With just a few weeks to go to PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION 2025 on 13 and 14 May it has become clear that visitors in Düsseldorf are in for two days packed with impulses, innovations and in-depth expert networking. Offering a high-calibre congress programme and presenting hands-on highlight projects the event will again become the central meeting point for the print, media and communication industries.
“With PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION we create a stage for in-depth expertise and genuine inspiration. The interplay of convention and congress offers the ideal platform for this. We aim to actively promote dialogue on the future of the print, media and communication industries,” explains Rüdiger Maaß, chief executive officer at Fachverband Medienproduktion e.V. (FMP).
In-depth conference: expertise, strategy and inspiration
The PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION conference agenda boasts over 30 expert lectures in three parallel sessions over two days. In focus will be the forward-looking topics “Value Added Printing”, “Marketing Automation & Programmatic Print” as well “Sustainable Media Production”. The programme will be enhanced by Forum Stadthalle, where four cross-sectoral panel talks per day will move crucial industry topics centre stage.
Highlights on the first day include talks on mass customisation as a mega trend, print product upgrades by NFC technology, print finishing as a basis for brand communication and sustainable packaging strategies. Likewise, the question of how current developments in Artificial Intelligence and marketing technologies will impact Programmatic Print will be discussed at a roundtable. Fresh impulses will also come care of the presentation of the current CMC Print Mailing Study 2025: “Print-Mailings – the Rebel Twist in the Digital Era” will show the role played by print in the modern marketing mix and how conversion rates, ROAS and shopping cart values are impacted – and why even the mailing envelope itself can prove a strategic stage. Also presenting itself for the first time will be the start-up Paper Earth, which flags up new perspectives for a circular future with paper produced from textile waste.
The congress programme for Day 2 also revolves around central future topics related to sustainability, legal frameworks and the use of Artificial Intelligence in the media industry. Beatrice Klose as Secretary General of INTERGRAF – the European umbrella organisation of the print industry – will provide thoroughly researched insights into current and coming regulatory challenges, which are becoming increasingly important for the sector. Thomas Wagner, Sustainability Manager DACH at Canon Deutschland, will show how sustainability can be implemented in practice. His lecture shines a light on Canon’s road to net-zero – from re-manufacturing to refurbishment to cooperations along the value chain. Design perspectives will come care of the “Iconic by Design” session: Joana-Maria Bauchwitz (baries design) and Christian Prill (Brand Club) will illustrate how multi-sensory design becomes a strategic stage for brand identity and long-term brand success using such strong brands as Lego and Gliss.
For the complete congress programme and speakers’ list go to: https://printdigitalconvention.de/de/konferenzprogramm
The print experience: highlight projects with a practical focus
The highlight projects are a central experience format at the PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION. They show concrete application examples that merge technology with creativity and brand strategy in a fascinating way. For their implementation experts along the complete value chain have joined forces and developed their use cases in exciting cooperations specifically for the congress & convention. The best practices shared here range from finishing possibilities to brand management strategies to cross-media campaigns.
A special highlight is the “Sweet Honey” project, which redefines honey packaging with a one-of-a-kind design staged with metallic-look labels and tactile effects. Just as intriguing is the live production of personalised notepads using state-of-the-art printing and post-press technology. With the children’s novel “Jonas und das Schlangobustel” a complete book production is presented – from the design to printing to marketing – thereby fusing technical with creative expertise. Other highlights such as the WE.LOVE.PRINT music set-card with NFC, the printed PDC Convention Guide or a live T-shirt production with personalised motifs all underline the experience quality of the convention.
“The highlight projects show just how powerful print can be today – in technology terms, emotionally and in the perfect interplay with digital channels. Here technology meets application and idea meets realisation,” says Maaß.
For an overview of the highlight projects go to: https://printdigitalconvention.de/de/highlightprojekte
The PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION will be held in Düsseldorf from 13 to 14 May 2025 and is organised by “Fachverband Medienproduktion (FMP)” in cooperation with Messe Düsseldorf and drupa. For tickets and more information go to: www.printdigitalconvention.de
