Held over 17th and 18th of November, the first digital Viscom Italia Hyper Reality edition dedicated to visual communications, with great pride, has drawn to a close. It succeeded in being a completely new virtual space, visualized for a truly international visual community. A platform powered by cutting-edge technological creativity. A new exhibition experience showcasing the latest trends and exploring tomorrow’s business scenarios.

More than 100 exhibitors, 170 international brands and almost 800 products, took centre stage - aided by images and videos - in virtual showrooms tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual sectors of: Large Format Digital Printing - Sign – Sign making – Screen printing - Pad Printing - Textile Promotion - Embroidery - Engraving - Milling - Laser - Sports Awards - Visual Merchandising – Events Services, Graphic Software Design. The digital event, with its advanced match-making and networking tools, gave exhibitors and sector related businesses the opportunity to re-launch their activities, premiere their latest technological innovations. All the while safely side stepping the current restrictions, and amassing over 10,000 messages and chats.

The platform welcomed over 150,000 users and attracted 2,138 sector operators (7% from abroad) connecting in from 42 countries such as Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, Croatia and Slovenia. A highly specialised audience of sector technical professionals (49%), retail and industry professionals (27%) and communication influencers (24%) took part and relished this new business experience alongside industry players.

"With Viscom Italia Hyper Reality we were able to host an innovative gathering venue that matched up supply and demand, laying the foundations for new projects and forging opportunities for future developments. Indeed, thanks to the platform’s modular structure, exhibitors were able to tailor their communications directly at individual visitors - says Cecilia Montalbetti Exhibition Manager of Viscom Italia. We are very proud of our new virtual challenge and delighted with the results we have achieved. Now we must look ahead and strive towards helping to facilitate market recovery. Our goal is to lead the way in bridging connections with our community and exploring fascinating new business adventures to overcome this delicate historical phase".

30 focus group talks and webinars sessions -held over the two-day event - were enthusiastically followed by 573 participants. 60 speakers in total - experts from the most renowned communication and design agencies, business leaders and journalists - shared trends and their innovations for the future of visual communications during the extensive range of seminars and workshops. Analyzing themes poised to influence the sector’s future business scenarios such as new communication strategies for fashion, packaging, brand industry, the most innovative retail solutions and new technological scenarios, like augmented reality.

Viscom Italia Hyper Reality hosted and digitally transformed the two important leading retail and visual merchandising sector events. DIVA - Display Italia Viscom Award, the international industrial design competition dedicated to the world of P.O.S. and shop fittings, in partnership with Display Italia magazine and supported by Comieco (National Consortium for the Recovery and Recycling of Cellulose-based Packaging) showcased 12 point of sale display solutions designed by material and display manufacturers, design studios, creative agencies and the brand industry itself.

A jury of trade marketing experts and retail managers evaluated the 7 competing companies, awarding prizes in the following categories: Durable, Non Durable, Digital Signage and Non Durable Sustainable Display. Cristiana Sormani the jury chairperson (Bayer Italia) along with Federica Brumen (COMIECO), Emanuele Giannini (Bullfrog-Womo – Group Percassi), Alberto Petroni (Kenwood – JVC), Giuliana Castelli (Aldo Coppola) and Simone Mangiarotti (Adidas Italia) were the members of the technical jury.

This jury decided the following winners:Durable Display Category - Display: Beaty Hub - Manufacturer: Eurodisplay D.P. Non Durable Display Category - Display: Eco 3dBridge – Manufacturer: Creative. Digital Signage Display Category - Display: Tokinomo – Manufacturer: Creative – RedBox. Non-durable Sustainable Display Category - Display: Easy Green - Manufacturer: Creative- Redbox.

The exhibition Elementaria, in partnership with Display Italia and Hp Italy the main technical sponsor, put on virtual stage 6 high-level design prototypes. Each one designed by internationally renowned designers and artists together with 6 raw material manufacturers, showcased the most creative display solutions in the fashion retail sector.

The www.hyperreality.viscomitalia.it platform will remain online until 18 December, where you can check out all the exhibitors and the vast programme of talks/webinars and events. Viscom Italia is already looking ahead to the next visual community in-person appointment planned for 14-16 October 2021 at Fieramilano halls 8/12.