Theme of IPIA annual conference announced
The theme of the IPIA's annual conference, which will take place on August 29, has been announced as 'Ahead of the curve: How to navigate new markets and find routes to growth'.
This theme encapsulates the association’s mission to provide attendees with key insights to help overcome pressures such as increasing overheads, fierce price competition in core markets, and unstable patterns of demand.
The event will also serve as a platform for the IPIA to unveil its ground-breaking national print research and advocacy project, 'A new narrative for print'. IPIA general manager, Brendan Perring, will present the key outputs of the research to attendees and detail the project's primary aim: to positively shift the perception of print among UK consumers and businesses across a range of critical factors.
The conference's speakers have been drawn from print service providers – which have successfully identified and capitalised on opportunities in growth print sectors – as well as industry experts and the trade press.
They will include Nigel Clarke of Clarkeprint, Steve Wenlock of Flexpress, Ollie Renshaw of Leeds University Print Bureau, Graeme Smith and Angela Wagstaff of Allwag Promotions, and Mark Cross of JICMAIL. A special panel of trade press editors and journalists will also debate the most important trends shaping the print industry and take live questions from the audience.
The presentation on 'A new narrative for print' will delve into this landmark national print research and advocacy project. The initiative has been made possible by a coalition of IPIA Members: Imprint MIS, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Epson, The Printing Charity and Citipost.
The research was conducted in partnership with world-leading communications agency Madano, which has mapped perceptions of the UK print industry across a range of key metrics using its specialist data science technology and analysis tools.
The study has identified key influencers who significantly sway the perception of the print industry and its products and has analysed the dominant narratives in the conversation around print. By obtaining an accurate picture of how the print industry and its products are perceived – and by identifying the individuals and organisations driving these perceptions – the IPIA and its partners can develop a long-term strategy to strengthen the print market in the UK.
Alasdair Browne, vice chair of the IPIA and Chair of its Research Subcommittee, said: “This project is a crucial step in understanding the dynamics of our industry. By identifying the key influencers and the narratives they are driving, we can better position ourselves as an industry to respond to challenges and seize opportunities. The insights from this research will be instrumental in guiding our strategies and ensuring the continued relevance and growth of print.”
The conference will take place at the MTC in Coventry. Full details of the IPIA’s Annual Conference and how to book can be found at: ipia.org.uk/ac24