BERLIN, GERMANY and AUSTIN, TX., USA, 29 Apr. 2008 – The future of business, consumer, lifestyle and digital technologies for work, home and play will preview 27 August in Berlin, Germany, at ShowStoppers®, the official press event of IFA 2008.

The invitation-only event organizes company launches, product introductions, sneak previews and demonstrations for journalists and industry analysts attending IFA, http://www.ifa-berlin.de, one of the largest consumer electronics trade fairs in the world.

It is the first event ShowStoppers will produce at IFA after producing press events for 15 years in the U.S., including CES in Las Vegas -- and, beginning in 2007, in Europe at CeBIT and Mobile World Congress. ShowStoppers @ IFA 2008 will also incorporate the “Press meets Business” reception from IFA 2007 and 2006.

ShowStoppers invited a select group of top US press to the IFA International Press Conference, 18-20 April, in Majorca, Spain.

“IFA is a world-class partner for ShowStoppers,” said Steve Leon, partner, ShowStoppers. “The fair combines innovation and the technology of tomorrow with business sales and entertainment. It increasingly defines the future of digital technologies and drives worldwide growth of the international consumer electronics industry.

“We are working together to create a better way for industry leaders, innovators, startups and upstarts to meet the press, on the global stage. For the press, ShowStoppers is a compelling combination of hot products, cool companies, discoveries outside the usual newsbeats, and surprises you can see only at ShowStoppers – all in three hours. For sponsors, it is the best way to meet the press and score more coverage – and to open new markets,” said Leon.

“Our goal is to highlight the global importance of IFA to North American exhibitors, trade visitors and media representatives, while also building a new way to provide increased value for all exhibitors,” said Jens Heithecker, director of IFA. “IFA is the perfect venue to build new business relationships, meet, network and conduct business with retailers, buyers and the “who’s who” of the international CE industry,” said Heithecker.

About IFA
IFA is one of the largest consumer electronics trade shows in the world. It combines innovation and the technology of tomorrow with business sales and entertainment. According to published statistics, more than 1,200 companies from 32 countries exhibited at IFA 2007, covering a net space of more than 103,000 m2. More than 6,600 press attended IFA 2007, including 1,371 international journalists from 62 countries. Sales at the 2007 show totaled €2.75 billion. The number of trade visitors attending the show in 2007 jumped 7.5 percent to 101,358. The overall number of attendees jumped 5 percent to a total of 223,000 – making IFA nearly 60 percent larger than the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held each year in Las Vegas.

IFA is organized by Messe Berlin and owned by Gesellschaft für Unterhaltungs und Kommunikationselektronik (gfu). Messe Berlin, http://www.messe-berlin.de, produces regional, national and international trade shows, exhibitions and conventions. Gfu, http://www.gfu.de, is the Association for Consumer and Communications Electronics.

About ShowStoppers
ShowStoppers is the producer of press-only special events with global experience and expertise. Now in its 15th year, ShowStoppers has hosted the PC World awards for seven consecutive years and is a partner with the Bluetooth SIG, PR Newswire, the Austin Wireless Alliance, and Women in Technology International.

For details on how to participate in ShowStoppers as a sponsor, contact Dave Leon, director of sales for ShowStoppers, at 845-638-3527.

Contacts:
Steve Leon
Partner
ShowStoppers
mailto:sl@showstoppers.com
512-288-0950

Anja Schenk
IFA Press Officer
Messe Berlin GmbH
mailto:schenk@messe-berlin.com
+49 (30) 3038-2217