BRANDmania will be colorful! And numerous mascots will get you in the mood for two days of pure BRANDS with the big parade!

The official kick-off of BRANDmania 2026. 

What’s selling where? The top-line results: retail sales, trends, trend radar – with a focus on the German market. 

The most exciting retail concepts from around the world – how megatrends are shaping the shopping experience at the point of sale. Retail logic, presentation – outlook: what’s coming, what’s here to stay, and what’s on the way out.

BLINDMATE – the legendary live matchmaking format from die Markenkuppler. 

Exciting insights from the “G50personas” study. 

Cultural codes, subcultures and community as a market definition

Insights into gamification in brand management and retail. 

What really shapes Gen Z: coping with a sense of loss of control, self-image versus public perception – and what this means for businesses and brands. 

Less buzzwords, more depth: Why brands can seem insincere despite having clear values, and how authenticity stems from culture, trust, involvement and integrity. 

79% of brands are seen as interchangeable by customers. Not because they do poor work, but because they operate in isolation. We’ll show you how the right collaboration can turn a solid brand into an unmistakable one. — Masterclass with Melissa Lohmann from die MarkenKuppler

The Metal Business Club — founded in the Netherlands in 2024 and on a growth trajectory in Germany in 2026 — invites you to an open Metal Meetup as part of the Collab Culture Lounge at this year’s BRANDmania trade fair in Essen on Wednesday, 24 June. 🤘

Hosted by Ludger Bußmann (European Licensing Manager at Zippo) and Frank Heim (bassist of Saltatio Mortis & managing director of Punktbar), who together run the Essen chapter of the Metal Business Club, you can expect a relaxed networking get‑together with cold drinks, good conversations and a laid‑back atmosphere for all metal fans and the curious.