Print Oasis Conference Focuses on Green Issues

As I drove into the Amelia Island plantation, I had my usual mix of pre-conference excitement, anticipation, and exhaustion. I had arrived at a 2008 edition of the Print Oasis Print Buyers Conference. The scene was set with Live Oaks, Spanish moss, Southern hospitality, and the roar of surf in the

Wow! Green is the new black. I had looked at some of the pre-conference materials and noted a green stripe running through it. Presentations about sustainability, green-washing, Chain of Custody, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) were in abundance at the conference.

Is it just political in this election year? Maybe, but the cynical side of me sees more than just bleeding hearts and youthful idealism. To start with we have the titans of the paper industry in North America and Europe throwing their force behind the green revolution. The paper industry is driving quite a bit of the green buzz. The domestic and European mills have found a "green" way to differentiate their products from the cheap Asian imports that have been driving paper prices down for the past five to 10 years.

Printers are also jumping on the bandwagon to differentiate their products with the green seal of approval. Intelligencer Printing was handing out baby trees and EarthColor had a very nice fact sheet on its green initiatives. Both printers enhance their brand by adding a stripe of green. For any increasing number of customers green printing has become a significant added value.

The genius of this green trend is in the branding. Representatives of the FSC and SFI both spoke at the Print Oasis conference. These independent groups have created credible brands that are now being applied to printed materials. The formerly intangible concept of sustainable forestry has been transformed into something very real and tangible. Marketers now have a very visible set of green brands that they can print on brochures and associate their products with.

Lastly, corporate and non-profit marketers are also pushing the green button because it makes good economic sense. Every piece of literature that is produced can either be perceived as a solid waste problem or as a sustainable communications solution.

Mary Ann Fong, assistant director/ creative services for Temple University, spoke quite passionately about the school's sustainability efforts. After the president announced a sustainability initiative, her office was one of the first places visited. Every university in-plant and/or print production group will be talking green very soon. Yes, green is indeed the new black.

Enough green. What else is on buyers' minds?

The economy? Nope. Thankfully, we have not yet returned to those dark days of 2002 and 2003. The buyers seemed confident, busy, and looking for solutions.

Professional certification? The main reason print buyers attend the Print Oasis conference is for education. Print buyers are starving for information. A few years ago Print Oasis added professional certification courses sponsored by (PCPI) Print Communications Professionals International. I have watched over the past couple of years as the body of PCPI certified members has grown and their programs have evolved. What was once an experiment now seems to be a continuing trend.

Web-to-print? This year it seems the Web-to-print solutions have penetrated the market. Many buyers who need a solution for their small repetitive order work have them in place now. Thanks to the efforts of the many printers and technology providers in this market. There is still plenty of money to be made and buyers are actually implementing these solutions in many, many places.

Variable-data printing? This technology has developed during the past few years and has matured with Web to print. A significant number of buyers have found the right niches for this technology. Many of the folks walking the halls talked about their actual experience doing live work with VDP The conclusion, it's great where it works and well worth the money and complexity.

The Print Oasis 2008 conference was a tremendous opportunity to interact with buyers in a relaxed atmosphere. I am looking forward to next year's conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.