FESPA Global Summit Blue Print: Innovation – the Way Forward This FESPA Blueprint is the distillation of the key themes, discussions and presentations that came from the FESPA Global Summit on 25-26 March 2010 in Miami, Florida. The Summit successfully connected leading innovators from Europe and the USA. In addition, the event also benefited from delegates from outside of these two main regions including Hong Kong, New Zealand, Canada, India and Brazil. The purpose of the Summit was also to create a practical outcome. It was a gathering of leaders, brought together to discuss the challenges, problems and opportunities for our market. Its aim is to create a programme of action for attendees and the wider community. This ‘FESPA Blueprint’ attempts to outline the themes, discussions and presentations from the Summit. And it also outlines some of the ideas, agreements, models and behaviours deemed necessary for a successful, innovative print oriented business of the future. Using the broad themes of change, leadership and innovation – the FESPA Blueprint is an outline of ideas for success, by embracing and integrating innovation into printers’ businesses for the future.
1 Change The Summit agreed that significant macro and micro change has impacted our marketplace and that print production volume has been universally affected across the world. FESPA surveys with InfoTrends outline a dip of 15% to 20% in volume demand for print. The pressure this has placed on the market has resulted in many businesses closing and many businesses along the supply chain being bought or consolidated by others. This has also resulted in an even more intense focus on price and speed of production. That said, the market is most certainly in a more positive state than that of 12 months ago. According to the FESPA/InfoTrends Economy Survey 1 & 2, the marketplace has responded to this downturn by focusing on efficiencies. This has been a sensible short term reaction but is not sustainable, profitable, long term behaviour for any
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Global Summit Blueprint business. With a focus on efficiencies, the desire to take risk is muted. And risk is a vital component of innovation. Innovation and progress don’t exist without creativity and risk. Throughout 2009 we saw a focus on the reduction of price and on a focus on increased efficiency and the consequent reduction of decision making. This is defensive activity. Many print businesses were able to survive 2009 by running their businesses this way. However, as the market returns to a more positive state, this behaviour is not sustainable. The Summit also accepted that, despite a more positive economy, the market had not returned to its previous position. This ‘new normal’ is a more competitive environment. On the shop floor competition has intensified further and, consequently, there is a more intense focus on speed of production. Decisions on retail promotions are being made later and print shops are expected to respond to this fierce demand whilst charging less for an enhanced service. This is reinforced by findings from the World Wide Survey 3 report, a FESPA research project in partnership with InfoTrends. This altered landscape demands a more focused, higher performing and innovative business able to continually meet production demands and enhanced value for their customers. Wider change in consumer and marketing trends and how the buying population interfaces with information were also accepted and noted as another core motivator for change amongst the wide format community. The FESPA Global Summit tackled the need to use innovative technologies to produce conceptual marketing solutions for customers.