Druck und Design Conference

Last week, on October 7th, around 300 creatives gathered at the Macherei in Munich for the Druck und Design Conference, organized by Grafikmagazin and the Bavarian Printing and Media Association (VDMB). The day started relaxed with coffee and tea, giving attendees a chance to connect.

The morning opened with a welcome from Christian Meier (Grafikmagazin) and Holger Busch (VDMB), highlighting print as a medium of trust and identity in a digital, AI-driven world. Philipp Brune (Strichpunkt Design) spoke about brand identity in the age of AI, followed by Magnus Gebauer (MedienNetzwerk Bayern) on societal shifts and the continuing advantages of print. Prof. Sabine Cole presented Der KOALITIONSVERTRAG als Magazin*, showing how high-quality print can make politics tangible, bridge the gap to citizens, and strengthen trust and democratic values.

The full program included short breaks to explore the lively exhibition area, where attendees connected with exhibitors such as Berberich Papier, Gmund, Kurz, Ovol, Antalis, Fedrigoni Special Papers, Forum Druckveredelung, Fujifilm, F&W Druck & Mediencenter, IGEPA group, THE PAPER FAMILY, WE.LOVE.PRINT, Arctic Paper, Lenzing Papier, KONICA MINOLTA, Butz & Bürker, multi-druck, and RUDOLPH DRUCK. The stands offered inspiring encounters, paper innovations, and creative print finishing ideas to take home.

Before lunch came the “challenge of the day”: planning the afternoon. Out of five talks, participants could choose three based on their interests by dropping their names into the boxes for each session and noting which rooms they’d picked.

The afternoon workpanels offered practical insights into print and design collaborations: Marco Bölling (Bölling GmbH & Co. KG) on creating memorable experiences with fine paper and classic techniques; Kerstin Denzler (effektiv Druck+Veredelung) & Lars Schrodberger (Tabula Rasa) on merging strategic branding with high-quality production to build tangible trust; Thorsten Kinnen (WE.LOVE.PRINT/Konica Minolta) emphasized making print tangible, especially for young audiences, showing its value and attitude, while noting that AI is everywhere, with groundbreaking updates almost daily, and the design industry can still learn a lot from what print has long offered; Petra Wöhrmann provided insight into her work in analog lettering, especially in the luxury and fashion sectors, presenting it as a deliberate counterpoint to digital uniformity; and Denis Widmann on creating and communicating brands that are not only seen but also felt, emphasizing tactile experiences and transparency in the creative process.

The day closed with Maren Martchenko, who stepped in at short notice. In her talk Design ist mehr als schnell mal schön, also the title of her book, she called on everyone involved in the creative process to rethink their role and move from service provider to shaping advisor.

With full minds and bags full of paper samples, print innovations, and inspiration, the day came to an end. Despite the packed schedule, the conference highlighted print’s tangible value, its authenticity, and the creative possibilities it offers in a digital world. We’re already looking forward to the next edition in two years!

© Pictures by Burke Akademie & Samira Niedermayer