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After some months of deliberations and consultations, the Photo Imaging Council of Australia is set to formally launch its new look Digital Show.
Commented PICA president Dave Marshall, "At a planning meeting last May, the PICA board formed a very clear vision of the changes that needed to be made to the annual industry show for the future.
"However, we are a democratic organisation and thus have a need to consult with both our own wider membership and our business partners, such as the AIPP and PMA, on the new directions we seek to pursue.
"A formal vote of PICA at an annual general meeting to be held on November 22nd is still required to put all the plans into effect, but we are now confident that the board's recommendations for a number of sweeping changes will have the full support of the membership."
The proposals before the PICA membership will involve a broadening of the membership base to encompass all importers of digital products: such as tablets, smart TVs, smart phones, software and accessory products. The adoption of a new constitution will also allow different circles of membership to be introduced to support and compliment other existing trade associations.
Signifying the change is the proposed renaming of the association to the Imaging & Digital Entertainment Association. An estimated eight new companies are expected to join the new association that already includes companies as diverse as Hewlett Packard, Epson, Panasonic, Canon and Sony amongst its membership.
Result of Convergence
Said Dave Marshall, "We have now bedded down our show planning for 2012. Named The Digital Show, the event will be held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, 25th to 27th May. It will introduce a new era of collaboration between exhibiting companies and us as show promoters. This will ensure that the best possible brand management image is projected to consumers.
"PICA has a long history of successful show management; with more than twenty annual shows to our credit. But although it is important to us, it is not our real reason for being. The show is the engine of our industry in that it provides profits - profits which are all returned to the industry itself. Our real success is our ability to return those profits to the industry to grow the size of the industry for all.
"Convergence means that we are now part of a wider industry. And it is now only appropriate that a wider membership of our association has a say in how show profits are returned to support the industry.
"However, the show has to stand on its own two feet. It has to deliver the return on investment to both its exhibitors and the industry. By working very closely with exhibitors, we are confident that we can do this and thus expand the total size of the business.
"This will involve the adoption of the latest technologies to take the show from a 3 day event to a nationwide virtual show with impact over several months.
"We are now recruiting a new general manager to take our plans further into the future. In the meantime, we have brought back Paul Curtis as the show director to launch the new format show.
"Paul has an unprecedented record of more than twenty years as a successful show entrepreneur. He will admit to ageing, but he is a yuppie of the first order and is now assembling a team of young talent that will make the 2012 show the most exciting ever held. He is the Indomitable Showman!"
Said Dave Marshall, "There have already been reports on our planning to expand consumer attendance. Some have taken this to mean that we will be lessening our bid to attract business and industry to the show. This is far from the case. Friday will remain a trade and business day. But we will make an all out bid for much broader trade attendance and education."
PICA has announced that exhibitor bookings are now open and full information can be obtained from Paul Curtis at paul@paulcurtis.com.au. Tel 0418 257772
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