"Well, duh" Dep't: DSF and DSE are BFF

September 9, 2010 by Dave Haynes

In an announcement this evening I would describe as, ummm, quirky … the Digital Signage Federation (DSF) has rather grandly named Digital Signage Expo (DSE) its official trade show, and in turn the DSF is the exclusive trade association sponsor of DSE, the industry’s largest annual gathering.

The agreement is described as historic, but I’d venture the only thing that would have been historic here is if that arrangement had not happened.

The DSF is effectively the spawn of the company that created, manages and owns the DSE show. While the new organization has taken considerable pains to stress and demonstrate its independent, non-profit and at-large status, the ties were and are very close. The DSF exists, for the most part, because the DSE folks were not seeing eye to eye with what had been the de facto industry organization until this winter, the Digital Screenmedia Association (which also has close ties to a for-profit company).

So I’m thinking Vegas oddsmakers weren’t even taking bets on the DSE hooking up with the DSA.

Reads the press release:

John Johnson, President & CEO of the DSF said, “This Agreement is historic because it is the first of its kind in our industry and will not only provide financial resources with which to underwrite programmatic efforts that will help our association expand and grow our industry, but will also create educational, advocacy and membership recruitment synergies and opportunities that will benefit our membership in a very real way.” He added, “We are proud to be associated with DSE, Angelo Varrone, and the entire management team at Exponation, LLC, who have been thoroughly professional and supportive from our organization’s inception.”

Mr. John, he nice man, but he speakee funny. “Programmatic efforts?” “Recruitment synergies?”

Anyway … if making this arrangement formal releases some budget and resources to make what is a really good, very polished and expansive show and conference even better, that’s terrific. All for it.