PRINTING United's 2025 Expo promises to be their best yet, and if you’ve been to previous Expos, you know that’s a high bar! I recently attended a sneak peek webinar with some of the PRINTING United staff, and there was so much excitement around this year’s show that I had to share some of it with our readers! As a reminder, the show will be October 22-24 in Orlando, so if you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time to do so! As a professional in the print/mail industry, this is truly one of the best ways you can stay educated about industry happenings, network with other professionals, and take back actionable items to optimize your operation.
The PRINTING AI PAVILLION is one I’m certainly going to make time for during my three days in Orlando. This pavilion will showcase how AI is transforming the printing and packaging industry and will showcase real-world AI applications, talks from industry experts right on the show floor, and highlight the latest offerings from pioneering exhibitors. I’m looking forward to seeing what new technologies are out there in this space!
As anyone who has been to trade shows can attest, networking and idea-sharing are some of the top reasons people take the time to attend. This year, there will be a new SPILL THE INK drop-in discussion zone, where attendees can have real-time chats with their peers, industry thought leaders, and others about pressing industry matters. As the Expo staff said, there will be “No stage. No mic. Just a circle of seats, great topics, and people who get what you do.” I’m looking to see all the great ideas and brainstorming that comes out of this new offering!
Of course, there will also be educational sessions that shouldn’t be missed. I know it can be hard to take time away from the exhibit floor, especially when there are so many great new products to be seen and vendors to chat with, but your experience at the Expo isn’t truly complete unless you attend some of these sessions. And this year, PRINTING United has some great ones lined up for those of us in the print/mail industry. I’ll be running a panel on Wednesday, October 22nd on “Mail’s Place in an Ever-Changing World.” We’ll discuss why mail is such a powerful communication method even in this digital age, how we can integrate hard-copy mail with digital offerings for even better ROI, and more. We’d love to see you there, so I thought I’d do a brief Q&A with my panelists here about what they are most excited about at the show.
- The panel you are part of is titled: Mail’s Place in an Ever-Changing World. What are the main takeaways you’d like people to take away from this panel, and how do you feel that PRINTING United as a whole helps mailers understand mail’s place in this digital world?
Paul Bobnak, Content Creator for the Printing and Marketing Industries:PRINTING United Expo is proof positive that mail doesn't stand still - marketing and printing technologies continue to evolve to meet customers' needs. In our panel, we'll talk about how mail both drives and is driven by technology to be more relevant and personal than ever before, especially for the diverse audiences of today's brands and marketers.
German Sacristan, Principal Analyst, Production, Keypoint Intelligence:
Identify where direct mail/print fits; it does not fit in every occasion. What are the strengths and value of print/direct mail? If you are a print service provider, how do you present/promote print to print buyers, and if you are a print buyer/marketer/brand how do you integrate it in your marketing strategy?
Morgan DiGiorgio, Chief Revenue Officer, DirectMail2.0: My core message is that the only thing constant is change. Long gone are the days of proverbial tug of war between direct mail and digital. Marketing effectiveness in the current marketing ecosystem calls for a hybrid execution of multiple channels where mail plays a core and integral role. Mail is a performance channel that, when powered by personalization, integrated with digital, and proven with measurement, delivers the results that marketers are looking for.
- Why are shows like PRINTING United so important to keeping mail relevant?
Bobnak: PRINTING United Expo reminds us all that mail is a vital part of the overall printing ecosystem, accounting for 7.9 million jobs and $1.9 trillion in sales revenue, according to the Envelope Manufacturers Association. And for many companies, mail is and can continue to be an important part of the mix of print and omnichannel solutions that we offer.
Sacristan:Because of the traffic of print service providers, which promote and sell mail to their customers. Any relevant info that they can take will be helpful to grow their mail business.
DiGiorgio:Confidence lives on the show floor. In a cost-pressured world, mail stays relevant because we keep proving its value. I can hold a sample with new embellishments, see inline finishing at speed, then turn around and demo attribution dashboards that tie the piece back to incremental revenue. That side-by-side reality presents print with today’s endless possibilities shaping the industry.
- What new technologies are you most looking forward to seeing on the exhibit hall floor?
Bobnak:I love embellishments and how they add value to printed pieces, especially mail, of course. I'll be checking out what vendors will be promoting for finishing and postpress in general.
Sacristan:Inkjet and AI related tools that drive better efficiencies, effectiveness, and automation.
DiGiorgio:AI is finally moving from hype to hardware at PRINTING United, and you can watch it touch every link of the mail value chain — planning, production, and proof. I’m looking for AI creative intelligence that mines historical mail and predicts lift, identity modeling, and predicted in-home delivery that choreographs digital around the mailbox instead of after it.
- This isn’t your first year here; what are some of your suggestions for attendees to get the most out of the show?
Bobnak:If it's your first time at this show, be prepared to be overwhelmed. One million square feet, 800 or so exhibitors, workshops, events, people, and so much more equal sensory overload. Use the planner wisely, take advantage of the opportunities to network in person, and pace yourself! Have fun, make some new friends, and let's all work together to be successful.
Sacristan:Identify the must-go places and people to talk to beforehand, then plan it so you will have a productive visit.
DiGiorgio: It is a HUGE floor with a lot to offer. Come with a game plan and pre-set who you want to see and why. Map your route ahead of time, wear comfortable shoes and be open-minded and ready to explore other areas of interest that peak your attention. Most importantly, actively work the peer side: join meetups, trade playbook pages, grab coffees/dinner, and pick an accountability buddy. Each day leave with a 90-day mini-plan, then debrief within a week and launch one pilot per goal.
