Print’s place in the media mix, people’s trust in the written word, sustainability and the future of the print industry were some of the core topics under discussion at the ninth edition of the Power of Print seminar held today.
Held at Stationer’s Hall, which has been home to the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers for over 400 years, the event attracted around 200 people from the print, paper, publishing, packaging and media industries.
Speakers included the BPIF’s Charles Jarrold, who gave a brief ‘state of the industry’ address, and Rory Sutherland, vice president of Ogilvy, who explained that regardless of technological advances print will retain the ‘trust factor’ due to the cost that goes into producing it.
These were followed in the morning session by Ryan Battles and Zoe Francis-Cox, the brains behind Harley Davidson’s community magazine, Jodie Ginsberg of the Index on Censorship, who raised awareness of creeping state interference in the media and Juan Señor, who tried to read what is in the stars for newspapers.
After lunch the focus turned to the environment as Smurfit Kappa’s Edwin Goffard explained his company’s ‘Better Planet Packaging’ initiative, Professor Mark Maslin gave a full climate change breakdown and then Jonathan Tame updated attendees on recent success stories for the Two Sides anti-greenwash campaign.
Up next came Waitrose’s marketing team who insisted that, in a world of digital saturation and fatigue, print has the power to be the most ‘disruptive, powerful and integrated marketing channel.’ They were followed Rachel Aldighieri from the Data and Marketing Association. Ms Aldighieri delved into why the tactile nature of print appeals to and engages people in a more fundamental way than digital ever could.
For a complete report of the day’s events be sure to read the December/January edition of Digital Printer.
