Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
In a clever piece of PR released Wednesday, Digital Signage Expo tries very hard to appear as though it is, like a knight in shining armour riding to the rescue on a white horse.
The damsel in distress is of course the ‘industry’ plagued by it is, heaven forbid, by those trade associations wanting to make money from members. How that differs exactly from a trade show wanting to do the same is a little bit beyond us at the moment but I am sure by Thursday we will have figured it out.
DSE want you to believe that the industry has been calling for a (new) independent trade association – last time we checked the carrion call was in fact for the Digital Signage Association (DSA) to become independent from NetWorld Alliance (owners of like a zillion unrelated trade associations) and owners too of our arch enemy Digital Signage Today NOT the creation of yet another industry association that could further divide the industry.
A vote is on the cards for DSA members next week just before the DSE event which will have undoubtedly meant DSA moving swiftly in a different direction from NetWorld and Digital Signage Today (it would have been curtains for the organisation if any other decision would have been made) so this announcement from DSE is definitely a preemptive strike to try and wrestle control.
We will cover DSA vs DSF in a little more detail tonight and no doubt a story will be up Thursday. In the meantime below is the full press release from earlier today.
Remember, as usual we scooped everyone on this announcement (he says with big grin on his face)…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2010
Digital Signage Expo Answers Industry Call for Independent AssociationLas Vegas – Digital Signage Expo the only International Conference Summit & Trade Show exclusively dedicated to digital signage, interactive technologies and out-of-home media networks, today announced that it is willing to step up and provide initial funding to launch a truly independent Digital Signage Trade Association this year.
The new trade association, The Digital Signage Federation, will be a truly independent 501c non-profit association with legal and professional by-laws and an elected Board of Directors who represent a cross-section of the industry and are therefore motivated to act in the industry’s best interest. Along with other member benefits still being finalized, the new Digital Signage Federation will provide a year-round education program for members and a full program of member services, featuring a vertical industry outreach program to bring the digital signage industry’s message to thousands of end-users in 2011. Professional association management will support the new Federation and funds will be provided to make projects immediately actionable.
To allow the industry to take control of its future through a truly independent Industry voice, DSE has agreed to step in and foot the bill without reimbursement, to create a member-owned forum in which true industry leadership can come to the fore.
Angelo Varrone, CEO of Exponation, LLC, which produces Digital Signage Expo said, “We have worked hard to represent this industry in a way that helps elevate our collective brand image to existing and prospective customers. And when the time came as different needs arose, we did our best to demonstrate leadership for our common good. We believe the industry has earned the right to an independent industry association in order to safeguard continued growth in a direction that accurately reflects the industry’s voice. We are committed to support the industry that supports us.”
To see more information on the Digital Signage Federation stop by booth #1230 or go to www.digitalsignagefederation.org. For more information on Digital Signage Expo go to www.digitalsiganeexpo.net. And, you can follow DSE on Twitter at DSExpo, or for all updates use #dse2010.
February 17th, 2010 at 21:25 @934
“Carrion call.” Freudian slip?!