Innovation Flow Lounge and Expert´s Voice: Marketing meets technology

When a new product fails to launch successfully, it´s often because of poor communication. And this is true also of the beverage and liquid food industry. What use is the most fantastic drink if the packaging is poor, it´s the wrong color, or the marketing pitch is inappropriate. Not forgetting of course that even the best ideas have to be workable from a technical angle. drinktec 2013 is setting out to provide support in this all-important aspect of communication: The Innovation Flow Lounge at the West Entrance of the Messe München exhibition center is a place for making contacts, sounding out new ideas, airing problems and designing strategies for the future. Its motto is: Marketing meets technology.

The Innovation Flow Lounge is a brand new tool for communication between marketing and technology experts. It provides a formalized framework for dialog between these two sides, instead of leaving it to chance. Every day in this Lounge – except for the Friday – there is an overarching theme, covered in various "action modules" designed to provide information and encourage interaction and networking: In the IDEArena, a "small stage for big ideas", there will be a series of short talks by speakers sharing their view on a particular topic. Themes like "Tailor-made promotions through intelligent secondary packaging" and "How to ensure design is both beautiful and pragmatic" form the basis for discussions from different points of view. In the 5 o´CLOCK Theme, at the end of the day, people can meet up with speakers from the IDEArena for an informal chat. It´s an opportunity to explore the day´s theme in more depth and make new contacts – everyone is welcome to come along.

The themes of the day at the Innovation Flow Lounge are:

- Monday, September 16: Brewing Benefits;

- Tuesday, September 17: Trends follows Idea;

- Wednesday, September 18: Process & Success;

- Thursday, September 19: Packaging Intelligence.

In addition, The Beverage World Bar is open for anyone who wants to relax and enjoy traditional and innovative "drinks of the day".

The Expert’s Voice

In the run-up to the fair drinktec conducted a major online survey, “The Expert´s Voice”. This survey is intended to cast light on how marketing and technology experts in the beverages and liquid food industry work together, identifying any weaknesses. The results can be inspected at drinktec in September. A point of contact at the show is the new Innovation Flow Lounge, a networking, contacts and information platform for marketing professionals who want to take a look beyond their own area and engage in discussion with professionals from other fields.

The Expert´s Voice is being conducted in cooperation with the advertising agency c.t.b., Berlin. The trade journal BRAUWELT by Fachverlag Hans Carl is one of its media partners.

The survey is being conducted on an anonymous basis. Respondents who also give their contact details will receive a thank-you gift in the form of a free ticket to visit drinktec 2013 and the Innovation Flow Lounge. In addition, the names of all (identified) respondents are entered into a prize draw to win a ticket (worth EUR 1,300) for the Beverage Forum of Beverage World and the Beverage Marketing Corporation, taking place on 15 September 2013 in Munich. Also: The respondents who have revealed their e-mail addresses will receive a copy of the results of "The Expert´s Voice" via e-mail.

For further information on The Expert´s Voice and on the Innovation Flow Lounge, and, of course, for all the details on drinktec 2013, go to: www.drinktec.com.