When buyers flock to Chicago next March to visit the International Home + Housewares Show, it will be under the new name The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Global Home + Housewares Market in 2020.
As part of the International Housewares Association (IHA)’s expansion of The Inspired Home platform, the new branding was created to align with consumer trends shifting from functional home design to aspirational lifestyle development.
The rebranding has been 12 months in the making, says John ‘JJC’ Collins, president/CMO of Neatfreak and 2018-19 IHA chairman.
“IHA’s board of directors and staff worked on this change for over a year to develop a name and brand that would set the right tone for the industry, positioning the show for the future,” he explains.
“In the end, we leveraged our existing consumer brand, The Inspired Home, extending it to the trade as we found a clear convergence between product suppliers, retailers and consumers through lifestyle branding.
“Consumers drive retail purchases, and their lifestyles drive the things they buy. Design and function are no longer the sole reasons people purchase housewares products. The Inspired Home Show is taking things a step further to help retailers understand how design and function fit into their customers’ lifestyles and to find ways to inspire them to purchase products that complement those lifestyles.”
While the venue will remain the same, the show will come with an updated look and feel that is closely aligned to the current The Inspired Home consumer platform. This consumer sensibility will also impact other aspects of the show including educational sessions, special displays and networking events, in ways that will help both suppliers and retailers better meet their needs.
Keynote educational programming will include Lee Eiseman’s colour trends presentations, exploration into consumer lifestyle trends and a state of the industry report on housewares. Other educational offerings will include Innovation Theatre sessions all four show days, the Smart Talks stage in the IHA Smart Home Pavilion and the Inventors Revue sessions.
The Inspired Home Show is held from 14 to 17 March 2020.
Related News
