For the first time – in a digital format only

This year, the OTWorld.connect trade fair will not take place on-site in Leipzig but purely in a digital format because of the coronavirus crisis. This is a huge challenge – for the organizers, the visitors, and, of course, for Bauerfeind as an exhibitor. In this interview, Team Leader Janine Heimrich explains how the Trade Fairs/Conventions & Events Team has adapted to the new situation, and what our digital trade fair presence looks like:

OTWorld will exclusively take place in a digital format this year. What was your reaction to this news?

The decision to have the trade fair go ahead purely in a digital format wasn’t totally unexpected. Since the beginning of March, other events have been moved regularly, then canceled eventually, or carried out wholly in a digital format. So we started to mentally prepare for a virtual OTWorld in the summer.

How did the work in your team change because of this?

When the event was postponed for the first time, we had our trade fair stand practically ready. The details for the stage program had been arranged. The first customers had ordered tickets from us. We had to stop everything and start over. We usually start planning an appearance at OTWorld at least 18 months in advance. We now have less than four months for the digital presence. We can’t transfer an analog trade fair concept into a digital format in exactly the same way. That’s a challenge for all of us. The times for the individual marketing departments to provide information are also extremely short. Live appearances that we had planned now have to be preproduced. It’s a lot of work that requires many resources.

What does the digital Bauerfeind trade fair presence look like?

Our visitors can look forward to a special highlight: our brand ambassador Dirk Nowitzki will guide them through our virtual trade fair stand that was specially designed for OTWorld.connect, and product experts will be available for chats. In addition, we are contributing seven digital workshops to the official trade fair program. They will be streamed live from the Bauerfeind Academy. Furthermore, we are taking part in the trade fair’s Innovation Showroom. We’re not just providing product information there but first and foremost contributions from athletes, a physician, and a lymphatic patient. They will all give advice on ideal treatment and care provided by medical retailers.

What opportunities and risks do you see in the digital format?

Digital events are essentially not a new idea, but in our industry, analog events have always been prioritized. Our customers and physicians want to touch our products, put them through their paces, they want to meet and network. A digital presence cannot deliver that. Our virtual presence is not about customer attraction. It’s all about image and the question how digital Bauerfeind is. We are facing this challenge by advertising OTWorld.connect on all channels – even though we know that we can’t predict how many visitors we will have. But we can also see many opportunities: since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen a certain change in how modern media is being used, by our customers, too. The digital presence allows us to reach customers who would not be able to fit in a trip to Leipzig under normal circumstances because their diaries are so packed. And with our digital workshops, we’re also hoping to expand our international reach. And there’s another benefit: these workshops will be available on demand after the trade fair, meaning those who are interested can take their time and browse.