Another Mido?

Interview with Dan Levi, Vice-Chairman of Mido, the leading world fair in the eyewear sector which is held every May in Milan. This year's appointment is scheduled from 9-12 May.

Q: Over the last few weeks there's been a lot of talk about a hypothetical second edition of Mido which is being organised for the first week of September 2008 in Rome. Can you confirm this, and perhaps tell us a little more about this new appointment?

A: Indeed, there are rumours circulating about a second Mido appointment, but I would like to stress that at present this is not yet a reality, but rather a possibility, as we have clarified in the press release issued today. This hypothesis has emerged from a thoughtful analysis of the evolution of business in the sector on the one hand, and of the trade fairs on the other. Mido, which has always been at the front line in terms of understanding the real needs of the companies in the eyewear sector, has in fact grasped a signal, emerging above all from the manufacturers of frames, both Italian and foreign, who have expressed the need for an opportunity to present their new collections towards the end of August, early September. However, it has to be said that this event would not be in the nature of an international fair, but something rather different, more like a Business Forum, where the companies can meet buyers and distributors in a context dedicated exclusively to business and where demand and supply can get together, with maximum attention to timing.

Q: You use the conditional, but it seems from the way you're talking about it that the Mido Business Forum is in fact ready to get off the ground.

A: I would repeat that, at present, there is nothing definite, we are simply verifying the real interest of the companies by carrying out a survey of their intentions and their needs. However, what I can certainly confirm is the interest already expressed by the Italian opticians, which could even convince the Assogruppi Ottica to organise their Annual Congress at the Mido Business Forum.

Q: Why in Rome?

A: Well, there's no denying that Rome is a fascinating city, and in September it is particularly attractive both for Italian visitors and for the international clients. Moreover, the new Trade Fair centre, located in a strategic position close to Fiumicino airport, and boasting excellent connections with the city centre, makes this an enticing site from a logistical aspect. From our economic analyses on the costs of the Fair and the accommodation structures, the advantages for both exhibitors and visitors emerged very clearly and decisively, contributing to make this an increasingly more tangible opportunity.

Q: How soon can you be sure about this potential Roman event?

A: Within about two/three weeks we estimate that we will have completed our survey among the companies, which will provide us with the necessary elements to make a decision. We are fully aware that this is a kind of revolution, precisely because it is a harbinger of change; Mido feels more ready than ever to carry this mission of service one step further, towards business and in the direction of the real needs of the companies.


This press release was issued today by Mido:

Over the last few years the globalisation of the eyewear market, the acceleration in the race for innovation and technological and qualitative excellence, in addition to the by now established fact that eyewear is a fashion accessory, has deeply altered the manufacturing companies' way of doing business.
As a result the dynamics of the relations between companies, distributors and buyers have also changed, underscoring the need for new occasions for communication and interaction, opportunities to suggest strategies, consolidate relations, transfer information and contacts and gather precious cues originating from the market. In a word: doing business.
These observations have translated in the demand on the part of many companies, both Italian and foreign, for an event with a major business orientation, to be scheduled very close to the end of the summer season.Mido, as always attentive to the needs of its exhibitors, is exploring the possibility of meeting these demands and, at this very moment, is organising a real-time survey with the companies.
The idea is to set up a different, new event, scheduled to be held in Rome in the first week of September 2008, with the name Mido Business Forum.This would be an international event dedicated to the preview presentation of the new collections and the new trends in the sector.
Thus the Mido Business Forum could play host to the major Italian and foreign manufacturers, offering them the opportunity to meet their distributors and customers at the Nuova Fiera in Rome.
In the ongoing attempt to meet the needs not only of the exhibitors, but also of the visitors and the Italian and foreign buyers, Mido is also working in synergy with the Italian opticians, in particular with Assogruppi Ottica, which could take this opportunity to choose the Mido Business Forum as a perfect framework for its Annual Congress.
In a nutshell, this is Mido's design project, which is not conceived simply to add another fair to an international calendar that is already packed, with the ensuing commitments for the companies, but rather to create an event based on the real needs of the companies in terms of formula, timing and above all costs.

However, to confirm this appointment we have to await the results of the consultation in progress with the exhibitors, which should be completed within few weeks.