Transformation
How to turn round a major show in slow decline
Event transformation experts Oliver Merlin and Shelley Morgan reveal how they managed to put IFA ( or Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin ) – Europe ’ s biggest consumer electronics show – back on the pathway to success
o visitor or exhibitor
N data , no sales pipeline , no team and less than nine months to attract over 180,000 visitors to one of the biggest exhibitions in the world .
This is the sort of scenario that would leave most exhibition organisers waking up in a cold sweat . But not Oliver Merlin and Shelley Morgan , the founders of new events transformation agency : Flip .
To tell this story we need to go back to November 2022 , when Clarion Events agreed to form IFA Management GmbH – a joint venture with consumer electronics organisation gfu , to take over the running of IFA - Europe ’ s biggest consumer electronics show .
Since launching in 1924 , IFA had been a giant among trade shows . Its history was unmatchable with notable events including the show being opened by Albert Einstein in 1930 , and the first colour television product launch there in 1939 .
But in 2022 IFA was a show in slow decline . Was IFA to become the next CeBit ?
“ CeBit was seen as too big to fail . But it failed to evolve ,” comments Oliver Merlin . “ From my initial conversations with Clarion and the gfu , they were both aligned that significant evolution was needed
Above : Oliver Merlin
at IFA . We had a history of turning around stagnating shows ; it was a project we were comfortable taking on .”
Merlin , who joined the industry in 2011 , has worked across the globe as an event transformation expert . Within that time he met Shelley Morgan , a Canadian event marketing supremo , the business partners went on to work together on the likes of Bett , TNW , Spring Fair , and Africa Oil Week . Morgan and Merlin quickly earned a reputation for turning declining shows into market leaders . But IFA was a giant of a show and one that came with only a logo .
“ I was on a relaxing holiday on the other side of the world when I got the call from Oliver about IFA ,” recalls Morgan . “ He called me on a
Friday and I think I was in Berlin by Monday morning getting to work on creating a marketing plan and employing 40 new team members for IFA .”
“ Perhaps I failed to read the small print ,” jokes Merlin . “ There was no office , no team , no data , no anything to start with , other than a logo , and a pretty short dateline until the show .”
To some , IFA may have been a terrifying prospect to have to go in and swiftly create a successful strategic blueprint for a show of that magnitude , but to Merlin , this was an exciting opportunity .
“ Despite IFA being an illustrious show , the lack of anything to build upon meant we had to literally start a new organisation and event ; but one with huge expectations ,” says Merlin .
Pre-pandemic , like many trade shows of its size , IFA was holding its own and was deemed as a key calendar event for the consumer electronics and appliance industry . Locally , Berliners grew up attending the show and it was part of the fabric of Berlin ’ s rich culture .
But according to Merlin , the pandemic caused the show ’ s tectonic plates to shift .
Evolution According to Merlin , during the pandemic , electronics companies scored record years for sales . With people staying at home and not spending their money on holidays , consumers spent their hard-earned cash on new white goods .
“ Electronics companies found they didn ’ t have to launch a product at a show , they could do it via their own digital channels ,” continues Merlin . “ A more compelling reason was needed for both brands and consumers to come to a home electronics trade show .”
Added to this , the economic downturn caused consumers to turn
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