A Gender Trap survey, carried out by Packaging Innovations show organisers easyFairs, found that 77% of those 500 marketing and packaging professionals surveyed thought women were more likely to be influenced by packaging than men. Women aged between 20 and 30 are seen as the most easily targeted group, with 29% saying this group is most likely to be drawn by a packaging gimmick, whereas only 16% nominate men in this age range. The perceived gender divide among teenagers was found to be even wider, with 27% of marketers saying that, as a group, teenage girls aged 13 to 19 are most attracted to novel packaging. Only 9% of respondents thought teenage boys were the most susceptible demographic. “Women do seem more attracted to special editions. A lot of the new printing formats such as personalisation and the augmented reality just seems to appeal for some reason to women’s psyches,” commented Alison Church, event director at easyFairs. Church added, however, that women often appear more susceptible to creative packaging because they make more purchasing decisions than men. “Often it is the women who are making more of those purchasing decisions in the household,” she said. The survey also found that marketers feel that novelty packaging is less attractive to older consumers. Only 8% thought women aged 31 to 50 were the most susceptible, and only 4% thought men in this age range were most easily targeted. “Again, this could be down not to the 20 to 30 age group’s innate susceptibility,” said Church. “Rather it could be a reflection of the sort of lifestyle a person in their 20s is likely to lead. “People in their 20s to 30s generally have more disposable income and therefore are more likely to make spontaneous decisions influenced by attractive or interesting packaging than perhaps other ages, where they might have families or, if younger, might be students,” she said. EasyFairs is the organiser of Packaging Innovations, the London version of which is being held at the Business Design Centre, London, 1-2 October....

A Gender Trap survey, carried out by Packaging Innovations show organisers easyFairs, found that 77% of those 500 marketing and packaging professionals surveyed thought women were more likely to be influenced by packaging than men. Women aged between 20 and 30 are seen as the most easily targeted group, with 29% saying this group is most likely to be drawn by a packaging gimmick, whereas only 16% nominate men in this age range. The perceived gender divide among teenagers was found to be even wider, with 27% of marketers saying that, as a group, teenage girls aged 13 to 19 are most attracted to novel packaging. Only 9% of respondents thought teenage boys were the most susceptible demographic. “Women do seem more attracted to special editions. A lot of the new printing formats such as personalisation and the augmented reality just seems to appeal for some reason to women’s psyches,” commented Alison Church, event director at easyFairs. Church added, however, that women often appear more susceptible to creative packaging because they make more purchasing decisions than men. “Often it is the women who are making more of those purchasing decisions in the household,” she said. The survey also found that marketers feel that novelty packaging is less attractive to older consumers. Only 8% thought women aged 31 to 50 were the most susceptible, and only 4% thought men in this age range were most easily targeted. “Again, this could be down not to the 20 to 30 age group’s innate susceptibility,” said Church. “Rather it could be a reflection of the sort of lifestyle a person in their 20s is likely to lead. “People in their 20s to 30s generally have more disposable income and therefore are more likely to make spontaneous decisions influenced by attractive or interesting packaging than perhaps other ages, where they might have families or, if younger, might be students,” she said. EasyFairs is the organiser of Packaging Innovations, the London version of which is being held at the Business Design Centre, London, 1-2 October....

The business provides print management, direct mail, international mailing and bulk postage services. Apprentices Jordan Sanders, Benjamin Jones and Mohammed Asif have been taken on across the firm’s back office and print-room divisions after the business invested in equipment that it says has doubled the speed of its output. Its West Midlands facility houses a raft of equipment including mono and colour Xerox and Ricoh printers that produce documents and letterheads, cards, postcards and booklets for businesses. Its latest additions include a fifth Ricoh Pro 1106 EX, an Astro 3800 high-speed inkjet address printer, a second Norpak P9 polywrap inserter and a Kern inserting line, as well as a host of IT upgrades. Finance and operations director Lorraine Walker said: “We’ve taken these apprentices on at a real time of growth and investment for the company. We are really serious about supporting them to develop their skills and knowledge. “They can help us with a range of admin duties which help with day to day business and they will also work on print quality assurance and on managing our social media channels.” Walker added that the business was currently looking for two more apprentices to train up....

UK & Ireland business manager for Esko Graphics, Paul Bates, said the company was targeting GPT’s established customer base of Mimaki and Agfa users, who could benefit from its products. He added: “We have identified the potential of the sign-making and wide-format print production industries for our products and believe that GPT has a portfolio of printing and finishing products that complement our own systems and strategies perfectly.” GPT is due to install a Kongsberg cutting table in its showroom and will invite customers for demonstrations. Newly appointed general manager of GPT Shaun Thompson said: “Cutting systems are an essential component of the modern wide-format printing solution. “By adding Esko Kongsberg cutters and software to our portfolio we are enabling our customers to increase their range of applications and services to their clients and therefore increase revenue and profits.” Meanwhile, on his appointment as general manager, which he has stepped up to from the role of sales director, Thompson said he was looking forward to helping the business progress and meet its objectives. “We will be looking to grow the business in terms of key personnel that will help us increase sales and maintain our reputation for high class service and support,” he added....

In an announcement today the government said that an initial public offering (IPO) on Royal Mail was “expected in the coming weeks.” CWU general secretary Billy Hayes, said: “This isn’t about what’s best for the Royal Mail, it’s about vested interests of government ministers’ mates in the City. Privatisation is the worst way to access to capital as it’s more expensive than borrowing under public ownership. “We remain convinced that privatisation is the wrong decision for Royal Mail. It would be bad for customers, bad for staff and bad for the industry.” Hayes said that the union would ask for a commitment from the labour party that a Labour government would renationalise the postal service, if elected. “Privatisation is an old-fashioned idea and a breach of the public’s trust. It would destroy a centuries-old public service,” he added. On 2 September the CWU announced that it would ballot for a national postal strike of Royal Mail workers on 20th of this month, marking the first national strike ballot since 2009. The ballot excludes Post Office workers. It followed a consultative ballot in June in which 96% of respondents opposed the privatisation of Royal Mail, 92% were in favour of a boycott of DSA providers’ mail. Other issues in dispute include a 2013 pay claim and changes to pension terms. This month’s ballot will go out to 125,000 Royal Mail workers and if a yes vote is reached the first strikes could take place from 10 October. The results of the ballot will be announced on 3 October. Negotiations between the two organisations have been ongoing for months now and while the CWU agreed not to encourage its members to boycott DSA mail, after the Royal Mail sought legal backing, the union told PrintWeek it was consulting lawyers about how a DSA boycott could be included “as part of implementing industrial action”. Dave Broadway, managing director of DSA provider CFH Total Document Mailing, which works closely with Royal Mail, said a strike would impact heavily on its customers. “We will try to offset that impact as much as possible, and of course, deliveries in Bristol, Bath and Coventry, where we use our own delivery service, will be unaffected,” he added. Broadway said he had little sympathy for the CWU. “They realise that a move into a competitive market means that it will be harder for them to demand salaries, pensions and terms that are far better than any in the private sector, and that date back to the union heydays of the 60’s and 70’s. However, if the union wants their members to have jobs for the longer term, then this is a move that Royal Mail needs to make....