Musikmesse 2017 was complemented by new attractions and an expanded program of events. The show offered more than 1,000 events, from concerts and live performances to workshops and master classes. "The Society of Music Merchants (SOMM) welcomes the comprehensive restructuring begun in 2016. Thanks to the new features, I'm sure we'll be able to achieve much more. For German, European and international companies, Musikmesse together with Prolight + Sound ranks among the most important tools for business-to-business communication", said Daniel Sebastian Knöll, managing director of SOMM.
56,700 visitors from 119 countries attended the event to discover the latest developments on the market, make contacts and take part in the extensive program of events. "The musical instrument market continues to be in a state of transition. We have responded to the circumstances and changes in an optimized way, and we are now continuing along this path. We have listened to the representatives of the various segments of the show, as well as to our visitor and exhibitor surveys, and all of this points to a significant qualitative increase over last year.
In addition, we were able to strengthen the synergy effects with Prolight + Sound by changing the sequence of days. As expected, dropping the Musikmesse Sunday led to a decrease in visitor numbers. Therefore, one of our goals for the future will be to make visiting the show more attractive for music fans on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Despite the circumstances, however, the event developed very positively, and we will continue working on a future-oriented business and marketing platform in close cooperation with exhibitors and associations", says Michael Biwer, Group Show Director Entertainment, Media & Creative Industries at Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH.
972 exhibitors presented their products to an international audience of visitors. After Germany, the top visitor countries included the Netherlands, Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria, Poland, Sweden and China. In addition, more than 20,000 music fans attended the events of the Musikmesse Festival, an integral part of the Musikmesse concept, which featured concerts by more than 50 national and international artists, including Extrabreit, Oleta Adams and the hr-Bigband, Till Brönner, Steve Stevens & the Branford Marsalis Quartet with Kurt Elling and many others, at venues all over Frankfurt.
MI associations see Musikmesse as being on the right track. To add value for all visitor groups, Musikmesse was complemented by new attractions and an expanded supporting program of events. Together with the Musikmesse Festival, the show offered more than 1,000 events, from concerts and live performances to workshops and master classes. It was all positive. "The Society of Music Merchants (SOMM) welcomes the comprehensive restructuring begun in 2016. Thanks to the new features, I'm sure we'll be able to achieve much more, although this change is still up in the air; but for German, European and international companies, Musikmesse together with Prolight + Sound ranks among the most important tools for business-to-business communication", said Daniel Sebastian Knöll, managing director of SOMM.
Other associations also had a positive view: "We are very pleased with business at Musikmesse. I met numerous fellow retailers at the show. Visitor traffic in the aisles was very good and the show is always busy. The Business Academy, which took part for the first time this year, is on the right track. In a nutshell: the industry agrees with the changes made to Musikmesse", said Arthur Knopp, President of the Federation of German Music Retailers (GDM)
Gerhard A. Meinl, President of the Federal Association of German Musical Instrument Manufacturers (BDMH), stressed the importance of the show: "Musikmesse Frankfurt is a necessity for the German and European music industry, especially for the countries of Eastern Europe. We appreciate the high degree of internationality at the show. We need this marketplace, and we hope many market participants will use it in the future, because this is the key to a thriving show, for both exhibitors and retailers." This view was echoed by Claudio Formisano, President of CAFIM (the Confederation of European Music Industries), who highlighted the importance of Musikmesse as the most important event for MI in Europe. "It is indispensable, today and in the future, from the standpoint of business as well as education and culture"
Musikmesse 2017 innovations
As always, Musikmesse exhibitors demonstrated the innovative dynamism inherent in the industry. The trend toward the use of new materials and production methods was evident. Against the backdrop of the demanding requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a new thermo-energetic process was showcased that makes it possible to use domestic woods for high-quality instruments.
On display, for example, was the world's first violin made with the help of 3D printing technology. In addition, more and more manufacturers are using carbon fiber to make musical instruments. Other companies are betting on the interaction between instruments and mobile devices, for example to help people learn playing techniques. Also popular are hybrid instruments that combine the look and feel of analog instruments with digital sound production.
Leading exhibitors stressed the importance of Musikmesse for the industry: "Here, we create a very close connection with the people who buy our products, and we were able to exceed visitors' personal goals at the show. We are planning to take part again next year", said Chris Martin, CEO, C.F. Martin & Co. Someone who was extremely satisfied with how business went at the show was Alessio Gerundini, CEO of the Zero Sette accordion factory, long established in Italy. Alessio Gerundini said, "This year's Musikmesse was the most exciting in many years. We had a large number of visitors from the very first day. We made many new contacts and welcomed visitors not only from all over Europe, but also from Asia and South America. This year, everything was perfect."
Dietmar Schuh, owner of Franz Sandner & Co, also praised the high degree of internationality at Musikmesse: "For me, the most important aspect is that I can see my overseas customers. In four days I had the chance to talk with partners from Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States. As one of the international trade shows for the industry, Musikmesse is number one for me"
Ruud Corstjens, Marketing and Artist Support at Adams Musical Instruments, summed up by saying: "We were very satisfied with Musikmesse 2017 and had a great show! We had lots of visitors at our booth, including lots of trade visitors on the first three days. We did good business, and it was absolutely amazing to meet so many musicians!"
Praise for the extensive supporting program of events
One of the most important aspects of the show's restructuring was its experiential and educational formats, such as the Drum Camp launched in 2016, which featured performances and workshops by renowned drummers. The idea prompted several well-known brands to return.
"The Drum Camp was one of the reasons we decided to exhibit at the show again after a five-year break", said Frank Boestfleisch, Product Director at Sonor. "We were pleasantly surprised by how business went at the show, and we're delighted with the number of visitors." The Drum Camp format was transferred to the guitar segment for the first time this year—successfully. "We were very excited about the concept of exhibiting around the Guitar Camp. With highlights like this, the show generates enormous added value for visitors", said Bastian Krämer, Marketing Manager at Meinl Distribution, about Ibanez's presentation at the show.
More than four concert stages provided the setting for appearances by national and international artists throughout the show. And there was a festive atmosphere among visitors at the Musikmesse Street Food Session in the outdoor areas. The commitment shown by Messe Frankfurt thrilled many exhibitors: "The program of events revolving around Musikmesse—in the exhibition halls, in the outdoor area with the food trucks and in the chill-out zones, as well as in the city—is simply incredible. This was my 19th Musikmesse, and I can say we've never had so many visitors at our booth. I appreciate these innovations and hope many of the biggest brands decide to return to the show in the future—after all, visitors want to see these brands. I'd say everyone who wasn't here this year has really missed out on something very important", said Kai Böckmann, CEO of Trius Music, distributor of the Orange brand.
In addition, the show broadened its thematic spectrum to include topics from the world of music therapy and teaching. For example, the German Music Therapy Society took part in Musikmesse for the first time and presented its "Instrumental Room", where visitors could take part in interactive sound events and Drum Circles.
In the new 'Discover Music' area, organized in collaboration with the Frankfurt Music Academy, visitors could explore the world of music under expert supervision. "The children's shining eyes at 'Discover Music' spoke for themselves. In this way, we've helped generate great enthusiasm for making music at an early age. And this was confirmed by the parents and teachers at the event", said Stefan Zint of the Frankfurt Music Academy.
To improve the quality of the show, Messe Frankfurt implemented a series of measures designed to reduce noise levels. For example, there were acoustic curtains between individual product groups and soundproof booths for trying out instruments. As last year, Hall 11.1 was reserved exclusively for trade visitors and offered an ideal setting for business-focused exhibitor presentations. This hall was also a magnet for the musical instrument trade thanks to the SOMM-inspired Business Academy, with expert talks especially for industry professionals.
"This was our first time in the B2B Hall and it was very good for us. Our main goal was to make contact with retailers. At the event, we talked with business partners from all over the world and found exactly the right people for our business. Although we're well established in the industry, it's always good to make new contacts, and face-to-face meetings are significantly more effective than emails", said Stephen Wick, CEO of Denis Wick Products.
For specialist retailers, Musikmesse was an international gathering. "I thought it was great that all the important people were there, even though there were several smaller exhibition booths. So the trip to Frankfurt was worth it for me. As a networking platform, Musikmesse is unbeatable", said Günter Zierenberg, CEO of Musik Produktiv.
Martin Wiesenbauer, owner of Music World in Augsburg, confirmed the positive developments generated in the course of the reorientation: "The show continues to be an extremely important meeting point for our industry. This year, I have the impression that efforts are being made to create a magnetic effect with the many heroes who still exist in our industry."
The next Musikmesse will take place April 11–14, 2018
NAMM Musikmesse Russia will take place September 14–17, 2017, in Moscow
Music China, the Musikmesse festival of Chinese music, will take place October 11–14, 2017, in Shanghai
