WhatTheyThink, parent company of WhatTheyThink.com, PrintingNews.com, Printing News, Inkjet’s Age and Wide-Format & Signage, launches a multi-channel media service called @Event for industry events looking to increase their exposure, raise awareness, and provide attendees with valuable content that enhances the overall value of their event. The @Event team is hyper-focused on covering commercial printing, wide format, signage, labels, packaging, speciality graphics, textiles and other industrial applications of print technology.

The @Event service will leverage both digital and print publishing channels to provide the most comprehensive reach possible. Print coverage will revolve around a feature magazine made available at the live event, which will feature both original thought leadership aimed at educating the event audience about emerging technologies and critical trends, as well as event related announcements and news. Digital coverage will leverage the existing online channels of WhatTheyThink.com and the Printing News Group. This approach will provide the widest possible audience for industry events by leveraging the now combined Printing News Group and WhatTheyThink global reader communities.

“WhatTheyThink has long been highly involved in industry events, having partnered with most of the industry trade shows and user-group based events. We hope this effort will not only continue to strengthen those relationships, but also allow us to go deeper into more niche events and offer them the same kind of coverage larger shows are accustomed to,” said Eric Vessels, President of WhatTheyThink. “Now having both digital and print channel expertise with the combination of WhatTheyThink and the Printing News Group, we are uniquely positioned to offer the best possible content and coverage for any industry event. We have worked hard to put together the best cadre of thought leaders and writers in the industry, and this effort will allow industry events to leverage that expertise for their attendees.”

“We believe there is a significant missing piece in real-time event coverage that this initiative is well-positioned to fill,” said Kelley Holmes, Vice President at WhatTheyThink. “These custom-branded products will contain timely information, but also expert analysis and feature content that will add value and ultimately improve the overall event experience. The printed publications will be take-home pieces attendees can use as a reference tool throughout the year, and to communicate what they learned at the event to peers. They will be designed to help attendees make informed decisions about emerging technologies and key economic, social and technological factors that affect their businesses.”

In addition to the printed event coverage, Printing News and WhatTheyThink will also post special digital content dedicated to the event, including press releases and news coverage, video interviews, commentary and analysis, and content about the event produced in cooperation with the event organizers. This will also include extensive event coverage via all popular social media channels.

Adam Dewitz, WhatTheyThink COO, added, “Trade show publications have long been heavy on logistics and press releases without adding much context or information that will help attendees get the most out of their time at an event. What we’re aiming to do with the @Event service is make event attendees’ time more meaningful by adding key thought leadership that will help to inform their visit and enhance their time at the show.”

The first event to benefit from the @Event coverage will be the Association for Print Technologies’ PRINT18 event in Chicago. Work is already underway to bring the industry @PRINT18 in the fall with more events to come soon after, including the ISA International Sign Expo in 2019! In addition to industry trade shows, the new @Event service will work with user group conferences, association events, franchisee events, and other industry events looking to improve their events through industry leading content and exposure.