A – There are surprises no trade fair organiser wants to have to experience. An external ticket scanning server problem in the middle of the morning rush hour at the entrance certainly ranks among the top ten. Whereby the fact that a long queue briefly formed in front of the entrance of the Hofburg Palace at markeding Vienna on April 14, 2026, can also be seen as an indication of the high standing Austria’s largest trade fair for merchandise and promotional items has in the local marketing world.
The organisers, Katharina and Martin Zettl, resolved the IT problem quickly and efficiently and within a short time, the visitors were bustling through the aisles as usual. At the end of the day, the markeding and its six sponsors – Forum Werbemittel, Geiger (formerly Nowak Werbeartikel), KW Open, Mitraco, Pro Concept and Wertpräsent – had once again set a benchmark: With 2,580 trade visitors, the 16th edition of markeding simply carried on where it left off, repeating the great success of the previous year. With 145 exhibitors from 11 nations, the event even saw a slight increase in exhibitor numbers.
“The trade fair is, as always, superbly organised and we are encountering a great target audience here,” remarked Aneta Niciak, the owner of Refloactive. The organisers were also very satisfied: “The atmosphere at the Hofburg Palace was electric – characterised by a lively exchange, inspiring ideas and genuine passion for innovative brand communication,” summarised Roland Malli, Managing Director of the organising agency, Wertpräsent.
Due to high demand from exhibitors, the organisers had added an extra room so that more companies could participate. “This is the first time we are exhibiting here in Vienna and we are really impressed, especially with our booth location, where the visitors practically bump into us,” said Tina Steinbergs of mbw. The Polish specialist, badge4u, also celebrated its premiere at the Hofburg. “Our expectations were exceeded, the marketing is truly sensational,” the owners, Wojtek and Marcin Pawłowski, who were both present, commented.
“Markeding Vienna 2026 has once again demonstrated the strength of our industry when people, brands and ideas come together directly. The energy at the Hofburg Palace, the quality of the discussions and the enthusiasm on all sides were tangible from the very onset. This personal exchange is precisely what makes markeding so special every year,” said Martin Zettl, CEO of markeding. Katharina Zettl, who is responsible for the marketing of the trade fair, also drew a positive conclusion: “What distinguishes markeding is not only the diversity of the exhibitors and products, but above all the special atmosphere at the Hofburg Vienna. Here, you can feel how genuine connections are forged from encounters. That is exactly what we want to create: a trade fair that inspires, connects and which has a lasting impact.”
The next edition of markeding Vienna is scheduled to take place at the Hofburg Palace on April 8, 2027. Before that, however, markeding will be staged in Upper Austria with a new format: markeding Impulse will be held at the Design Center in Linz on October 1, 2026. // Till Barth
Photos: Till Barth, © WA Media
