When representatives from Bayer and Teekanne, alongside leading brand strategists, discuss the role that print and packaging play in the customer experience, it becomes clear just how much the industry is changing. It is precisely this development that the Print Digital Convention 2026 will address on 16 and 17 June in Düsseldorf. Using concrete examples, the conference program of this experiential trade fair demonstrates how print is evolving in conjunction with eCommerce, data and brand communication, and makes this development tangible for practical application.
“The conference program highlights just how much print is currently changing. Topics such as eCommerce, data-driven communication and brand management are now intertwined – and we have put together a particularly strong program featuring relevant voices from the communications industry,” explains Rüdiger Maaß, managing director of the Fachverband Medienproduktion e.V. (FMP).
Industry transformation
The thematic framework is set by two keynotes, each of which kicks off the respective day of the congress. On the morning of the first day of the event, Markus Morawe opens the program with his presentation “The future requires the strength to change”. The focus is on how companies can actively shape the connection between people, organization and technology and use change as a strategic competence.
On the morning of the second day of the event, another keynote speech will follow, examining the topic of transformation from a personal perspective. Under the theme “Speed Requires Attitude – Personal Skills as the Foundation for Success”, Osman Tüccaroglu takes the audience on an extraordinary journey through motorsport, centerd on his son Gian Luca’s path to the Porsche Carrera Cup. The focus is on attitude, decision-making ability and personal development – with clear parallels to everyday business life.
Curated session tracks
The first day of the event is dedicated to concrete applications in the marketing and communications sector. Following the keynote, the program continues with three parallel session tracks, designed in collaboration with association partners and bringing together different perspectives from industry, design and application.
In the morning, the focus will be on sustainable print production as well as the use of new technologies. Lea Eggers will demonstrate the role that environmental standards such as the Blue Angel play in print production, whilst Simon Pietsch (DHL Group) will contextualize requirements from the perspective of international supply chains. Complementing this, the role of artificial intelligence in the design process will be discussed: Caroline Mörnås (Paulig) and Tim Gelzleichter (WIN Creating Images) will demonstrate how generative approaches and data-driven applications can be meaningfully integrated into branding and packaging processes, and where a distinction must be made between hype and actual value creation. The afternoon will focus on data-driven communication and automated processes. Ahmet Baydan and Christian Boy (Europots) will demonstrate how personalized customer engagement is implemented, whilst Fabian Dudek (nucao) and Tom Streefkirk (colordruck) will provide insights into how print and packaging can be effectively extended into digital channels and social media.
Focus on print and packaging
One of the highlights of the program is the panel discussion on the first day of the event, which re-evaluates the role of print and packaging in brand management. Under the title “A brand you can touch”, the discussion centers on the significance of physical touchpoints in an increasingly digital brand landscape. With contributions from Christian Rätsch (BBDO) as well as representatives from the Peter Schmidt Group, Bayer AG and Teekanne, the discussion brings together perspectives from strategy, design and brand practice. The focus is on how print and packaging function as part of the customer experience and what contribution they make to perception, differentiation and brand loyalty. The subsequent PDC Night offers the opportunity to continue the discussions in an informal atmosphere and to deepen contacts.
“It is precisely the combination of brand, design, technology and application that makes this panel so exciting. We are delighted to have secured high-caliber voices from the world of brand practice for the program, together with our partners. It is this interplay of different perspectives that is becoming increasingly important for the further development of the industry,” explains Sabine Geldermann, Director of drupa, Portfolio Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf.
E-commerce, data and new business models
The second day of the event builds on the topics from the previous day and focuses in particular on e-commerce, data and new business models.
In the morning, Michael Atug will provide insights into the transformation from brick-and-mortar retail to online business and highlight the opportunities arising from digital sales models. In parallel, Matthias Windolph (We.Love.Print) and Thorsten Kinnen (Konica Minolta) will discuss the role of print as a trust-building medium in the digital communications landscape. Andreas Riekötter (IFH Media Analytics) will analyze how communication is changing amid the interplay of AI, digitalisation and growing media diversity. The key here is the intelligent integration of channels – this is where print comes into its own: as an attention-grabbing and trust-building medium in combination with digital applications. In the afternoon, for example, Markus Meyer (Eismann) will demonstrate how print, online retail and digital touchpoints can be combined to create integrated customer journeys.
The conference program comprises around 30 presentations and themed workshops across three parallel sessions, complemented by keynote speeches and discussion panels. The focus is on current developments in programmatic print, marketing automation, sustainable media production and print finishing – with a clear emphasis on practical applications.
