From the Super Bowl to the super market, bluemedia and its president, Jared Smith, cover it all. And we also mean that literally—they also produce and install wraps on buildings, race cars, and fleet vehicles The next project Jared will cover is Color 2015, December 5–8 in Phoenix, AZ. We caught up with him to talk about his session and find out just how bluemedia has earned its place as one of the top printers for Super Bowl L. (Any chance you can score us some tickets, Jared?)   PIA: You work with some big-name clients, like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Coke, ESPN, NASCAR and NHRA to name a few… What are the top challenges you’ve faced in delivering their products? JS: We’ve learned that our job can have no plan B. We must be proactively prepared—ridiculously prepared—to get the job right the first time. When we are working on a building wrap, the scene might include police, road closures, rented lights, swing stages, and harnesses. When it takes 30 minutes to raise the swing stage platform up to the top of the building, this is not the time to find out you have a missing tile, a bad print, or a color issue. We have a purpose-built QC center at bluemedia that must take steps similar to when NASA heads up to the moon. We can’t forget anything—the cost for all would just be way too high. Our customers don’t come to buy bluemedia to buy signs and printing. They engage bluemedia to execute projects and events that make use of our massive in-house capabilities. For those clients with those types of needs, bluemedia is a great source. PIA: Working with a variety of markets, including sports, big box retail, and agencies, how does your company ensure brand accuracy from end to end? Brand accuracy for us starts by taking steps to ensure we understand the brand first. This means we ask for style guides, branding guidelines, messaging rules, and Pantone colors very early in the process. We go a step further to research the brand and look at specific examples of how the brand is positioned currently. This gives us a great jump start on increasing the probability that our proposed solutions align with the brand right away. The next main focus in brand accuracy after design is color. We don’t tweak color per job. We tweak the entire color environment from monitors, to color space on design computers, to proofing devices, to lighting, to measuring equipment to the final press and the media profiles used. Our strategy is to have a neutral environment that always produces an accurate output of any digital file. PIA: What...

Life moves fast. Who has time for print? One new campaign is suggesting we all do—even if we aren’t aware of it. Paper and packaging has been in competition with other media forms for quite some time now. Within our industry we know that printed paper and packaging products are viable and sustainable. But the real problem is convincing our customers of that. It comes down to general perceptions. Kids, instead of coloring in a coloring book, would rather play video games on tablets. Sports fans would rather download a virtual game ticket. Vacationers would rather take their e-book to the beach. But what if we could change these perceptions? What if we could show people that print and packaging products are actually a significant part of their daily lives? Last week we posted about what effects the “Paper and Packaging—How Life UnfoldsTM” campaign may have on our industry. Marketing and advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt is helping us fight back. They created this targeted campaign to give us, as Mary Anne Hansan, executive director of the Paper and Packaging Board, told the Washington Post, “a voice in an increasingly competitive world.” Here thought leaders from Cramer-Krasselt discuss how they developed the engaging stories that speak to the core of the industry’s most pivotal consumers. PIA: Where did the inspiration for the “Paper and Packaging—How Life UnfoldsTM” campaign come from? We wanted to try to connect with consumers in engaging and emotional ways, so we focused on storytelling. At first we thought we’d create some compelling stories and then add in some paper and packaging. But what we actually found was that every story we wrote already had paper and packaging in them. That’s when we had this epiphany that paper and packaging are like actual characters in our lives’ greatest stories. The letters, the boxes, the tickets, the photos, the books. These are all the things that allow us to grow and learn and connect. In essence, paper and packaging is how life unfolds. Todd Stone, Vice President, Group Creative Director, Cramer-Krasselt   PIA: What is the key message about paper and packaging products? Paper and paper packaging is relevant and valuable to our daily lives, helping us achieve and accomplish important things—achievements both large and small. It does that by enabling us to work productively, interact thoughtfully, build stronger connections, solve problems creatively, learn more effectively, and live sustainably. Jamie Schmelzer, Vice President, Group Account Director, Cramer-Krasselt   PIA: What type of consumer does this campaign target? Our target for this campaign is a group of consumers we’re calling The Expressives—Educated adults 18–49. Most are working. Half are married with kids. They’re big fans of paper and paper-packaging, even...

Life moves fast. Who has time for print? One new campaign is suggesting we all do—even if we aren’t aware of it. Paper and packaging has been in competition with other media forms for quite some time now. Within our industry we know that printed paper and packaging products are viable and sustainable. But the real problem is convincing our customers of that. It comes down to general perceptions. Kids, instead of coloring in a coloring book, would rather play video games on tablets. Sports fans would rather download a virtual game ticket. Vacationers would rather take their e-book to the beach. But what if we could change these perceptions? What if we could show people that print and packaging products are actually a significant part of their daily lives? Last week we posted about what effects the “Paper and Packaging—How Life UnfoldsTM” campaign may have on our industry. Marketing and advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt is helping us fight back. They created this targeted campaign to give us, as Mary Anne Hansan, executive director of the Paper and Packaging Board, told the Washington Post, “a voice in an increasingly competitive world.” Here thought leaders from Cramer-Krasselt discuss how they developed the engaging stories that speak to the core of the industry’s most pivotal consumers. PIA: Where did the inspiration for the “Paper and Packaging—How Life UnfoldsTM” campaign come from? We wanted to try to connect with consumers in engaging and emotional ways, so we focused on storytelling. At first we thought we’d create some compelling stories and then add in some paper and packaging. But what we actually found was that every story we wrote already had paper and packaging in them. That’s when we had this epiphany that paper and packaging are like actual characters in our lives’ greatest stories. The letters, the boxes, the tickets, the photos, the books. These are all the things that allow us to grow and learn and connect. In essence, paper and packaging is how life unfolds. Todd Stone, Vice President, Group Creative Director, Cramer-Krasselt   PIA: What is the key message about paper and packaging products? Paper and paper packaging is relevant and valuable to our daily lives, helping us achieve and accomplish important things—achievements both large and small. It does that by enabling us to work productively, interact thoughtfully, build stronger connections, solve problems creatively, learn more effectively, and live sustainably. Jamie Schmelzer, Vice President, Group Account Director, Cramer-Krasselt   PIA: What type of consumer does this campaign target? Our target for this campaign is a group of consumers we’re calling The Expressives—Educated adults 18–49. Most are working. Half are married with kids. They’re big fans of paper and paper-packaging, even...

  The postpress industry has seen plenty of transformation in recent years. Lucky for you that means plenty more opportunities for profit. But the problem isn’t knowing where you want your business to go, it’s how you’re going to get it there. Here are some of the tricks you can employ when you’re reaching for those higher profits.   1. Go Lean Think about how you get ready each morning. Most of us have a system: 1) Coffee, 2) Get dressed, 3) Another coffee, and so on. Your system works. It gets you to your goal of being out the door on time (at least most days) and where you need to be.Now you probably didn’t spend the time analyzing your process and developing this strategic system that allows you to reach your goal using the least time and materials. But you get the picture. Postpress companies in particular, in a fast-growing, hyper-competitive market, can benefit from Lean improvements. There are countless resources available on how to develop a Lean strategy. PIA offers Web-based courses on Lean through the Integrated Learning Center in addition to several professional articles on the topic.   2. Automate where you can Another method to achieve more efficient operations is employing automation. Your customers are demanding quicker turnaround times for their binding, finishing, and other postpress jobs, and many operations are finding it difficult to keep up. New technology has increased the efficiency of automated finishing equipment in recent years. In addition to faster turnaround times, another benefit of automation is more user-friendly equipment. This means less need for highly skilled operators and more profits you can put toward your bottom line. 3. Mind your customers…Your goal should be to nurture your existing customer base while also growing it. Focusing on current customers allows you to develop repeat clients and ultimately brand ambassadors who will happily promote your company via social media, word of mouth, etc. On the flip side, bad customer service can lead to negative, damaging feedback for your company. According to sales consultant, Leslie Groene, “96% of unhappy customers do not complain, they just stop doing business with you. 91% of those who don’t complain will share the negative story with at least 9 other people, and 13% will tell more than 20 other people about their experience.” Among the best practices for attaining new customers are: Targeting: Begin by determine who your target customer is—what problems do they have and how can your company fix them? Communication: Get out in front of your customers, whether face to face or through email, direct mail, or other marketing platforms, and show them how you can provide them with solutions. Inbound marketing: Apply lead-generating, inbound marketing tactics...

  The postpress industry has seen plenty of transformation in recent years. Lucky for you that means plenty more opportunities for profit. But the problem isn’t knowing where you want your business to go, it’s how you’re going to get it there. Here are some of the tricks you can employ when you’re reaching for those higher profits.   1. Go Lean Think about how you get ready each morning. Most of us have a system: 1) Coffee, 2) Get dressed, 3) Another coffee, and so on. Your system works. It gets you to your goal of being out the door on time (at least most days) and where you need to be.Now you probably didn’t spend the time analyzing your process and developing this strategic system that allows you to reach your goal using the least time and materials. But you get the picture. Postpress companies in particular, in a fast-growing, hyper-competitive market, can benefit from Lean improvements. There are countless resources available on how to develop a Lean strategy. PIA offers Web-based courses on Lean through the Integrated Learning Center in addition to several professional articles on the topic.   2. Automate where you can Another method to achieve more efficient operations is employing automation. Your customers are demanding quicker turnaround times for their binding, finishing, and other postpress jobs, and many operations are finding it difficult to keep up. New technology has increased the efficiency of automated finishing equipment in recent years. In addition to faster turnaround times, another benefit of automation is more user-friendly equipment. This means less need for highly skilled operators and more profits you can put toward your bottom line. 3. Mind your customers…Your goal should be to nurture your existing customer base while also growing it. Focusing on current customers allows you to develop repeat clients and ultimately brand ambassadors who will happily promote your company via social media, word of mouth, etc. On the flip side, bad customer service can lead to negative, damaging feedback for your company. According to sales consultant, Leslie Groene, “96% of unhappy customers do not complain, they just stop doing business with you. 91% of those who don’t complain will share the negative story with at least 9 other people, and 13% will tell more than 20 other people about their experience.” Among the best practices for attaining new customers are: Targeting: Begin by determine who your target customer is—what problems do they have and how can your company fix them? Communication: Get out in front of your customers, whether face to face or through email, direct mail, or other marketing platforms, and show them how you can provide them with solutions. Inbound marketing: Apply lead-generating, inbound marketing tactics...

Who are the next industry game changers? Jim Workman, assistant vice president, Center for Technology and Research, tells you where you can find complete details on this year’s InterTech Award recipients. Attendees visiting Printing Industries of America’s booth #3802 at GRAPH EXPO 15 will be able to learn more about the ten technologies receiving the prestigious 2015 InterTech™ Technology Award. Read the press release announcing the 2015 InterTech Technology Awards here. The “Forecast Part 2, Midyear Update” issue of Printing Industries of America: The Magazine will be distributed at the booth and devotes 34 pages to the innovative technologies nominated and selected for an InterTech Award. You’ll find: •    Complete technology descriptions of all 2015 InterTech Award recipients•    Exclusive judge’s comments on the technology’s key benefits•    Images of each technology How we define “Innovative”The InterTech competition has been conducted annually since 1978 by Printing Industries of America as a service to the industry. Each entry is judged against specific criteria. First and foremost, the technology must be truly innovative—not just an evolutionary improvement on an existing product—and expected to have a significant influence on the graphic communications industry. Further, it needs to enable printers to operate much more efficiently or provide new products or services and offer a clear return on investment. Finally, it must be commercially available, yet not be in widespread use. Predictions for the futureThis year the independent panel of judges deliberated over technology nominations ranging from presses and finishing equipment to solutions to automate workflow and even determine the carbon footprint of print projects. This year’s awards show great developments in high speed web and sheetfed color inkjet presses, digital finishing equipment, use of metallic foil, patterning for optimal flexo ink laydown, and a portable spectrophotometer that can scan color bars. Also honored were solutions that facilitate cross-media marketing campaigns, use a new standard to define and communicate brand colors, and simplify the integration of production and business processes.    “The judges spend hours evaluating each technology submission and then come together to vigorously debate the ‘breakthrough’ nature and business merits of each technology,” said Dr. Mark Bohan, vice president, Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America. “Their judgments have proven to be a realistic predictor of a technology’s future success. Our research shows more than 80% of the technologies recognized in the past have experienced marketplace acceptance.” The ten technologies selected to receive the 2015 InterTech Technology Award (alphabetical by company): Océ VarioPrint i300Canon U.S.A., Inc. ORIS CxF CGS Publishing Technologies International LLC KODAK PROSPER 6000 PressesKodak NX advantage, KODAK FLEXCEL NX SystemKodak EFI DirectSmile Cross MediaElectronics for Imaging, Inc. Automation Engine Connect Esko Prinect Media ManagerHeidelberg Highcon Euclid Digital Finishing TechnologyHighcon Systems Ltd....