ISE 2026: Push Beyond

Client: Integrated Systems Events

Barcelona, Spain

*Context*

Following a record-breaking 2025, ISE – the world-renowned annual tech show – faced a volatile global landscape and ongoing category decline. Competitors experienced negative growth circa 5%. Some even had to close doors. To remain resilient, ISE committed to ‘Push Beyond’ – an organising idea that served as a mantra to unite an internal team and a statement to inspire an entire industry… *Aims/Objectives*

Grow Volume: Increase attendance from 85,000 to 90,000+.

Diversify Demographics: Raise female attendance from 18% to 20% and ensure under-25s outgrow over-65s.

Maintain Standards: Maintain attendee purchase authority at 80% and NPS of 57/61 for visitors/exhibitors respectively. *Strategy/Activation *

ISE leaned into its organising idea, avoiding ‘just another branded trade show’ and spearheading a brand-led industry initiative instead. ‘Push Beyond’ was activated through global, integrated comms but manifested further upstream (marketing & innovation) to support its aims/objectives:

The Show Shoe: A new product solving audiences’ greatest pain point (literally – sore feet!) laced with NFC for fast-track entry.

SPARK: A new feature (enticing creative tech giants e.g. Netflix and BBC) for diversifying into / bridging growing, adjacent markets.

ISE Foundation: A new public-private partnership (and attractive investment vehicle), extending ISE’s impact beyond four days. *Results*

Grow Volume: Achieved – 92,176 total attendees (+8% YOY).

Diversify Demographics: Achieved – 20% female attendance (tripled over four years) and under-25s outgrew over-65s.

Maintain Standards: Achieved – 83% attendee purchase authority and NPS of 62/61 for visitors/exhibitors respectively (category = 31/10).

But the ultimate result was external endorsement, especially that of Barcelona’s Deputy Mayor: “Barcelona is proud to host ISE and this year’s motto could not be more timely. This is the kind of city we want to build. A city where technology serves people. A city always with people at the centre but that dares to ‘Push Beyond’.”