With little more than a week to go, the 2023 Visual Media Conference is attracting delegates from all sides of the print creative spectrum says VMC curator Robert McClements.
The event at the Rose Bowl in Leeds on 4 April has attracted support from both local and international bodies, headed by Leeds City Council, Leeds Year of Culture and by Drupa. The venue is part of Leeds Beckett University, opening up content to the next generation to either join the industry or to consume its output. It is a ticket-only event though registration is free of charge.
The delegate list already includes personalities from agencies, designers and print buyers as well as print businesses and packaging companies. It aims to place print and packaging in a leadership role for the wider marketing communications chain.
The conference is supported by exhibition stands from supporting companies demonstrating some intriguing technologies, including a glimpse into the coming metaverse, as well as more standard information. McClements says: “We are all in the communication business and VMC is characterised by a richness of tools and media, diversity of technologies and channels but above all The Creative Mindset. Fantastic solutions where the visual meets the tactile and shows what successful outputs look like with manufacturing innovation to make it happen.”
Presentation are tied to an over arching theme around sustainability and the challenges or opportunities this presents for the industry.
BPIF CEO Charles Jarrold says: “The theme of VMC this year is so relevant to our industry as we focus on sustainability through innovation. The conference continues to create opportunities to share learning with outstanding speakers whose experience and knowledge provide invaluable insights and solutions.”
The event is organised by the Creative Digital Industries, one of the BPIF’s community of interest groups which are intended to reach beyond its traditional membership, leading Jarrold to add that the CDI group “has established international engagement that covers the full spectrum of communications – the very issues that both compete with and complement print.”
This is reflected in a programme that runs from presentations of how personalised wrappers have helped Tony’s Chocolonely to spread its anti modern slavery message, the importance of sustainability to Kellogg’s and how this is reflected in packaging and product choices, and the importance of a personalised customer experience for luxury car brand Lexus.
