Swiss Moto: "The traditional trade show format was no longer sufficient".

Expodata: Yves Vollenweider, major brands among the exhibitors such as BMW, Triumph and Aprilia are proposing that the trade fair should only be held every two years. But according to reports, this is not an option for the MCH Group. What is the reason? How influential are the big exhibitors at a trade fair?

Yves Vollenweider: We have a mandate from the industry association Motosuisse to hold Swiss Moto every year. We work closely with the association and if there is a desire to hold Swiss Moto only every two years, we would develop a corresponding concept. The market leaders would like an annual Swiss Moto. The statement that BMW, Triumph and Aprilia want a two-year cycle is therefore incorrect. Our task as organizers is to create a strong platform for the industry, which we have succeeded in doing in recent years.

If major manufacturers no longer want a trade fair or increase the frequency to two years, but visitors want an annual event - what is the consequence of this divide between suppliers and buyers? A digital 365-day extension of Swiss Moto? Would the exhibitors even be prepared to do this?

Swiss Moto achieves a value of around CHF 1.3 million through its editorial reporting on the topic of "motorized two-wheelers" and a reach of over 1.7 million motorcycle fans via digital channels. And this every year. These figures prove that Swiss Moto has become the industry's most important mouthpiece. This is only possible because we bundle the power of the industry and thus give motorized two-wheelers this high level of attention.

Why do big motorcycle brands no longer believe in the trade fair concept if visitors still flock to it, unlike to a Züspa?

It's not that big motorcycle brands don't believe in Swiss Moto. The Swiss Moto concept (picture above) works very well in terms of visitors. The problem is that marketing budgets have become smaller and, in the age of digital channels, the possibilities for measurability have also increased. It is difficult to directly measure participation in live marketing platforms such as Swiss Moto, because sales are not only generated by the visitors physically present, but also by people who read articles in the media generated by Swiss Moto and are informed about new products by our digital reach. These indirect sales generated by Swiss Moto are difficult to measure and are therefore often not taken into account when measuring the success of participation.

Trade fairs in Switzerland are being put to the test. Are they outdated in their current form? Do we need to differentiate between public and trade fairs or the moto-mix of a "special interest fair"?

We have to make a distinction: The traditional trade fair format, in which exhibitors and visitors are brought together once a year for a few days, is no longer sufficient in many areas. However, our analyses have shown that the various disciplines in live marketing remain important and will continue to grow in significance. We also see no decline in the trade fair discipline at a global level, and even a clear increase in congresses and new formats. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that changing distribution networks mean that live events are becoming even more important for attracting, supporting, involving and inspiring customers.

The full interview with Yves Vollenweider will appear in the print edition of Expodata Live Kommunikation on February 21, 2020.