When the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre once again becomes the hot spot for the print media industry during drupa (31 May to 10 June), the city will also cordially welcome the hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. Düsseldorf will be painted red with numerous activities as the metropolis on the Rhine is transformed into drupacity. The goal of this collaborative campaign from Messe Düsseldorf and Destination Düsseldorf is to not only make the theme of the trade fair visible, but also – and more importantly – make it come alive in the city. Whether a mobile 3D lab or fashion collections made of paper, several attractive offerings targeting not only the international visitors, but also Düsseldorf residents, will communicate the core theme of the drupa trade fair innovatively and creatively, yet understandably for laymen.
“With numerous events, Dusseldorf will prove that the city and its residents identify with the theme of the trade fair, which promotes locational ties,” states Destination Düsseldorf Managing Director Boris Neisser. “So we’re delighted that the initiative is receiving such a positive response and that the Düsseldorf service industry is actively participating.” More than 50 partners from the hotel, restaurant, retail and transport sectors are supporting drupacity with numerous activities – from a “paper art market” to innovative 3D projects to so-called drupabases in hotels.
Welcome, Willkommen, Bienvenue
To ensure that visitors feel welcome in the state capital from the moment they arrive, they will be personally received at the Düsseldorf Airport and the central station by the drupaulas and drupauls of welcome teams dressed entirely in red, as well as by a special testimonial campaign on billboards. The testimonials are intentionally not from celebrities, but rather from representatives of various professions welcoming drupa guests with individual quotes. And if the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, “printen” go the same route – the druPRINTen from the baker’s guild, that is: specially baked versions of the traditional “printen” cookie, decorated with the drupacity logo and a Düsseldorf motif, which will be offered in 100 bakeries, and handed out at the airport, central station, at the exhibition centre, and in hotels as giveaways.
Wolfgang Goes Mobile: a Bus as a Rolling Laboratory
“Wolfgang” is sure to attract a good amount of attention, as a Berlin double-decker bus that has been transformed into a mobile 3D printing lab by the GoetheLab at Aachen Technical University. It brings the latest scientific findings in the area of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to the city, and makes it come alive while making technology understandable. Eight computer workstations complete with 3D printers are available, where visitors can learn how to virtually construct an object that is later printed in 3D. In addition, the “FabBus” – a combination of the words “fabber” and “bus” – features a showroom with specialist books on the subject, a lounge area and a coffee and tea bar. Incidentally, “Wolfgang” owes its nickname to none other than Germany’s most famous poet, in reference to the GoetheLab on Goethe Strasse in Aachen.
Diverse Action Programme
The drupa highlight theme, 3D printing, will also be visible in the entire inner city – in shopping malls and large department stores, but also at the airport. Here, visitors can win one of 100 personal 3D figures at the “Win Your Twin” promotion area. In the Schadow Arkaden, visitors will be able to observe how the Düsseldorf TV tower emerges on so-called delta towers over the course of the entire trade fair, or how giveaways are produced in as little as 20 minutes – little ghosts that glow in the dark. At Galeria Kaufhof Am Wehrhahn, the winner of a drawing contest will receive the subject of their drawing as a 3D object. And at Breuninger, a giant macaron welcomes visitors, who can learn interesting facts about food printing.
Extraordinary items made of paper will be shown at further attractive exhibitions at the Kö. Under the name “Paper Art Market”, stilwerk will show works by various artists, while the art of paper tearing can be experienced at Mr Lo’s Paper Show at the Kö Bogen. The Kö Galerie presents a special fashion collection made of paper, designed by students of the Media Design School Düsseldorf. The theme of the collection is based on this year’s drupa slogan, “touch the future”. Further exhibitions and lectures round off the programme.
Service is High Priority in drupacity
Numerous drupartners from the gastronomy, hotel and retail sectors offer trade fair visitors specially marked meeting places in so-called drupabases. Here, guests can relax and gather information before and after their trade fair visit. Culinary needs will also be met at the drupabases: the spectrum ranges from free snacks to daily tastings in the gourmet zones to red drupacity welcome cocktails or red alt bier ice for your return trip to the hotel. The retail sector is preparing for the numerous international visitors by setting up tax-free service points and hiring multilingual sales personnel. Lastly, as a fitting souvenir to remind drupa guests of their stay, the city emblem – the Düsseldorf cartwheel – is available in the tourist information locations as a red 3D figure.
Good to Know
Beach banners displaying the imprint, “welcome to drupacity düsseldorf” will mark the locations in the inner city where special activities and promotions are taking place. The new drupa song, “drupa is in town again” will ensure the appropriate musical atmosphere. Düsseldorf-based musician and composer, Dieter Falk, wrote the drupa hymn; soul singer Bonita Niessen brought it to life. The song will be heard everywhere in the city, for example in department stores and hotels. The city guide, Düsseldorf Inside, includes a clear summary of the drupacity programme. Further information is available at www.drupacity.de.
