We were lucky enough to bring a whole team of people to Dscoop, some of us newbies and some of us seasoned veterans. Dscoop provided an amazing opportunity for us at Pageflex, not only to talk about what we were doing, but to feel truly involved in such a dedicated and passionate network of people. What stands out above all else, is how each member of our team was able to experience something completely different, but equally important. Instead of doing a series of posts to recap our time at Dscoop, we decided it best to give a tidbit into each person’s experience.
We’d love to hear more about what you thought about the conference, your experiences, the knowledge gained and the connections made!
Susan Farrell, VP Sales & Marketing
Dscoop represents a very innovative and engaged community of graphic arts professionals that is open to sharing ideas and approaches. This is one industry that loves to collaborate and the Dscoop North America Conference embodied that spirit, from the first session to the last.
The woven world of communications through print and digital, is creating new opportunities. In every event that I attended, from the opening keynote with The Woz and Laura Swartz to the Solutions Showcase floor, it was clear that the Dscoop community is not limiting themselves to print services. They are embracing multi-channel marketing solutions that reach into variable data packaging and labeling, rules-based variable data email campaigns to web landing pages that deliver a personalized message to each market segment, and brand compliance that extends the enablement of localized content at the affiliate level. The positive reception of our recent technology acquisition, Pando Platform, was reflective of the eagerness to leap into the next wave of growth in this industry. 2016 is definitely the year of transformation from print services to marketing solutions.
As I sip a Coke from my cool designer bottle and nibble on the chocolate that has my name on it, it really boils down to me - the consumer. The customer experience (CX) and the journey I take to purchase a product or service is very personal, whether it is for the company I work for or for my own use. Coca-cola gets that and what is happening is that industries, beyond consumer packaged goods, like financial services and higher education are getting it too. I think we will be able to look back on 2016 as a very pivotal year of innovation and transformation, with a focus on the customer.
Sara Howard, Marketing Director
Aside from geeking out at all of the amazing paper (thanks Neenah, Cougar and Verso!), I found Dscoop to be a truly inspiring space. As a newcomer to the organization, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but found that within this community lies a dedicated group of people who are passionate about what they do, and even more passionate about sharing their knowledge with others.
The aptly titled theme of this year’s show, Architects of Tomorrow, encouraged attendees to embrace the evolution of our industry. From the opening ceremony to the speakers and collaborative sessions, excitement was building for growing digital print by discussing best practices, networking with peers and continuing education.
The most inspiring aspect of the conference was the collaborative sessions, with leaders like Jennifer Matt from Web2Print Experts and special sessions on marketing to millennials, speaking about the importance of self-branding and embracing digital marketing. As someone who understands the importance of marketing in the digital world, it’s wonderful to see that the message we’re sending is one of collaboration and to move past a single channel approach into the omni-channel world.
I can’t wait to attend next year’s Dscoop!
Colby Kibbe, Technical Marketing Program Manager
This was my first time attending DSCOOP, and I have to say that the event had a great atmosphere, great people in attendance, and much innovation to go around. During my visit, I was able to attend the Leadership & Strategy track of breakout sessions, at which I learned how companies in our industry are valued, and how we can increase the value of our companies.
Mingling and networking was a key initiative presented at this year’s DSCOOP. Taking heed to this message, I met with numerous individuals to understand their business needs, as well as their general interests in life. In addition, I made sure to meet with the Keynote Speaker who passed on this great advice: Laura Schwartz.
DSCOOP was a wonderful platform to gather first-hand knowledge of print service providers’ wants, needs, and direction in the marketplace, and evaluate how Pageflex can be a strategic partner to meet future company goals and targets. A strong determination to transition from print service providers to omni-channel communication providers was discussed among top panel experts, leaving the market ripe for Pageflex to fill a need with our Pando and Storefront platforms.
All in all, it was a great experience for me, as I was able to see familiar faces, meet new faces, connect on LinkedIn with everyone I met, and have fun in an industry we all love.