New Look in Frankfurt

Before 2003, Messe Frankfurt's semiannual consumer goods fair was essentially the same event held every February (Ambiente) and every August (Tendence). But dwindling interest in the summer edition convinced the show producers to reorganize and rejuvenate Tendence: hence the birth, last year, of Tendence Lifestyle.

Rather than presenting merchandise according to product category, as is done at the massive Ambiente show, Tendence Lifestyle showcases exhibitors' wares in four distinct "lifestyle worlds" — Modern Living, Emotion, Joy, and Function — each occupying its own hall on the Frankfurt Fairgrounds. Within the four broad categories, sub-categories such as Kitchen & Houseware (Function), Gifts Unlimited (Joy), Young & Trendy (Modern Living), and Country Home (Emotion) further delineated the lifestyle worlds.

The new concept works in the same way that rearranging one's living room brings freshness to the same old furnishings. Exhibitors were able to present their products in new environments, such as housewares vendor Koziol, located in the Cook & Eat section of Modern Living. And buyers could see products that they might have missed in a more conventional setting, because the smaller number of attendees (96,000, compared with Ambiente's 143,000) helped make shopping this show much easier.

While many products stepped into the spotlight for the first time under the reorganization, and the quality level of the entire fair was high, there weren't a lot of surprising introductions. One exception was the prosaic fabric felt. Most familiar as carpet underlay, felt was used by a number of vendors for an array of products, including purses, clutches, bags, coasters, storage boxes, cushions, slippers, floor mats, and even Christmas ornaments, which were offered by the Danish design firm Én Gry & Sif. In most cases, bright colors — pink, lime, turquoise, orange, and magenta — give felt the "life" it needs to come out from under the carpet.

For pure enjoyment, the Young & Trendy section may have been the hit of the show. Products ranged from doormats to totes and stationery to household cleaning supplies with bright colors, bold graphics, and humor as the main themes. Flip flops with raised letters on their soles left footprints in the sand reading, "Make Love." A large ashtray was printed with the message, "Too young to die." Small totes were emblazoned with airport codes such as JFK, FRA (Frankfurt), and CDG (Paris). And there were chrome toilet seats and a life-size tiger's pelt made entirely of plush (from a company called Silly Gifts).

Elsewhere there were products on the verge of a great future. Senior Life Style — "products for a new old generation" — was presented by design students of the Berlin University of the Arts, with the support of Koziol, Mono, and Rosenthal. It featured more than two dozen items designed for aging eyes, fingers, and memories, including a small electronic device that lights up when attached to a package of food that's about to pass its expiration date. Also included are serving trays with a socket system to keep bowls, cups, and plates from slipping off, and an easy-to-fill-and-hold watering can. As a directory note said, "It's not just Mick Jagger. Soon, every third European will be over 60 years old."

Messe officials were keeping their fingers crossed that visitors to the first Tendence Lifestyle weren't turned off by the show's reorganization, and that they would return to this year's fair. No doubt, they were heartened by the final tally of 96,000 visitors.

During Tendence, Messe Frankfurt announced the introduction of another consumer goods fair, Collectione, scheduled to debut in June 2005. This show will have well-defined parameters, serving large-scale buyers seeking merchandise for spring and summer of the following year. Garden and outdoor accessories will be a major product focus. According to Messe Frankfurt board member Michael Peters, the decision to create Collectione came after polling the 6,200 exhibitors at Ambiente and Tendence Lifestyle to determine the level of interest in a fair for high-volume business. The large-scale American buyers Messe Frankfurt has in mind for Collectione are more in the Crate & Barrel and Pier 1 Imports range than Wal-Mart.

With the addition of Collectione, Messe Frankfurt has segmented its consumer goods fairs into four distinct annual presentations: Christmasworld (January), for holiday decor; Ambiente (February), a major buying show for all retailers; Collectione (June), and Tendence Lifestyle (August), for fall and winter buying as well as for buyers just shopping for ideas. The four consumer goods shows offer, "Different customers, different products, and different product stories," according to Peters.

The next Tendence Lifestyle is scheduled to take place August 26–30, 2005.