drupa - Is It Still Relevant?

drupa, the very big elephant in the printing trade show room, is only two months away. As such, I need to ask a question—one that is particularly important in this time of economic depression. With printers struggling and the print industry in great disorder, is drupa still relevant?

I would argue that drupa, as it is today, has run its course and that a more interactive, technology-based effort needs to be developed.

Trade show events are still viable, but they need to be of a controlled size and in a controlled environment. drupa can continue to co-exist with the evolving graphic arts industry, but the industry needs to be given options to see, view, test, touch and feel the equipment on display.

Forget the fun of a trade show. I have been to drupa four times, and each time I had a blast. However, does that justify the event itself?

Most industries have seen trade show attendance and exhibitor numbers decline by double-digit figures. Some have experienced slight increases, but at the end of the day, again, I have to ask—Is drupa relevant?

Only a small segment of the American print industry ever attends a drupa. Most Americans, instead, choose to attend GRAPH EXPO in Chicago in the fall—which, by the way, should no longer be an annual event. A once-every-four-years schedule works for me.

The print industry needs to rethink every aspect of its existence, from the equipment it sells and products it offers to the level and type of services provided and, yes, the way it is perceived in the new world of one-to-one and integrated communications.

I have noted in this blog before that print needs new ambassadors, along with a futurist who is linked to other industries—industries that use print and turn a profit from prnt commerce. drupa seems like an island in time that, well, is stuck in the past.