On all channels

Presenting an on-line brand off line: Internet giant eBay enters trade fair pavilions.

The boundary between the on-line and off-line worlds is becoming increasingly blurred. While German trade fair organisers are working more and more feverously on backing up their events with virtual market places, online enterprises are increasingly clicking into the real world. In Germany, eBay was the first this year with its Live show staged at the Düsseldorf exhibition site in May.
Stefan Groß-Selbeck, managing director of eBay in Berlin, wants to present his on-line brand off line. An event such as eBay Live is "an ideal opportunity to get to know our members, to meet people interested in the company, to get talking and make new plans together."
Although the events were judged a success, the future of eBay Live is still uncertain. Groß-Selbeck initially staged the show twice in Berlin. At the same time he has been organising universities since May 2002. This gives interested parties a chance to get tips on buying and selling from trained trainers and specialists.
Whereas only 300 interested attendees made their way to the university pilot event in Berlin, Groß-Selbeck was able to boast the biggest European event of all times in Düsseldorf. He persuaded no less than 4000 visitors to buy a EUR 30 day ticket and went to some trouble to make this worthwhile: There were climbing and photo walls, an XXL table football game, a Caribbean party and lots of prize draws. The on-stage host was none other than Thomas Gottschalk, one of Germany's top entertainers. The two were brought together by logistics company DHL for which Gottschalk is an advertising figure and which also sponsors the eBay homepage.
The stands were based on the list of categories on the website to make the link between the online and offline worlds. Exhibitors included not only DHL but also the phone company Tele 2 and GE Money Bank. In an accompanying programme of seminars, employees and power sellers gave tips and tricks on online selling. Power sellers are salespeople who have achieved an especially high volume of trade on eBay. These top customers were given VIP treatment at the trade fair, for example, in special lounges provided by Groß-Selbeck.
For Werner M. Dornscheidt, the commitment of eBay is a clear indication that the importance of trade fairs is here to stay: "When an Internet giant like eBay comes into the trade fair halls, it shows that the World-Wide Web cannot do without face-to-face communication." For the Messe Düsseldorf boss it is obvious: "Communication is emotion" - and that cannot be achieved with a few clicks of the mouse button. "People like to look each other in the face - especially businesspeople."
Markus Ridder

m+a report Nr.5 / 2006 vom 14.08.2006
m+a report vom 14. August 2006