iF Design

The 1970s proved to be a difficult decade - not only for iF but also for the Deutsche Messe AG. The latter had to accept, or - due to conceptual changes - even initiate the migration of important branches of industry such as construction machinery or the whole consumer goods sector. Since the participation in the "Gute Industrieform" competition was restricted to exhibitors of the Hannover Messe, this meant that iF had to accept a drastically limited selection of products. This also resulted in financial setbacks. Without exaggeration, it is probably fair to say that iF experienced a bit of a downturn during the 1970s.

However, iF tried to counteract this tendency by introducing the new "trend exhibitions", showcasing particularly successful products alongside the annual iF exhibitions. New participants in the iF competition came from new growth sectors such as office technologies, from "Interhospital" for health care technology and from "Constructa" for the construction sector. However, it was still tedious pioneering work to convince industry of the value of "good design".

There were positive signs, however: The 1970s exhibitions lost some of their former museum-like air and instead went for lively and colorful arrangements. Color and decor in general stood a better chance of being acknowledged alongside the grey and white of "good form". The Deutsche Messe AG supported iF as best possible: for instance, by filling the position of chairman of the association with the chairmen of the Deutsche Messe AG from 1975 onwards. The first chairman was German A. Voment.