IBC confirms plans for 2021 event staging

The organisers of IBC have confirmed plans for staging the event later this year.

Confirming plans to fall back to December if necessary, IBC director Imran Sroya said that there will be an update on the date in early June, but that the company is “optimistic about holding a live event” either in September or December. 

Speaking to press, Sroya said that his “message to the industry is to plan for both” and that the company “can’t wait to reunite” exhibitors and attendees.

Elaborating further, IBC CEO Michael Crimp said that “the world will be very different and IBC will be different to reflect that” and that it is “working closely together with the city of Amsterdam and Rai” to ensure that the hybrid event will go ahead safely.

Crimp said that key talks will be broadcast online for digital attendees, and that they will be available via a VOD platform. 

The CEO also provided more details on the registration process for the event in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He said that registration will take “about twice as long as normal” in order to ensure that IBC has the appropriate information in place for its track and trace system, and that there will be an “opt-in photo pass and facial recognition system.” Crimp was quick to allay fears by telling the digitally gathered press that no data will be stored post-show or provided to third-parties, and that any facial recognition information is solely for health and safety purposes. 

In terms of the event itself, Crimp said that there will be extra-wide ailes with a one-way system akin to an IKEA store, while one of the biggest changes will be the complete absence of paper marketing. Exhibitors will instead be encouraged to provide attendees with information digitally.

Lastly, the CEO was also keen to stress that the social and networking side of IBC will still be going ahead, though the organiser will encourage more sit-down events rather than the large-scale parties normally associated with IBC.