q&a: the Inspired Home Show 2022 The Inspired Home Show 2022
With travel to the US now open, Simon King spoke to Derek Miller, president of the International Housewares Association, to find out more about The Inspired Home Show 2022, which takes place in Chicago from March 5-8
Simon King: The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people live and think about their homes. How can this be seen at the 2022 Show?
Derek Miller: The past 18 months have altered the normal pace of life considerably. As the industry moves into 2022, it will be critically important
for retailers to diversify their products by finding new collections and brands to continue to excite and entice customers. It will also be important for retailers to find new companies with which to do business to diversity their supply, a need that is increasingly apparent due to the current sourcing and shipping challenges that are impacting the industry. Attending The Inspired Home Show is an
opportunity for retailers to find the latest innovations being introduced to the market by over 1,600 exhibitors. The show will also feature unique activations to assist with product discovery in several events and displays.
SK: For the past several shows, smart home has been a very key part for buyers to discover. What can you tell about the smart home offering at the 2022 show? DM: As the Internet of Things continues to be important to the consumer, The Inspired Home Show will once again have a special area to showcase smart home companies. Show attendees will be able to explore the brands, products and cutting-edge innovations that are bringing excitement to this category. Just around the corner will be the Innovation Theatre, several educational sessions are planned to help educate attendees on the continued convergence between traditional home and housewares products and technological breakthroughs.
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It will also be important
for retailers to find new companies
SK: The 2020 show was to be the introduction of the new The Inspired Home Show concept, with new additional features. Have the pandemic and two cancelled shows changed these plans? DM: When you arrive at the show, you’ll see many changes since we last came together. The Inspired Home Show branding, a project started back in 2018, will finally be revealed – the new branding features lifestyle imagery to help focus our industry’s creativity on the consumer. As an industry, we have moved away from a time when consumers were faced with limited choices that fulfilled their functional needs and they bought on price. Today, multiple products can fulfill their basic needs, and the ability of a product to fit into an overall lifestyle has become a competitive differentiation. Before, during and post-Covid-19 pandemic, consumers have been faced with evolving needs and lifestyle considerations that we as an industry need to be attuned to. Over the last year, and through all of the changes in public health directives, consumer needs have gravitated toward a lifestyle that compromises by allowing for both inter-personal engagement as well as individual safety and security. Home + housewares products can deliver on
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these needs not only by creating new products that solve consumer challenges, but by re- positioning existing products that create an environment of both community and safety.
SK: How about exhibitors, the Chicago show has been known to be the place to find innovation, what are your expectations regarding the 2022 show? DM: With the absence of major trade events for close to two years, product discovery has been severely hampered. The exhibitors at The Inspired Home Show are extremely excited to showcase their latest products and innovation to the retail community. The show will feature hundreds of new companies just making their debut into the industry.
SK: There has been practically no international travel since the start of the pandemic. What are your expectations regarding international attendance at the show? DM: Borders are opening and travel is resuming. The US announced on October 15 that international visitors can once again visit the United States, provided they present a proof of vaccination. This is excellent news for our entire industry as it allows our global community to gather again to discover what’s been missing from each of our lives and businesses over the past two years. The International Housewares Association and The Inspired Home Show are truly looking forward to hosting your visit in Chicago next March.
November 2021
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