Celebrating its fourth year, International Print Day (IPD) throws open its virtual doors to the global print community on Wednesday, October 18 – and everyone’s invited! This is your chance to join a worldwide conversation without borders and share your passion for print through social media that spans all time zones and all types of print. The event begins at 6 pm (EST) on Tuesday, October 17 (11 pm GMT, 9 am AEST) and finishes 24 hours later on Wednesday, October 18 at 6 pm (EST). Please check your local time zone for accuracy with the Eastern Time Zone due to rolling global clock changes. There are many ways for students and artists, printers and their supply-chain partners to participate. During IPD, you can share your work, your favourite print samples and applications, or simply share a moment with fellow enthusiasts using the hashtag #IPD17. Interact and network with the global printing community to share your love of print. Last year, the IPD hashtag on Twitter generated an impressive 30 million timeline deliveries in just under 24 hours – so the push for 2017 is to go even bigger!
IPD’s annual theme is born from the community that gathers for a weekly #PrintChat held every Wednesday on Twitter at 4 pm EST – and this year it’s #PrintUX providing another way for stakeholders to interact. “Print is an evolving technology with a proud history and a vibrant future,” said Deborah Corn, Principal at Print Media Centr, and the driving force behind the day. “PrintUX represents “The Print Experience” as related to print’s role in the world, print’s role in our lives, and the industry’s role in providing the tools and technology to manifest imagination through the printing process. We’re expecting to see printers, designers, marketers and entrepreneurs connecting throughout the day sharing samples and stories of great print – plus ideas, suggestions and opportunities to collaborate.”
One such collaboration is through #PrintChat, taking place at 4 pm EST (9 pm GMT) on October 18. This community endeavor attracts influencers from across the industry discussing products and services, multi-channel marketing and dreams for the future of print. On this occasion, it will represent the pinnacle of a visionary day of smart, print-related sharing. Another collaboration reflects the print experience in the form of a poster created by Craig Bower of Designs That Rock, with an Augmented Reality assist generously provided by Robert Young and the team at Miralupa (www.miralupa.com). The PDF poster is available in English and French can be downloaded via the IPD site www.internationalprintday.org. Download the free THRUBOX app from your mobile store to access the AR experience.
Corn sees IPD as a way for individual print providers to also engage with their local communities. “There are no limits to what can happen on International Print Day,” she added, noting that there are advocates guiding the sharing in Australia, Europe and the Americas to create non-stop activities that are poised to trend globally. “If you’ve been thinking of inviting customers or students in to see your shop, why not do it on International Print Day? It’s the perfect way to blend fun with being informative – and there are no boundaries as to what you can do.”
Anyone can host an International Print Day Hotspot with whatever degree of formality they choose, said Corn. A Hotspot can be registered with IPD so that the organizing team can help promote it as an official activity. The United Nations Library Geneva, LIA Queensland, and Xeikon Café North America are already registered for 2017, hosting events in honour of International Print Day. “In 2015, the United States Capitol Building recognized IPD by sharing pictures of their printed admission tickets,” Corn recalled. “In 2016 Good Morning America gave us a shout-out which was incredible, considering their massive following. But when the United Nations Library Geneva reached out to share their 2017 event news, I felt that International Print Day was validated as a legitimate global celebration of print. Now, the rest is up to us! So, be as inventive as possible and let’s get print and its possibilities trending around the world.”
For more information, please visit www.internationalprintday.org, where additional details about the format and content of the day can be found. Novice social media users can also find “Social Media Minute” videos by Print Media Centr at www.youtube.com/printmediacentr ahead of time to enhance and solidify their sharing knowledge. To register a Hotspot, or for more information about how to collaborate and participate, please contact info@internationalprintday.org. International Print Day is organized by the Print Media Centr, a diversified collective of print and print media enthusiasts who bring relevant and topical information and resources to the print and marketing community. For more information about the Print Media Centr, and its Principal Deborah Corn, please visit www.printmediacentr.com.
Join the global printing community October 18 for 24 hours of social media sharing and celebrate International Print Day
