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Conzoom Solutions Academy 2024: future-oriented impulses for successful retail

5 Dec 2023

Meeting the challenges of the consumer goods market with exciting best practices - on all five days of the trade fair, the Conzoom Solutions Academy presents itself as a platform for top speakers and provides the latest industry topics, fresh impulses and creative tips for the point of sale. In Hall 4.0, Room Europa, visitors can discover what the trends of the coming season are and learn more about the topics that are currently occupying the international consumer goods world.

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As a source of inspiration for future-oriented approaches, the Conzoom Solutions Academy will be presenting keynote talks by top experts in Hall 4.0, Room Europa on all five days of the trade fair. The international speakers will highlight what the global market is currently dealing with and provide concrete answers to the questions of tomorrow - an indispensable added value for retailers to successfully respond to current and future developments in the consumer goods industry.

Annette Palmisano is holding a lecture at Conzoom Solutions Academy — On the keynote stage, experts provide answers to the latest questions of the consumer goods industry. Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Pietro Sutera.

Theme days as new trade fair highlights

„For 2024, we are renewing the structure of our framework program: We are introducing theme days in order to provide an even better service for the interests of our visitors," explains Julia Uherek, Head of Consumer Goods Fairs. All award ceremonies will take place on Friday, the Awards Day. The Saturday of the fair will be the Designer Day. On Sunday and Monday, the Academy will focus on the topic of Future Retail and Tuesday will conclude with a special focus on sustainability.

Exclusive preview on the future of the consumer goods industry

With a diverse range of topics, the presentation stage will be a keynote hub for the future of the consumer goods world: With a focus on artificial intelligence and digital transformation, Nick Sohnemann will present his experiences as a speaker and founder of the innovation agency Future Candy on Sunday, January 28 2024, from 12:30-13:00. His presentation "All artificial or what? AI and the retail of tomorrow" shows how business models are being revolutionized by artificial intelligence and why the retail sector cannot escape this innovative trend.

But how exactly can the retail of the future be designed and how important are spatial elements in the design of tomorrow's store? These questions are the focus of the following talk by Prof. Dr. Katelijn Quartier, lecturer at Hasselt University and founder of the Retail Design Lab. In her presentation "The impact of store design on Consumers - 10 retail myths " from 14:00 to 14:30, she will take a critical look at the importance of the store in the overall business model and present which key contribution store design can make to creating a consistently inspiring shopping experience. Based on scientific research, she will thereby examine ten widespread retail myths.

Marilyn Repp, Deputy Managing Director of the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Handel, will address the topic of gamification on Monday, 29.01.2024, from 14:00-14:30. In her presentation "Gamification in retail: what are the benefits of the trend and what examples are there?", the retail expert will focus on in-game marketing processes to illustrate in what way large and medium-sized retailers can use this digital trend as a creative advertising opportunity.

On Tuesday, 30.01.2024, the topic of sustainability is on the agenda: during the guided tour "Sustainability at Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld", Kees Bronk, market researcher and export coach for developing countries, will introduce selected exhibitors with innovative concepts in the field of ecological and social sustainability from 11:45-13:15. Afterwards, entrepreneur Christine Mengelée will address the potential of environmental management in retail during her session "Sustainability as an opportunity: What measures can retailers and manufacturers take to meet the expectations of their shoppers?" from 14:00-14:30 and provide answers to the question on the expectations that retailers and manufacturers must expect in the future and what measures they can take to meet them.

The Conzoom Solutions Academy is an ideal trade fair highlight for all those who want to shape the future of the industry with new inspiration and in-depth industry knowledge. The entire event program is available online at ambiente.messefrankfurt.com/events, christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com/events and creativeworld.messefrankfurt.com/events and is updated on an ongoing basis.

Wide ranging inside knowledge also available online

Selected expert presentations and valuable tips are also available on the practice-oriented online platform Conzoom Solutions. The online platform for retailers provides full-year access to valuable industry knowledge and practical advice for the point of sale.

Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld will continue to be held simultaneously at the Frankfurt exhibition centre: