Fespa is on the runway for takeoff in a couple of weeks as evidence that some kind of normality is descending upon the printing industry through a return to live events. Other gatherings will quickly follow for shows, open houses, conference and awards nights. However, there remains a very large awkward questionmark over the number of printers that are willing to travel from the relative security of their factory through an airport or station to a not very crowded at all exhibition hall, conference hall or hotel ballroom. It may still be too soon. If only a handful of people attend, has the event really taken place?
We believe the return to live in person events cannot come soon enough, for while online conferences, seminars and demonstrations have filled a gap, the appeal of sitting in front of a monitor watching three or four miniature figures speaking is beginning to wane. And while there were decent numbers for the BPIF’s Visual Media Conference taking place online last week and an engaging set of speakers, there will have been effectively no growth in participant numbers from last year. Moreover where last year everyone had time to sit and listen at this and other events because there was nothing else to do, that is no longer the case. Print is returning to life and there is plenty for people to do. Well done then to the BPIF for making the presentations available on Catch Up, or YouTube as it is better known.
Organisers are in a quandary. Online has provided some kind of methadone fix while we cannot get to shows and meet up face to face. But now that we can, will we want to? Have we lost that addiction? Will the need to keep businesses afloat with fewer staff keep directors close to their desks? It is often said that it is not recession that kills a business, but the recovery period afterwards when cashflows are under stress. The events sector may be under suffering the same problem. It seems to have weathered the storm, now comes the stage when the big questions need asking, challenging the idea of a return to pre Covid normality. Some may not like the answers.
Live events face their own afterlife
Fespa is on the runway for takeoff in a couple of weeks as evidence that some kind of normality is descending upon the printing industry through a return to live events. Other gatherings will quickly follow for shows, open houses, conference and awards nights. However, there remains a very large awkward questionmark over the number of printers that are willing to travel from the relative security of their factory through an airport or station to a not very crowded at all exhibition hall, conference hall or hotel ballroom. It may still be too soon. If only a handful of people attend, has the event really taken place?
We believe the return to live in person events cannot come soon enough, for while online conferences, seminars and demonstrations have filled a gap, the appeal of sitting in front of a monitor watching three or four miniature figures speaking is beginning to wane. And while there were decent numbers for the BPIF’s Visual Media Conference taking place online last week and an engaging set of speakers, there will have been effectively no growth in participant numbers from last year. Moreover where last year everyone had time to sit and listen at this and other events because there was nothing else to do, that is no longer the case. Print is returning to life and there is plenty for people to do. Well done then to the BPIF for making the presentations available on Catch Up, or YouTube as it is better known.
Organisers are in a quandary. Online has provided some kind of methadone fix while we cannot get to shows and meet up face to face. But now that we can, will we want to? Have we lost that addiction? Will the need to keep businesses afloat with fewer staff keep directors close to their desks? It is often said that it is not recession that kills a business, but the recovery period afterwards when cashflows are under stress. The events sector may be under suffering the same problem. It seems to have weathered the storm, now comes the stage when the big questions need asking, challenging the idea of a return to pre Covid normality. Some may not like the answers.
Gareth Ward
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