LAS VEGAS— IMPRESSION United Exhibitionproduced by the IMPRESSION United Allianceserves as an inclusive, convergent platform for the print industry and took place October 19-21, 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, attracting approximately 1,000 fewer attendees than in 2019.
PRINTING United Expo 2022 was the show’s first in-person event since 2019; its return to in-person format earned a satisfactory 9/10 rating from a third-party research firm. While attendance was down slightly from 2019, over 88% of attendees had purchasing authority or influence, and 58% were first-time attendees of PRINTING United Expo.
Printer participation also increased by 22%, with representatives from more than 116 countries and every U.S. state and territory. More than 5 million pounds of freight were shipped to the show by more than 700 exhibitors, and live global product launches took place throughout the three-day event. These same exhibitors used social media to share what they were showing at the show, generating a level of engagement that matched the investment they made in getting equipment and personnel to Las Vegas.
The global printing industry consists of segments that focus on specific methods and types of printing, including packaging and apparel printing. In order to meet the needs of their customers, more and more printing companies are looking to diversify their services and opportunities.
“The need for these printers to explore diversified solutions outside of their current segment has driven the need for a ‘converged, single-roof’ approach. We anticipated this trend and created PRINTING United Expo to meet the needs of the market,” said Mark Subers, president of events and exhibitions at PRINTING United Alliance and NAPCO Mediasaid. “All the technology is made available on the ground; everyone can go to one place to see what they need, get trained and network with their peers.”
Through strategic cross-media campaigns, PRINTING United Alliance focused extensive efforts to attract existing and new companies and organizations to the show through direct mail, email, dedicated content, social media, strategic marketing and public relations efforts, and a proprietary exhibitor invitation platform. The Expo generated more than 7.5 million organic, paid social and digital social impressions. Approximately 74% of exhibitors participated in customer invitations to the show and generated more than 500 social media posts. The success of this outreach is largely due to PRINTING United Expo’s exhibitors, sponsors, and global media and association partners.
“We are pleased to have achieved this level of engagement and success because we believe communities have truly embraced the concept of the ‘one roof’ approach where all market segments are represented,” Subers said.
New this year was a pilot recycling program in partnership with Vycom who collected the leftovers and used rigid plastic cartons and ensured they were taken to a recycling facility. PRINTING United Alliance is in talks with Vycom to expand the program in 2023. On another sustainability front, having a show that encompasses all segments means that professionals have to travel less, which reduces the carbon footprint of attendees.
“This is the first time we’ve all been together under one roof since the pandemic began. It was crazy to see how excited this community was to be at this event, and it was great to see the audience organically take over the show,” Subers said.
PRINTING United Expo 2023 will be held in Atlanta from October 18-20. Information can be found at: www.printingunited.com.
Contact Mark Subers at (215) 238-5092 or msubers@napco.com