Tom HallIn true Michael-Caine-Italian-Job style, Mash Media’s managing director Julian Agostini has had an idea…
It’s been often said that humming or whistling is the sign of an empty head. And, as an avid whistler and hummer, that should worry me, but I obviously don’t have the brain capacity to be concerned; perhaps ignorance really is bliss.
On Tuesday, as I was trudging through the 17 (count them) halls of Messe Dusseldorf, I amused myself by humming (or singing in my head – another pastime) Do You Know Where You’re Going To? by Diana Ross.
The answer was that I didn’t.
I was at Euroshop, which started its life as an event for shopfitters but has expanded its reach. Retail is obviously a close cousin of exhibitions and so I was looking for new ideas, fresh angles of display that could be brought into the events arena.
In essence I was searching for the same thing that so many visitors seek… inspiration.
But what does that look like and do we even recognise when it’s in front of us?
There were some amazing stands in halls 3 and 4 with the likes of BeMatrix (who really work their stands well, by the way), Octanorm and Aluvision to name a few. These guys know how to exhibit but I wanted even more.
As I passed through halls of mannequins, light fittings and even refrigerators, my in-head playlist had flipped to U2’s Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For … but I wasn’t worried.
I always find inspiration at exhibitions, but it’s not always a tangible thing, not always a product or service that I see. On this occasion it arrived via a chat on a stand that was made entirely of paper….very interesting but it was the conversation that sparked an idea for me which I’m now really excited to launch.
That’s the incredible power of events.
I will be announcing my new idea for the events industry next week at Confex and EPS where thousands of event professionals will be inspired by all manner of things, my idea being one, I hope…. See you there? I can’t wait