The IFA, a leading consumer electronics and home appliances fair, is preparing to celebrate its centennial anniversary this year. Originally launched as the Great German Radio Exhibition in December 1924 in Berlin, the event featured 242 exhibitors showcasing their innovations across 7,000 square meters and attracted 180,000 visitors.
“IFA has always been a unique platform, serving as the ideal meeting point for trade, industry, start-ups, media, and consumers. It remains the only global trade fair in the home electronics sector with a dual B2B and B2C focus,” said Dr. Sara Warneke, managing director of gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH, the owner of the IFA trademark rights.
Throughout its history, IFA has marked several significant milestones, such as Albert Einstein opening the fair in 1930, the debut of triple tubes and electronic television, the introduction of color TV in West Germany by then Vice Chancellor Willy Brandt, and the launches of the CD, mp3 compression technology, and the European HD TV standard.
As a global trendsetter, IFA has consistently evolved over the decades while staying true to its core mission: showcasing cutting-edge technologies and fostering interaction between industry, start-ups, retailers, and consumers. Attendees at IFA have the unique opportunity to engage with the latest innovations directly at the exhibitors’ stands.
“I am particularly excited about IFA 2024, not only because it remains the world’s largest trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances, but also because we’ll be the stage for a wide array of innovations for five days in Berlin,” said Leif Lindner, CEO of IFA Management GmbH, the organizer of IFA.
“Moreover, we will celebrate our 100th anniversary in grand style. IFA embodies both a forward-looking vision and a rich historical legacy, something we are immensely proud of.”
For IFA 2024, visitors can expect clearly defined thematic areas, with well-curated halls.
IFA is not just about technology; it’s also about entertainment. In addition to a comprehensive program at the Sommergarten (Summer Garden) of the exhibition grounds during the event, Berlin will play a prominent role in the celebrations with a series of brand activations titled ‘100Moments,’ set to launch 100 days before the fair begins.
Leading up to and during the event in September, Berlin will host various celebrations in honor of IFA’s 100th anniversary. The city’s key cultural brands and institutions, alongside top companies and innovators from the technology sector, will gather at special locations to mark the occasion.
“The 100th anniversary of IFA is not only a historic milestone but also the beginning of a new era of innovation and global networking,” added Lindner.
“As we reflect on a century of groundbreaking technological advances, we are equally eager to embrace the future. IFA is evolving from a traditional trade fair into a global innovation platform that focuses more intensely on the latest technological and market-relevant trends. Today’s modern trade fair must transcend the traditional exhibition model and function as a cultural event that inspires consumers, retailers, exhibitors, and the media, while also attracting key opinion leaders.”
IFA 2024 is scheduled to take place from September 6 to 10 in Berlin.
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