At IFA’s Media Reception in Las Vegas, IFA partners GfK, Alibaba, Gome, Philips, Teufel/ Raumfeld and PowerVison presented a market outlook, retail-strategies and latest product innovations in the fields of Technical Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Audio and Drones. Juergen Boyny, Global Director Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology was the first guest at the IFA Media Reception who presented a latest market overview: “In 2016 the digital market generated nearly 1,000 billion USD. It is a vital market driven by innovation. The next “big thing” is not a single product but a tremendous number of connected devices.”
Picking up on Boyny´s forecasts Jens Heithecker, Vice President Messe Berlin and IFA Executive Director emphasized that:” After all, it’s the quality of the retail channel that is the key to the success of a brand. That’s why both IFA and CE China are such important platforms for the Consumer Electronics industry.”
Also, Chinese number one online-retailer Alibaba is backing the CE China concept. At the IFA Media Reception Morgan Wu, Head of Marketing & Branding at Tmall 3C & Home Appliances said: “Alibaba is the world’s biggest internet commerce economy and ecosystem and the first choice of leading global brands. I believe CE China will once again be an unprecedented and unparalleled event for trade and industry.”
Winkin Liao, General Manager of GOME Holdings stated subsequently:” Users have shifted their focus from the price alone to quality, light luxury products, and individuality. Gome strives to become a retail leader in the new age.”
What 2017´s IFA Has in Store?
Philips introduced a medical baby app “uGrow”. The uGrow parenting platform connects wirelessly to a suite of Philips products and other connected devices. Liat Ben-Zur, Senior Vice President and Head of Connected Digital Propositions and Platforms explained: ”Healthcare is changing in every single way. Philips tries to connect consumers IOT devices with medical knowledge. Our latest product line uGrow is built to decrease the stress of parents and to introduce a new dimension of parenting.”
Sascha Mallah, CEO of Germany’s largest audio manufacturer Teufel, provided a brief introduction of the Berlin-based company and its history. Teufel has previously entered the US market with its streaming audio product range under the brand name ‘Raumfeld’. Further he introduced among a range of products the world‘s most powerful BT speaker Teufel Rockster:” 450 watts amplifiers and 115 dB will fill even large outdoor spaces with a sound experience you´ve never heard before.”
“With pioneering design, PowerVision’s powerful and portable drones, the PowerEgg and PowerEye, will be flying towards a bright future”, said Chris Leigh, Sales Director Europe of PowerVision. He also introduced his latest innovative product, the Power Ray Fish Finder, sort of an underwater drone. It delivers detailed information on fish distribution, underwater temperature, depth, underwater landscape and fish alerts.
