Cross Media continues at IPEX, words mean whatever people think

Ian Sullivan spoke yesterday in the Future Skills Theatre about combining print and social media. He did mention "omnichannel" but he prefers "cross media" as these are words he has used for a while. There were cross Media events in Islington and Cross Media Production as part of the IPEX at ExCEL.

I will upload some video later, just catching up with other things in Exeter.

I did talk to him about omnichannel and he recognises the word is in use. But also "multimedia" and maybe others. Seems to me best to just use whatever words make sense to people. Ian presented convincing case studies, more in the video later.

I am still trying to get a sense of the scale on which social media now compares with print. I don't think the reality is yet obvious, including to the people at IPEX. The show is exciting in itself but has to be compared with previous events. My guess is that numbers attending will turn out closer to 10,000 than 20,000. Just based on first two days. So "cross media" is urgent topic as print is not the central choice for content.

Hard to make out a trend in IPEX numbers as the Print Show was just a few weeks ago and manymaded a choice to attend just that one. IPEX could have chosen another venue or time of year and it may turn out that both have been damaged. I met both exhibitors and visiting printers with concerns. One problem is that the trade press seems connected to specific events. Printweek has no detail on either event but more on their own awards. Needs something to report on what is going on and what people are saying.

The rationale for an event every three or four years may be ending for the UK. A shift towards software and online just requires space for discussion. Setting up kit may take some weeks so a show of three or four days is not making sense. I don't think IPEX will change to an annual show for the UK but if so it could work something out so different time of year to Print Show, also maybe one at ExCEL and one at NEC. There is still a role for a wider discussion on a global basis, but maybe more often than annual, not less. Some sort of network, several places.

Beginning to ramble, more later maybe more thought out. But not off topic yet. Looking at "cross media" needs a reality check on where print is starting from now.