Evolving services

COSSMA: When did you realize that the ban on events also affects your trade fair and that it will probably remain in place for quite some time?

Enrico Zannini: After the Italian government issued the first emergency regulations at the end of February, we had to react accordingly and postpone

the event, in order to support our institutions engaged in protecting our safety.

What were your main concerns at that time?

Our main concern was to keep supporting our exhibitors and visitors in such an unpredictable scenario. The lockdown and the travel restrictions which have been adopted by almost all countries in the world could impact and even threaten their  business. Therefore, we started thinking about digital events, which could facilitate networking thanks to our technologies and services.

How did the communication with the exhibitors affected take place? What was their reaction?

Our exhibitors and partners supported our decisions; their safety was our first concern. Thanks to their collaboration, we were able to define alternative solutions to enhance business.

Despite careful planning, what has been different and what presented you with challenges?

We all had to face unpredictable conditions, and the whole situation was a challenge for us. Our aim was to find the best solutions to fulfill our role as a networking platform for our different partners, all while respecting the actual restrictions. With WeCosmoprof, we developed our technological services to make them suitable for virtual B2B meetings. For sure it is a different experience from physical trade shows, and both exhibitors and operators needed to adapt their way of working to these new tools. Thanks to our digital event, though, they were able to reinforce their relationships.

If the numbers of Covid-cases remain stable for a while, trade fairs may be held again in some regions. To what extent has the market changed?

In China and some countries in the Far-East activities are already restarting. In Europe and US, the situation is evolving more slowly, while in India or South America the emergency related to the pandemic is still stopping business activities. Physical events are still key moments for business. Both exhibitors and visitors will need to manage their activities on the show floor, preparing their visit in order to reduce the number of people on a stand at any given time. As a result, the digital services of WeCosmoprof will remain strategic for stakeholders, allowing them to schedule their meetings in advance.

What conclusions do you draw from this situation for COSMOPROF?

2020 is the evidence that trade shows must keep improving their services and updating their format. Without our digital tools, it would have been more difficult to support our industry. For sure, virtual events cannot replace physical trade shows, above all for the beauty sector, where it is important to smell fragrances, touch textures or test nuances. Trade shows are important opportunities for stakeholders and offer multiple possibilities for development and growth.