Last November, the London company had to produce a giant Meerkat Tales children’s book for a nationwide promotional tour. By giant, the client meant A0-size text pages printed digitally and gloss laminated to emulate a typical children’s reading book. All production was polished off in-house within 72 hours. Impact and timing were crucial for another job: two Jaguar Land Rover presentation books, in a bespoke slipcase, with covers also printed digitally on large-format presses and gloss laminated. This was completed in fewer than 36 hours, but the judges praise was more succinct: “A clear winner in a category rammed with the wow factor.” www.screamingcolour.com 020 7549 3400 COMMENDED Empress Litho www.empresslitho.com 020 8316 6648 Last year’s finalist almost stole the crown this year with products that were, in the judges’ eyes, “awesome – no other word for them”. BrandMe 1993-2013, a designer’s own brochure celebrating 20 years of branding, boasted an 8pp cover on a landscape book without the usual join, coloured cloth spine and “good use of imaginative finishing techniques.” FINALISTS Celloglas Empress Litho Screaming Colour...

One such piece, for Ikea, was a multimedia summer campaign targeting customers with data-driven postcards alongside other media. The postcard presented localised weather forecasts for a campaign that ran for three weeks using 300,000 postcards mailed each week. Real Digital was able to o?er a ?exible solution to process data, overlay weather forecast information and gain proof approval in very short succession. Such techno-driven flexibility also helped holiday park company Haven. Using GMC software, all data for the 33 parks was mail-sorted, so print files could be created for a letting campaign. The client was as impressed as the judges, who commented: “The speed to market of these pieces was consistently impressive.” www.real-digital.co.uk 020 8603 7000 COMMENDED Concept Communications Group www.conceptcomms.com 01279 757333 The company in Stansted, Essex, was challenged by gift and leisure specialist Activity Superstore to improve auditing and control over POP material. Using a digital press and versioning software it printed a unique referencing system to the POP gift box itself. “Good use of custom data,” said the judges, “this was high quality, well produced and well executed.” FINALISTS Communisis Concept Communications Group Howard Hunt Group Real Digital International Sponsored by BPIF...

The Land Rover Experience, however, was quite an experience. New vehicle owners were targeted with an invite to a complimentary stomach-churning off-road experience at one of seven Land Rover Experience Centres in the UK. The customer offer had an inset USB pre-loaded with a Land Rover ?lm, a map and an invitation. Once a booking was made the customer received a mailing with core personalised details: times, maps and what to wear. The Real Digital team revved up its digital printing presses for duplex personalisation, while the judges sat back and enjoyed the ride: “Great quality targeted direct marketing that over-delivered on the client’s brief and provided a tangible return on investment.” www.real-digital.co.uk 020 8603 7000 COMMENDED Eclipse 4dm www.eclipse4dm.com 01536 416426 Last October, Eclipse Colour took over 4DM Group. As one of Britain’s largest commercial print and direct mail providers it had much to prove, and did so with campaigns including welcome packs for subscribers to The Times. Duplex lasered letters, voucher books and thermally printed personalised cards were hailed by judges as “excellent, with real attention to detail”. FINALISTS Eclipse 4dm The Lettershop Group Real Digital International Sponsored by printweekjobs...

According to the DfE, the success of that trial – aimed at boosting the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and design and technology – has led to another £500,000 funding injection. This will allow 60 teaching schools to buy 3D printers and train teachers to use them effectively – a key development from last year’s trial in which pilot schools reported that early work with the printers was often limited to demonstrations and printing of small files such as 3D shapes. The funding boost is the latest stage in the government’s plan to improve standards in hi-tech subjects. Announcing the new 3D printing fund, Gove said: “3D printers are revolutionising manufacturing and it is vital that we start teaching the theory and practice in our schools. Teaching schools will be able to develop and spread effective methods to do this. “Combined with our introduction of a computer science curriculum and teacher training, this will help our schools give pupils valuable skills.” The new design and technology curriculum, backed by Sir James Dyson, specifically mentions 3D printers and will see pupils taught about advanced skills, including robotics, so that more are prepared for jobs in the engineering...

According to the DfE, the success of that trial – aimed at boosting the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and design and technology – has led to another £500,000 funding injection. This will allow 60 teaching schools to buy 3D printers and train teachers to use them effectively – a key development from last year’s trial in which pilot schools reported that early work with the printers was often limited to demonstrations and printing of small files such as 3D shapes. The funding boost is the latest stage in the government’s plan to improve standards in hi-tech subjects. Announcing the new 3D printing fund, Gove said: “3D printers are revolutionising manufacturing and it is vital that we start teaching the theory and practice in our schools. Teaching schools will be able to develop and spread effective methods to do this. “Combined with our introduction of a computer science curriculum and teacher training, this will help our schools give pupils valuable skills.” The new design and technology curriculum, backed by Sir James Dyson, specifically mentions 3D printers and will see pupils taught about advanced skills, including robotics, so that more are prepared for jobs in the engineering...