You know what, the ‘Think Bigger’ Round Table hosted by Image Reports this summer made my heart glad.
The intention was to bring together a number of PSPs and creatives to discuss how both ‘sides’ could work together more effectively to push the boundaries of large-format digital inkjet print. And that they did – you can read an exploration of their various views in this issue (PX). But what really hit home was the willingness to debate, and the realisation that that there are no ‘sides’ here. Communication may have some way to go before print is fluent in creative speak, and vice versa, but there’s definitely an eagerness to learn. Now is the time to harness that, and work out how best to move forward so that large-format digital print can live up to its full potential…and so that the businesses that use it/supply it, live up to theirs.
One of the topics that came up at the Round Table was the role of exhibitions and shows in helping educate the wider market about all that large-format inkjet can deliver. It came as no surprise that the creatives around the table dismissed print trade shows but said they would be happy to see application-based offerings within more design orientated events. 100% Design was mentioned by name, so the Zeitgeist piece this month asks whether PSPs should be attending, not just as visitors, but as exhibitors, and perhaps even speaking as part of the seminar programme. Given that the 2015 show takes place towards the end of September it would be pushing it to get that involved this time around – but there are other years, and other shows.
All too often print is taken to mean paper-based communication and of course it has that role. But as we all know, large-format digital has so much more to offer than that, and as the designers at the Round Table reiterated, the sector needs to make more noise about its ‘artistic’ capability to catch the imagination of all those who could use it in a more creative way.