PARIS, FRANCE / DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Major publishing groups and leading digital experts will come together in London in April for the inaugural Digital Media Europe conference, a new major event from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) focusing on fast-developing innovations for publishing on digital platforms - online, mobile and tablet.
Confirmed speakers include Kevin Beatty, CEO of A&N Media and managing director of Associated Newspapers in the United Kingdom, Morten Holst, head of mobile for one of Europe's leading digital pioneers, the VG newspaper in
Norway, Christian Unger, CEO of Switzerland-based Ringier, Marc Huijbregts, worldwide digital director of Saatchi&Saatchi, and many others.
The event, 11-13 April at the Hilton London Olympia, will include a Digital Trend Day, a Mobile Media Day and an iPad and Tablet Day to allow participants to discuss and exchange ideas with their peers in the industry on how to create business on the new platforms. The three conference days can be booked individually or as a package.
Full details at www.wan-ifra.org/dme
Digital Media Europe is the successor to WAN-IFRA's long-time digital events, Beyond the Printed Word and Mobile Media Day.
Conference highlights:
- The Stardoll phenomenon, going mobile and tablet, by Chris Seth, global executive vice president and general manager of the Stardoll Network, a leading global group of websites devoted to young women and teens with more than 92 million registered users. Set up in early 2009, the network launched its first mobile app, for both Android and the iPhone, in 2010. Chris Seth will discuss how the company is extending its network on mobile platforms.
- More than a million downloads how to create amazing publishing apps, by Nic Newman, managing director of EMEA and head of strategy for TigerSpike, a creative media company specialising in innovative solutions for mobile and tablets. The company has many top media companies among its customers, including the BBC, The Daily Mail and The Telegraph. Newman opened TigerSpike¹s UK office in 2007, and sits on the UK board of the Mobile Marketing Association and the IAB mobile steering group.
- Tickles: Archant's challenge on Groupon, by Serge Taborin, group business development director for Archant, the UK regional media group that aims to be a master at identifying and implementing digital revenue opportunities. A recent showcase is Tickles, a local web site for group purchasing (Groupon-style) that opens a huge sales potential for Archant¹s local ad teams.
- 15 millions kids, 12 languages, and substantial revenues: the winner is Panfu, by Moritz Hohl, CEO and co-founder of Panfu in Berlin, Germany, a hotbed of virtual world companies such as Panfu, which provides multi-platform social games for children aged between 6 and 13. There is much for publishers to learn from Panfu about creating trust in social networks, how to attract children, and how to monetise.
- In practice: maximise reach and revenue on mobile platforms and web TV, by Stig Kirk Ørskov, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Denmark's JP/Politikens Hus, one of Denmark¹s best known brands in traditional media. However, the hidden treasures of the media company are its digital and mobile services and television start-ups. How it is making the shift to increasing digital revenue is the subject of Ørskov's presentation.
- Yelp the Web 2.0 reinvention of the Yellow Pages, by Dave Scheine, director of European Operations for Yelp.com - letting users search for and review local businesses in all possible categories.
Other speakers include: Olivier Delteil, business development manager for Digital of Les Echos in France, Pontus Schultz, head of business development for Bonnier R&D in Sweden, Guillaume Semblat, general manager for Regions Job in France, and many more.
Digital Trend Day, on 11 April, will examine future business models, sponsoring and advertising opportunities, online video, and the possibilities for monetising social media.
Mobile Media Day, on 12 April, will focus on the new business of applications (news apps, service apps, fun apps), on enriched services like maps and location-based offerings, and on working with both old and new operating systems (iOS, Android as well as warp and SMS).
iPad and Tablet Day, on 13 April, will be dedicated to product development for tablets, case studies, strategy and pricing, and analysing and understanding user needs.
For the evolving conference programme, registration and other information, go to www.wan-ifra.org/dme.
For more information on WAN-IFRA go to www.wan-ifra.org or through WAN-IFRA Magazine at www.wan-ifra.org/magazine.
