Moving to the beat of the IFA

Deutsche Telekom’s stand at the IFA also casts a spell over visitors on the weekend. More than 30,000 technology fans came by on Saturday alone to find out about connected life and work.

12.30 p.m. on Sunday: It is impossible to move in front of the stage at the Deutsche Telekom stand. The six-person deep crowds facing the enormous multitouch screen are trying to catch a glimpse of the drummers from the "Drum Connection". This is by no means easy, for the hourly stage show is attracting hoards of visitors. Some 32,000 people came by on Saturday alone. "This is around 20 percent more than on the same day last year," says Dirk Mangelsdorf from the Brand Strategy and Marketing Communication area.

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Thousands flocked to the stand at the weekend.

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Thousands flocked to the stand at the weekend.

In the meantime, the drummers dictate the rhythm together with the “Fanatix” dance group, which soon has people tapping their feet. "The show is a real hit," the host Felix Rick explains. Some time later, together with his co-host Nadine Heidenreich he encourages visitors to participate in a game of pitching softballs at the multitouch wall. Yet the 18-meter-long wall is popular even between the shows: Animations and short films about Deutsche Telekom’s packages and products can be clicked on and called up in windows.

Multitouch table explains connected life

The same technology is also used in the multitouch table, with which Tino Flächsenhaar from Product & Innovation and his colleagues explain the benefits of connected life and work. "Many visitors want to know where they can buy this table," he says with a grin. Even though he is not able to help them with this, no question about connected life and work goes unanswered at the stand. "Besides the animation that clearly shows people the contexts, they can test the use of the new Media Center on our products immediately afterwards," says Flächsenhaar.

Take hold of it and try it out – this goes for mobile communications products as well. Here, it is smartphones that are particularly popular, explains Jacob Feyisoa. "The new T-Mobile Pulse and the G2 Touch are in particular demand." Meanwhile, a few meters on at the Entertain stand it is all about high-definition television, HD content on demand, and LIGA total! Customers also marvel at the program manager, which will be included for all Entertain customers from September and enables users to do their programming via a cell phone.

A storm among high achievers

It is not just the products and the fancy stage show that are causing a storm, however. Visitors to the fair are also demonstrating their athletic side: "Over 400 ventured onto our climbing wall yesterday," said Diana König from Human Resources Marketing with satisfaction. In addition, Deutsche Telekom staff talked to around 100 potential applicants with good or even excellent qualifications about training opportunities at the company. "It was the first time that many of them realized what an attractive employer Deutsche Telekom is."