The event’s marketing manager Andrew Thornhill said the new show enabled the existing annual Cross Media event, held in October, to diversify further into the printing community. 

“The original ethos of the Cross Media event was borne out of our work in the print industry and we realised we needed to help printers engage with clients on another level, rather than just putting ink on paper. 

“So this gives us the opportunity to do that and reinvent the Cross Media brand, bringing all the agencies, marketers and publishing businesses to demonstrate how print works alongside all the other communication channels out there.” 

Thornhill said that the show would be primarily "about 'the how' of running a cross-media campaign", designed to help printers make the leap into marketing services provision.

"The landscape is full of businesses who have gone from just putting ink on paper to becoming a full-service marketing business," he added.  

The show will host demonstrations from manufacturers of digital cross-media technology including augmented reality, variable data printing, outdoor display print, digital asset management, multi-platform publishing, email marketing, creative packaging and mailing and fulfillment. 

There will be 60 theatre sessions across the duration of the show hosting sessions for printers, print buyers, brands, agencies and publishers. Four specialised theatres are focused on brand management, data and direct marketing, retail marketing, and publishing. 

Visitors to the show are expected to be made up of 45% printers, 20% agencies, 20% brand owners and 15% from the publishing community, according to Thornhill. 

The show, which will be located in Halls N1 and N2 at the Excel Centre will cover around 1,000sqm with 600sqm dedicated to exhibitor space. Thornhill said it was too early to reveal details of any exhibitors yet. 

“Print is experiencing a renaissance at the moment. There is much more print included in marketing campaigns which is being boosted by things like augmented reality. Things like that are really putting print back on the map and I think these two shows sit perfectly together," he added.