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AT A GLANCE: Drupa Preview at the start

Messe Düsseldorf is breaking new ground for the ailing drupa 2021

By Andreas Weber and Morten Reitoft 

Sponsors of drupa and Messe Düsseldorf are daring a foray: Today on October 27, 2020, a virtual platform was launched with drupa Preview. Comprehensive information is to be provided in three main areas: 

1. The Conference Area 

2. The Exhibition Space 

3. Networking Plaza 

The following is announced: “In the conference area you will find lectures, videos and interviews - a foretaste of drupa 2021, which reflects the content-related agenda and the knowledge transfer that drupa stands for. (...) Companies at drupa Preview present themselves and their products in the digital showroom of the exhibitor database. Company profiles, product videos and product descriptions provide a comprehensive picture of the industry. In the interactive web sessions, the participating companies provide detailed information on products, new processes and solutions in an interactive live format. (...) Networking Plaza: Our matchmaking brings exhibitors and visitors together."

The idea behind it is: those interested in drupa should be introduced to new topics before drupa 2021. And exhibitors can get in touch with visitors in advance. At first glance, that seems well thought out. Assuming that the technical implementation works perfectly, which has not always been the case at numerous other "online events" in recent months. The reason: bandwidth fluctuations, bugs and a lack of user experience. 

But there are also aspects that have to be questioned: 

1.  Is drupa now also a publication platform for specialist information? If so, what editorial competence is behind it? 

2. Messe Düsseldorf resp. drupa per se has almost no original content of its own; these always come from third parties. How is it ensured that this is correctly equipped in terms of quality and content?

3. To date, Messe Düsseldorf has not been able to shine with success in social media and online communication since drupa 2016. Established measures were overturned without the new and target-oriented ones being followed. (Example: The strong drupa XING group was put on hold to focus on LinkedIn; but almost nothing happens here). So where should the traffic for drupa preview come from? 

4. Will the top exhibitors who canceled their participation in drupa 2021 now be included again? A panel discussion will take place today at 10 a.m. as a kick-off for the drupa preview.

A panel discussion will take place today at 10 a.m. as a kick-off for the drupa preview. Let's see what will happen. Participants: Sabine Geldermann, Project Director Print Technologies; Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the VDMA Printing and Paper Technology Association; Dr. Christian Plenge, Head of Digital Strategy and Communication at Messe Düsseldorf. – With a video message from Prof. Dr. Pinkwart – Minister for Economy, Innovation, Digitization and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

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