Expert Discussion with NETSTAL

Michael Birchler, Head of Marketing & Communications, and Christine Blumer, Marketing Project Manager, talk to their trade fair and live marketing partner ET GLOBAL about their vision in the light of the most important trends: future entertainment for live encounters, sustainability and digital. They were interviewed by Alexander Junge, Executive Advisor at ET GLOBAL.

MR BIRCHLER, WHAT MAKES ET GLOBAL'S SERVICE SO UNIQUE FOR YOU AS A CUSTOMER?

We value the partnership and friendly collaboration with the ET GLOBAL team. We also get a lot of creative input on individual projects. You can just tell that a lot of thought has gone into it and that we, as the customer, are really at the centre of it. Agreements are kept and the quality is very good. This is very much in line with our own brand values of leadership, reliability and value creation.

MRS BLUMER, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS SPECIAL ABOUT THE ET GLOBAL SERVICE TEAM?

There is a great team spirit. Everyone pulls together at all times - even when things get hectic in the build-up phase - and the quality awareness is exemplary.

MR BIRCHLER, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU THAT ET GLOBAL CAN ALSO SUPPORT YOUR LIVE MARKETING ACTIVITIES INTERNATIONALLY?

We've chosen ET GLOBAL because of its global reach, which means we can always work with the same partner to deliver the best possible show. In this way, we can also ensure a consistent, high-quality brand experience for our visitors internationally.

MRS BLUMER, WHERE IS NETSTAL HEADING IN TERMS OF APPLICATION INDUSTRIES AND NEW REGIONS/MARKETS? HOW WILL THIS CHANGE YOUR LIVE MARKETING?

We will continue to exhibit our machines in larger spaces at the major and well-known plastics shows. In addition, there are several regional shows each year organised by our international subsidiaries, where we do not have machines and therefore have to make do with less space. Together with ET GLOBAL, we have already succeeded in scaling up the exhibition concept for these events.

MR BIRCHLER, ARE OTHER FORMATS (IN ADDITION TO TRADE FAIR APPEARANCES) BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU? (E.G. ROADSHOWS, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP EVENTS, ETC.)

The focus is currently on traditional trade fairs. The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the importance of face-to-face contact. That's why we've decided against purely digital formats for the time being. We are open to other live formats and are reviewing them in consultation with our internal stakeholders.

MRS BLUMER, HOW DOES THE ET GLOBAL TEAM DEAL WITH YOUR NEEDS IN THE AREA OF SUSTAINABILITY?

Trade fairs also mean a battle of materials for events that only last a few days. That's why we were so impressed by ET GLOBAL's sustainability concept. We are currently at 75% reuse. This includes our own components such as benches, wooden panels and logos as well as the various rental materials that are used on a Netstal exhibition stand. For the remaining 25 %, it is important to us that as much as possible can be recycled.

MR BIRCHLER, HOW DOES ET GLOBAL SUPPORT YOUR VISION IN THE AREA OF DIGITAL ENRICHMENT AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPACT? HOW DO THE BRAND EXPERIENCES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR DIGITAL STRATEGY?

At the moment we are concentrating on the essentials with the budget we have. In other words: Our customers and interested parties should feel particularly comfortable at the Netstal exhibition stand and - in the case of the major trade fairs - experience high-performance and particularly innovative machine exhibits. In the other areas, visitors will be informed about our comprehensive range of services. In the cosy catering area, we provide our guests with refreshments and hold relaxed discussions about new projects and how to maximise production efficiency. In the future, we will certainly be looking at how we can use digital and interactive presentations to engage with the public. With ET GLOBAL, we know we have the right partner at our side.

Thank you for a great interview! It's great that you gave our ET GLOBAL community an insight into your work and our partnership. We look forward to many more successes together.