This summer, ERA Europe will again stage the sole direct-to-consumer trade fair in Europe, the Electronic HomeShopping Conference (EHSC). The show will be held June 20–22, 2017 in Venice, Italy, helping multichannel marketers pitch their goods to consumers in the European Union (EU) and beyond.
“The Electronic HomeShopping Conference is the only European conference for the multichannel home shopping industry, and it is right on time to positively impact your Christmas business,” says Julian Oberndörfer, CEO of ERA Europe. “We attract the global industry community, so if you’re interested in making contacts and doing business, this is the place to be.”
Like ERA’s annual stateside D2C Convention, the show features exhibitors that can help marketers pitch and distribute their wares, including call centers, fulfillment companies, creative agencies, web designers, law firms, and other support enterprises. And like D2C, EHSC offers plenty of opportunity to network with experts in global markets and learn about the trends that can make or break a campaign.
“ERA Europe conferences are an incredible source of inspiration,” says Isabelle Fournier, deputy managing director of the French DR marketer Groupe Ventadis/M6. “Also, it is really a key opportunity to promote your company, meet your future partners, and get relevant information about market trends to develop your business.”
“ERA is the only nonprofit organization that creates a conducive platform enabling marketers from DRTV, home shopping networks, and social media to come together and launch new products and business worldwide, on all marketing avenues, simultaneously,” says Poonam Khubani, CEO of TeleBrands International and chair of ERA.
The educational MCMS (Multi Channel Money Streams) program will be staged on the second day of the show, June 21. Now in its third year, MCMS brings together industry thought leaders including government regulators, television producers, home shopping networks, and multiscreen marketers to talk about the challenges facing omnichannel retail worldwide.
“ERA Europe conferences are an incredible source of inspiration.” –Isabelle Fournier, Deputy Managing Director, Groupe Ventadis/M6
MCMS’ purpose is to stimulate high-level discussion on marketing strategy, with monetization and profit as primary goals. Past editions have featured panel discussions on topics such as data protection, growth strategies, and EU and market-specific regulations governing advertising and DRTV.
“MCMS is a great congress for anybody involved in multichannel distribution who wants to make the most out of the changes that have been happening and still lie ahead of us,” says Ina Bauer, director of sales and marketing for the Markiza Group, a Slovak media company.
Brexit and other topics of free trade are likely to spark conversation at this year’s show. Now underway, Britain’s two-year process of leaving the common market will likely have multiple repercussions for international DR marketers, at the same time similarly nationalist sentiment in the United States, France, and other countries promises to make international trade more challenging.
“Brexit is not only a political challenge, it can have massive influence on businesses,” Oberndörfer says. “At this stage, it is too soon to propose solutions. It will clearly be one of our main future challenges to enable smooth business between the U.K. and continental Europe, as well as the flow of trade relations to and from markets outside Europe.”
On June 21, ERA Europe will also recognize the most respected people and companies in direct response with its second annual EMMA Awards. The evening will culminate with the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the home-shopping industry.
The 2017 conference will be held at the Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky in Venice, a quick water taxi ride from the Piazza San Marco. Formerly a flour mill, the Hilton Molino Stucky offers 379 modern rooms and suites, a spa, seven bars and restaurants, and a magnificent rooftop pool.
Outside of show hours, participants can explore the magical city of Venice. Options for shopping, dining, and sightseeing abound in the medieval hub of art and culture, and attendees are encouraged to tour the town after they absorb the ideas and make the connections that can help deliver more sales.
“The ERA conferences are a great platform for exchanging ideas and seeing new trends,” says Daniela Todorovic, CEO of Canada’s Bespoke Marketing, Inc. “The events are well-organized and provide an intimate, yet productive setting where we see old friends and partners, but also get to make new global connections.”
To learn more about the 2017 Electronic HomeShopping Conference and register, visit e-homeshopping.org.