet the same standard as a TV broadcast. We can only pull that off with our presenters and the familiar TV equipment like cameras, director, light and sound.

And how did your clientele respond to the opportunity of experiencing its shopping channel in real life in Dortmund?
Very well. We got both direct and indirect feedback after the event in the form of letters, phone calls and e-mails.

Could you imagine expanding this activity?
We are currently assessing the results. Whether we repeat or expand this medium depends very much on whether we have achieved all we wanted, for example, finding new customers.Interview: Annic Kolbrück

m+a report Nr.4 / 2006 vom 15.06.2006
m+a report vom 15. Juni 2006