Cross Media 2013 last week saw a 12% increase in visitor numbers compared to the inaugural show in 2012. Over 2,750 marketers, printers, publishers, brands and creative agencies attended the two-day event at the Business Design Centre in London, and the five theatres - Cross Media, Digital and Direct Marketing, Content Marketing and Publishing Strategies, Print and Innovation and Mobile Marketing – often had standing room only during the 50 seminars on offer. Next year the event will move to the autumn - 21 to 22 October.
"Cross Media 2013 had a real buzz from the outset," said Anthony White, European marketing product manager, Canon Europe. "The vast majority of seminars at the Canon sponsored Print and Innovation Theatre were packed across the two days. There was a constant flow of people from all areas of the industry, with marketers, brand owners, publishers and printers interested in the engaging seminar content and wanting to discuss topics further."
Dedicated feature areas on the exhibition floor proved popular too. The 'Augmented Reality Hall of Fame' demonstrated the power of integrating print and digital media with high impact augmented reality campaigns from Aurasma, Inition and Layar. Inition also hosted a 3D virtual skydive and vertigo challenge on its stand which also proved popular. And documobi showcased the opportunities of integrating video, print, photography and social media through its 'intelligent print' software. A caricaturist drew a picture of the interested stand visitor, after which they were walked through the integration process of linking their printed cartoon image to online content."
Ogilvy and Mather's ideas workshop was bustling throughout the event, as small businesses and charities were invited to take advantage of the free advice offered on the full range of marketing principles by company's experienced professionals.