Business News

“Visual communication in a networked world” is the theme of the supporting programme at viscom

Wednesday 29. August 2012 - Everything that's state of the art is on show here: in its extensive supporting programme, viscom from 25 to 27 October again offers ideas from the practical field, provides insights into new technologies and innovative processes and coaches visitors and exhibitors in various workshops. Throughout, it always focuses on the questions: How do conventional and new media transport messages efficiently, intelligently and effectively? What are the customers' requirements? And what is technically feasible?

On all three days of the fair, products, projects and processes are presented. All the segments of visual communication dealt with at the trade fair also have a place in the supporting programme. Visitors may expect plenty of input on the topics of printing, processes and materials, advertising technology, signage and light advertising, out of home media, working materials, processes & equipment, digital signage and display/ PoS.
Seminars in the Advertising and Printing segment
Novelties in large format printing, digital and textile printing, in LED technology and other subject areas dealt with by the trade fair will be presented by the associations and viscom exhibitors on Saturday (27 October, 10.30 to 11.30 a.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
All you can print – digital print products online
In large format printing, display solutions, object printing and digital print products, customers encounter unlimited possibilities. The competition between suppliers is strong, the range of possibilities and materials is practically endless, and time is short. Customers demand individual all-round solutions and service from a single source. eShops and online services therefore are the trend. The Saturday afternoon seminar deals with opportunities and success factors for your own eShop. Topics include the fast integration of image databases and solutions for three-dimensional products. And finally all that print products can do in combination with the modern world of media is shown at the VDM NRW Trendbox. Many new products are waiting to be discovered (27 October, 2 to 3.30 p.m. speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Going green? Sustainable print and media production in large format printing is the topic at the Eco Future workshop. The focus is on manufacturers’ sustainability concepts and examples of best practices. There will also be a special show on the topic organised in cooperation with the RING Grafischer Fachhändler (RGF) and the Media Mundo Initiative and highlighting aspects of sustainable printing and media production with special emphasis on the LFP segment (26 October, 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m., viscom workshop, Hall 3.0/ D73)
The Praxisforum Werbetechnik organised by the Zentralverband Werbetechnik (ZVW – Bundesinnungsverband der Schilder- und Lichtreklamehersteller) deals with topics like copyright, components and fastening solutions, lifting and aerial platforms (27 October, 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Digital Signage Insider Workshop and Installation Tour
Two digital signage highlights are the Digital Signage Insider Workshop and the Installation Tour. The latter will be held on the eve of the trade fair. On 24 October, tour participants can get a live onsite experience of applications from retail to information signage featuring recent installations, in the business segment, as digital out-of-home solutions and in retail outlets. The Installation Tour starts out at “THE SQUAIRE” at Frankfurt Airport which is home to retail shops, restaurant areas and offices and boasts a large number of digital signage applications. Here participants will be shown the “New Work City” office complex that forms part of the Squaire. The second block of the tour is dedicated to the retail sector and takes participants straight to Frankfurt’s inner city. The destination is a shopping centre with a variety of shop installations.
Digital signage input can also be viewed at the trade fair itself. On 25 October, the Digital Signage Insider Workshop is held here. This is primarily to serve cross-industry exchange of experience and present concrete projects. The workshop specifically targets distributors and brands and is equally suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners (25 October, 9 to 11 a.m., Aspekt – 3.C – West side)
Customer Service Guiding Systems
The focus here is not just on digital guiding systems. The seminar entitled Customer Service Guiding Systems deals with state-of-the-art guiding systems for buildings, rooms and outdoor premises – both analogue and digital. The object of the seminar is the design of a successful guiding system and the interplay between analogue and digital components as well as mobile applications (26 October, 3 to 4 p.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Brand architecture
What is the part played by visual communication in brand design and positioning? How can shop design, display window design and digital signage convey a distinctive brand image and clearly communicate brand values? The seminar entitled Brand Architecture presents examples of best practices from the retail sector, deals with the shop window as a communication tool and the role of digital signage in shop fitting. One example will be the Westgate pharmacy in Cologne whose modern shop concept and design combines conventional and digital applications, thereby shaping the brand image (26 October, 2 to 3 p.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Multichannel Communication
Examples of best practices from cross-channel commerce, the significance of multichannel communication for outdoor and in-store advertising, digital signage, web & print and networked campaigns are the topics dealt with in the seminar on Multichannel Communication. Among other things it will demonstrate how stationary retail trade and online business can be effectively interlinked. Among others, a traditional corner shop is presented with more than 2,000 items available for sale in the shop, via the iPad, via the large screen in the Touch Store, at the QR Code wall and at home via the online shop (25 October, 2 to 4 p.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Tablet Revolution
Tablets are the trend. They act as a personal navigator in the shop environment. They help customers to find products and distributors to create customer loyalty. The seminar entitled Tablet Revolution explains the strengths and weaknesses of tablet-based systems in the retail sector, points out recent Apps and applications and provides an overview of the amazingly diverse uses of Tablet systems (25 October, 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Play and sell: “Gamification”, the megatrend in the retail sector?
The seminar looks at playful elements in the selling process – from the Carrera set at the store, to the high score at the online shop to the digital signage solution as a games console. What is the role of playful elements in the buying process, how do they motivate customers, and do they really boost sales? Examples of best practices of using elements of play outside a games context, as well as the opportunities and possibilities for outdoor advertising are presented (26 October, 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., speakers corner, Hall 3.0/ G85)
Adobe, Corel and Colour management
Once again, the popular Adobe and Corel Workshops are available to visitors. The Adobe Workshop is a full-day Creative and Graphics Suite Workshop with a number of different units on Thursday 25 October. The programme includes the Adobe Illustrator with new functions in CS 6 and many tips and gimmicks for everyday work, adaptive layout for print and digital publishing with Adobe InDesign 6.0, professional image processing with Adobe Photohop CS 6 and web and mobile with the Adobe Creative Suite (25 October, starting 10.30 a.m., viscom workshop, Hall 3.0/ D73)
Colour management from various perspectives is offered at the Colour Management Workshop (26 October, 3 to 4 p.m., viscom workshop, Hall 3.0/ D73
The Corel Workshop will be held on the viscom Saturday, starting 10.30 a.m. The full-day seminar deals with the topics of colour management, graphics and advertising (27 October, 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., viscom workshop, Hall 3.0/ D73)
Forum for exhibitors: Speakers Corner and Lunch & Learn
Every day from 10.30 to 11.30 a.m., the exhibitors have the opportunity to present their company and their products at the Speakers Corner. The Speakers Corner is an open auditorium at a central location in the “viscom World of Inspiration”. This is where exhibitor presentations will take place, and where a large number of best practices projects and the nominations for the Digital Signage Best Practice Award will be presented.
The Lunch & Learn is also a daily event. Every day at lunchtime, five different problems from a large variety of industry subjects will be discussed. An expert from among the viscom exhibitors will host the table which can seat ten people. The hosts answer subject specific questions, present examples of best practices and discuss problems that are of concern to their industry.