D – A rethinking process is taking place in the marketing sector. More and more marketers are recognising the potential of merchandising and haptic advertising and are strategically integrating it into their campaigns and communication. With the right products – and the right conceptual framework – merch unleashes a real superpower. Merch is magic!
This superpower can be experienced at the HAPTICA live. At the 14th edition of the “Experience of Haptic Advertising” at the World Conference Center Bonn on March 18, 2026, anyone, who has a professional interest in merch & co. can find precisely the right products and concepts that inspire them and their target groups.
Over 100 specialists, importers and manufacturers will showcase everything the market has to offer. The visitors from the fields of marketing, HR, purchasing and communications as well as from advertising agencies and the promotional products trade can look forward to high-quality and sustainable ideas from all product areas, which can all be examined, touched and tested. Furthermore, the Newcomer Area will once again be dedicated to start-ups and young, unknown companies, whose offerings range from branded gloves, products made from discarded carpets and gadgets “made in Finland”, through to upcycled bags and drinking vessels.
The lecture forum will be held on a stage in the heart of the trade show activities. Here, marketing professionals will convey valuable information on merchandising and haptic advertising and provide insights into their own daily practice. There is a star-studded line-up again this year including Sabine van den Boom (Underberg), Nina Krannich (Toi Toi & Dixi), Manuel Abraas (Sea Shepherd) and Michael Kleinjohann (Professor for Marketing and Advertising at the ISM in Cologne, consultant and author of specialist books) and the programme promises to be diverse and engaging.
Many of the products mentioned as examples on stage can be examined – and actually handled – live in the Best Practice Show. On this exhibition area, the HAPTICA editorial team present a dozen examples of selected international case studies every year. The multimedia products and collections that serve as the centrepiece or part of a campaign and have proved particularly successful in achieving communication goals, demonstrate how creatively and effectively merch and haptic advertising can be implemented.
Anyone, who would like to take a short break after receiving all that input, is warmly invited to visit the HAPTICA Lounge. While enjoying a nice cup of coffee, one can browse through the current edition of the HAPTICA Magazine that contains even more products, ideas, campaigns and concepts. In addition, all of the visitors have the chance to win great HAPTICA products by spinning the wheel of fortune. Each of the products graphically stands for an argument in favour of haptic advertising.
The HAPTICA team has compiled a whole list of such arguments in a brochure entitled “REAL advertising”, which outlines the advantages of implementing merch and haptic advertising in the marketing mix. The second extended issue of the publication will be published for HAPTICA live on March 18. It will be possible to pick up a print version at the trade fair or download it as an eBook from the day of publication – for free.
Attending the HAPTICA live itself is free of charge as well. To secure a ticket, simply register in advance via the website.
