ROSEMONT, IL (Feb. 18, 2020)—Veteran consumer trend expert Tom Mirabile is partnering with the International Housewares Association to provide key consumer trend information for various projects including the Association’s new IHA Market Watch report, which will be introduced at The Inspired Home Show next month in Chicago.
Mirabile, who is principal and founder of Springboard Futures, a new trend services company, has had a long relationship with IHA and the former International Home + Housewares Show. For more than a decade, he has presented consumer-focused keynotes to market exhibitors and attendees as well as various Home + Housewares style trend projects. This partnership expands on that work, with Mirabile helping to create the new report, pinpointing the key consumer trends that will impact the housewares industry over the next 12 to 18 months and how product categories will be affected. He will be part of the keynote session on Sunday, March 15 introducing IHA Market Watch and also is helping to curate a companion display of exhibitors’ products illustrating those trends. The IHA Market Watch exhibit will be in the Hall of Global Innovation in the Lakeside Center lobby.
“IHA and Tom have a long history together during his days on the supplier side, and his education session at the Show has been a must-attend event for both exhibitor and retail attendees over the years,” said Leana Salamah, IHA’s vice president, marketing. “Through his new venture, it is a natural progression for Tom to expand his work with IHA. Along with his contributions to Market Watch, Tom will be providing IHA members with both consumer and home-style trend reports throughout the year.”
The Inspired Home Show 2020 will be held March 14-17 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex, and feature 2,200 exhibitors from around the world, including 400 new companies exhibiting for the first time. More than 51,000 total attendees, including buyers from 130 countries, are expected. Additional information on Show events, exhibitors and attendee registration are available at TheInspiredHomeShow.com.
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The International Housewares Association is the 82-year-old voice of the housewares industry, which accounted for (US)$394.3 billion at retail worldwide in 2018. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Global Home + Housewares Market (TheInspiredHomeShow.com), and offers its 1,400 member companies a wide range of services, including industry and government advocacy, export assistance, industry and consumer trends through the IHA Market Watch, executive management peer groups, a B2B community at www.housewares.org, group buying discounts on business solutions services and direct-to-consumer engagement through TheInspiredHome.com.
