The ISH digital 2021 convinced exhibitors and visitors alike with its smooth performance and positive resonance. While the intensity of the trade fair experience can’t be replicated by digital events, the ISH digital compensated in other ways: with an impressive array of events and content, video streams from exhibitors and matchmaking.

In the Water segment, the Pop up my Bathroom Magazine emerged as one of the ISH digital 2021’s most popular formats. For years now, the lecture forum of the Pop up my Bathroom initiative established by the German Bathroom Sector Association (VDS) and Messe Frankfurt has been an integral part of the fair. “That’s why translating the programme into the digital sphere and enabling the expert discourse on the trend topics we’ve put forward to take place under the new conditions seemed like the obvious decision,” explains Managing Director of the VDS Jens J. Wischmann. “We’re delighted that we received the ISH’s full support for the project. Besides being able to broadcast from our own studio, we were also able to implement our exhibition, which meant the three trends – Green Bathroom, Smart Bathroom and Living Bathroom – could be included in the Pop up my Bathroom Magazine as real, physical reference material.” The Inside | Outside trend showcase was integrated into the digital ISH platform in the form of a 360-degree tour and can now be visited on this website.

The Pop up my Bathroom Magazine broadcast a live, 45-minute programme on every day of the event. In a total of five live streams with up to five interesting talk guests (some of whom joined the conversation online) and pre-produced video clips, each of the featured topics was explored from several angles. All the programmes can be viewed in full length on Pop up my Bathroom’s new YouTube channel.

Even though the live TV format couldn’t replace the direct exchange that takes place at the trade fair, it nevertheless succeeded in painting an authentic picture of the trends, challenges and opportunities that are impacting and driving the sector in spring 2021. It also documented the sometimes high level of commitment the industry is demonstrating in its engagement with these issues.

“The driving forces that have been our focus for some time now and which will continue to dominate the bathroom’s evolution for the next few years are sustainability, the smart home and cosiness,” says Frank A. Reinhardt, summing up the trend topics presented in the Magazine. In particular, he continues, the latter of the three trends – cosiness – has become even more important for people as a result of the sense of danger and the mobility restrictions they have been living with for the last year. But the need for hygiene and the desire to renovate are also drivers that have been fuelled by the pandemic experience, says the co-initiator of Pop up my Bathroom.

The Pop up my Bathroom Magazine took a look into the future of a sector that is increasingly being influenced by processes that affect the whole of society, such as the climate debate, demographic developments, urbanisation and health protection – processes that call for all the market partners involved to adapt accordingly. “All in all – as is also apparent from our Business Barometer study for the building equipment sector – we in the bathroom sector have a relatively privileged starting position from which to benefit from the economic recovery this year and help get Germany’s economic engine back to full power,” believes Jens J. Wischmann. “And that’s exactly what we need in order to maintain the sector’s current high level.”