Graphic art at the heart of corporate communication strategies

Modern businesses in the 21st century are constantly reinventing themselves to stay ahead of the game. Visibility plays a major role in marketing strategies. Specialists in the field are doing everything they can to forge an attractive corporate image. Digitalisation is helping to make this showcase highly competitive. In fact, to compete with the many companies on the industrial market, you first need to forge your own image.

The art of appearance and, above all, a sense of 'beauty' have therefore very quickly become key elements in dealing with the competition.

Graphic art for advertising

The countless technological tools and graphic reproduction software are not necessarily the solution for reproducing a diagram in 3D format.

Advertising sketches and company logos are currently designed by experienced graphic artists. These are people who have mastered the art of schematics and trompe-l'oeil sketches. In fact, this type of reproduction requires the expertise of professionals with particular knowledge of the graphic arts. This discipline is increasingly used by the giants of the advertising industry to give a personal touch to their production.

So modern drawing techniques have not lost all their essence in the world of virtual communication. On the contrary, many marketing strategy experts call on the services of these graphic arts professionals to personalise their visual production (logo, sketch, advertising, etc.).

Find out more about the meaning and significance of visual art

The reason why marketing teams want to delve deeper into the dimension of visual art is simple. The aim is to identify the meaning and significance of every aspect of any artistic production.
The colours and shapes used in a design are based on a complex set of meanings and interpretations. Colour choices are therefore not made at random when graphic art is used for communicative modelling. All the colour tones are carefully chosen for specific purposes.

Large companies are lucky enough to benefit from the services of experts who know this discipline inside out. They have all the skills required to play on the meanings and significance of the colours and shapes shown.

They are also capable of producing meaningful graphics that match their skills.

For beginners, there are manuals and books to help apprentice designers understand the essence of colour. These books are invaluable in that they provide information on the history, culture and use of each colour. A book that explains the meanings attributed to colours depending on the context in which they are used. As well as mastering colours, there are also books that train future designers.

This is the case with Stefan Pabst , who shares his invaluable advice in a book designed to help lovers of the visual arts to produce optical illusion diagrams in 3D. It is then possible to learn the essence of the drawings that bring sketches to life on paper.

Other articles to read :

by mgyi-admin

Registration opens for the 27th FESPA Awards competition

The 2018 edition of the FESPA Awards will be held from 15 to 18 May 2018 in Berlin, Germany. Entries for this competition, which honours the best prints across all disciplines, are already open. For the 2017 edition, the jury made up of printing experts rewarded winners in no fewer than 14 categories. The experts not only reward the best prints, but also the people responsible for their creativity and production.

For this 2018 edition, participants have until 26 January to submit their work. The deliberations and selection of the winners will take place in March and the winners will be announced during the FESPA 2018 exhibition in Berlin at the gala dinner on 16 May 2018.

Digital printing rewarded in all its forms

As last year, there will be 14 categories to enter, from which candidates will be able to submit their work in 3 sub-categories which will be: digital printing only, screen printing only, as well as mixed techniques (offset + digital/screen, or digital + screen, etc.). The various types of printing are not limited to paper or poster printing. They include direct printing on three-dimensional products such as packaging, mugs and other everyday products, as well as functional products such as nameplates, printed circuits, RFID, CDs, etc. The FESPA Awards also reward non-printed displays, such as neon or acrylic, which are not part of traditional printing. Last year, for example, Australia-based Omus, a company specialising in 3D printing, won an award for its Louis Vuitton ephemeral shop created using three-dimensional printing. Alongside the experienced players in the printing industry, the FESPA Awards will also be honouring a young talent in the Young Star category. This is an all-category award for a young person aged between 15 and 25 who is a student or young worker in any printing-related discipline.

Competition entry criteria

To enter the competition, you will need to excel in printing quality and techniques, and demonstrate expertise in the field for which you are applying. Sharpness, precision and colourimetry are all factors that will be taken into account when examining the various applications. The jury's experts focus on the appropriate use of techniques, design, media and creativity to achieve the project's goal. But they also look at the complexity of the work, the creativity and, of course, the final result. The creative and visual aspect is not the only criterion, however. The jury will also be looking at the economic impact for the end user of the printed article.

Why enter the FESPA Awards competition?

To maximise their chances, candidates can submit up to 3 entries per category. For entrants who post their work, it's the chance to see it rewarded by recognised experts in the printing world and the chance for those who win to attract new customers, as well as the opportunity to reward the work accomplished by an entire group. For the winners, it's a chance to get good publicity for their company and to make contacts with the professionals on site.

With 20,000 people expected in Berlin in May, it's an opportunity to raise your profile in front of an audience of printing professionals, many of whom will be potential customers.

Read other articles:

by mgyi-admin

Digital marketing at the heart of corporate marketing strategy

2017 was definitely the year of digital marketing. With social networks, such as Linkedin, Instagram, influencers (blogs) and Content Marketing (distribution by a brand of media content) at the forefront. A recent study by Bubblegum Search presented these elements as the marketing trend for 2017. A trend largely driven by Generation Y, i.e. people born between 1980 and 2000, also known as Millenials.

Millenials, the target of choice for digital marketing

Generation Y is often perceived as being highly connected, and oriented towards a B-to-C market, i.e. Business to Consumer. In 2017, people from this generation are approaching their thirties. They are now decision-makers, in the workforce or even company directors. This is a generation that is proving to be a real strength for businesses, as they have mastered these new connected technologies. The survey reveals that 84% of the Millenials questioned consider their mobile phone to be a real work tool.

As well as being a force within the company, this generation is also a highly sought-after target for professionals, because it is influential. So we need to target them by optimising our digital communications. The strategy involves e-newsletters that can be read on mobile phones, content adapted to the small screen, geolocation, etc.

As far as social networks are concerned, Linkedin is the preferred professional social network. In fact, 94% of marketing departments include this network in their strategy, with 66% of companies reporting satisfactory results.

If companies are looking above all for interaction, Instagram comes out on top, with an interaction rate of 22.53%, compared with 5.99% for Facebook, for example. With almost 300 million users every day, Instagram is a B-to-B network that cannot be ignored. The study shows that 84% of companies are integrating social networks into their marketing strategy.

Content marketing is not losing ground

Content marketing remains an essential part of business strategy. The aim of this strategy is to make useful content available to targeted customers. New digital techniques are making this easier. According to the study, 89% of marketing departments have a content marketing strategy, and 67% consider it to be effective. However, while these companies note the effectiveness of content marketing, 42% admit that they have difficulty measuring the return on investment.

Traditional techniques to support digital marketing

While digital marketing remains an essential strategic lever for marketing departments, traditional methods are not outdone. These tools, such as print and offline advertising, complement digital strategies. These traditional techniques are still trusted by consumers. And even if they are less profitable than digital strategies, they are still essential.

In conclusion, digital marketing remains an essential part of a company's strategy. This is particularly true when it comes to reaching Generation Y or Millenials, a connected target group that will be sensitive to digital messages. Traditional methods, on the other hand, remain timeless and should not be neglected.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin

Printing that's more than just a marketing strategy - a view of flourishing innovation

The printing industry has come a long way and is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy. Printers have not given up their place in the face of the many strategies for digitalising media. The digital era has therefore had no impact on certain aspects of the printing sector. In other words, it is a sector that has bypassed the fundamental functionalities designed to be part of the cogwheel of contemporary marketing strategies.

Printing designed to conquer markets

Economic analysts have drawn up graphs demonstrating the boom in the world of printing. So it's no longer just about printing on paper, which has given way to digital documents. Rather, printing is part of a system that is inherent to certain markets. There are three major markets that rely on the expertise of printers to stand out from their competitors. These are the decoration market, with high-definition printing on a range of substrates, including decors and laminates. The creative industry is tapping into the potential of inkjet printing to innovate. Furniture, floors, walls and other interiors can now be covered in printed reproductions. The technology has made a major contribution to improving printing on all kinds of materials (paper, textiles, iron, wood, etc.).

In addition to decoration, the design market is also inspired by printing processes to make a name for itself. This type of market includes electronic items based on printing, such as the many printed electronic tools(power coat, printed circuit, switch, RFI, etc.). A system that distinguishes itself from other products through its specific functionality. Another market that draws on printers' expertise to improve is the textile industry. This industry has undergone a real revolution with 3D inkjet-printed fabrics. A number of clothing lines of this kind are being proposed by designers.

The label printing revolution

Label printing has hardly experienced the difficulties of simple printing. This is due to the need for visual brand representation. That's why label printing is so popular. This is in contrast to simple printing, which is losing its importance to consumers as a result of digitalisation. The digitisation of physical media has nothing to do with label printing.

Since this sector is concerned with packaging for all kinds of products, it is clear that it is constantly on the move. The major brands use printing companies to create specific models. What's more, a label can be made of paper, sachet, fabric, cardboard and much more. The companies responsible for printing labels have the technology needed to reproduce quality designs and graphics. Label printing is also based on an inkjet printing process. This diversifies the models of labels available on the market.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin

Paper, a fragile French industry but boosted by e-commerce

The French paper industry remains fragile due to a glaring lack of national investment in the sector. Over 60% owned by foreign groups, it is lagging behind China, the country that invented the medium, and Germany, which has been able to maintain its development efforts. It is no less valiant, however, because even if sales of graphic paper are falling, e-commerce is opening up new prospects in the industrial paper sector. Ironically, you could say that it is the intangible that is giving French paper a new lease of life.

An industry dependent on external factors

Printing has eaten its fill, and information is no longer conveyed by paper but by digital networks. Even the face value of a signature at the bottom of a document is replaced by a digital certificate. A different medium for different times. In addition to the digitisation of written documents, the paper industry is suffering from its production model. It uses a lot of water and energy. The 8 million tonnes of French paper produced last year were not produced under the best of ecological auspices in our carbonised and dried-up world. The fact remains that half of this production is exported. But when we talk about paper, it's important to realise that we're not just talking about graphic papers for printing and writing. Most of the 12,500 workers in 85 plants and 75 companies in France are employed in packaging, hygiene and industrial papers. Last year they were still giving life to 130 paper machines. This heavy industry has simply become too dependent on the vagaries of energy, both for consumption and production. It needs to reinvent its business model.

Paper has a future in the web to store

A major invention like paper can only survive. Paradoxical as it may be, paper will be saved by electricity. It's the invention of information networks that allow users, mostly from their smartphones, to order packaged products from wherever they like. This system, graciously called web to store, allows any type of product, even bulky ones, to be delivered to the home or office. Competition is fierce in this market, which is largely dominated by Amazon. Nevertheless, these deliveries are made in the best possible packaging conditions, a boon for industrial paper. Moreover, the quality demands of these multinational customers will have a very beneficial and stimulating effect on those who still believe in the strength of the packaging paper company. We shouldn't forget either that graphic paper is making a comeback, particularly as an essential component of POS advertising, complementing online sales. What's more, many online printers offer on-demand book printing, so e-mails are gone, but printed matter remains. You can set paper on fire, but there's always a trace of it.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin

Connected objects: towards new advertising targeting

Our entire lives are connected. Addicted to smartphones, always at hand, tablets, watches and other connected objects, it's hard to ignore a certain connected reality. By 2020, experts predict between 20 and 50 billion connected objects. From smartphones, which are becoming ever more powerful, to toothbrushes (scary!), clothes, household appliances, etc... A multitude of connected objects will invade our daily lives. Thanks to the Internet of Things, advertising has a bright future ahead of it. Targeting is becoming increasingly precise.

Every object in our daily lives becomes, without our knowledge, a vector of information for advertisers. At home, on the move or even when jogging, we carry these intelligent objects with us everywhere. The Internet of Things (or IoT) is an unparalleled opportunity for advertisers to find out about our consumer habits and buying behaviour. Here are a few examples.

Diageo's connected whisky bottle

Diageo, a leading alcoholic drinks company, unveiled its smart whisky bottle at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in March 2015. This bottle features an ultra-thin chip called OpenSense. This chip is placed on the back of the bottle's label. By scanning the label, consumers send a signal to Diageo. The company can then track the bottle as it is purchased and transported, and send a certain amount of targeted information to the consumer's smartphone. The idea is to encourage them to buy related products. This is an opportunity for the company to collect consumer data and personalise its advertising.

Intelligent cosmetics

The cosmetics sector also seems to be embracing connected objects. The simple act of brushing your teeth with a connected toothbrush from Oral B, Philips or Kolibree is becoming a source of information for brands. The toothbrush will transmit the frequency and technique of brushing. Once this data has been collected, the brands will be able to send a number of offers or advice to the consumer. L'Oréal also seems to be following the trend with a possible connected mascara.

Tracking consumer habits

These are interesting developments in advertising, as highlighted by Jeffrey F. Rayport, a professor at Harvard Business Review. The indisputable advantage of this connected advertising is precisely that it blends into everyday life, making it undetectable. This advertising will follow the consumer's every move, interfering in his or her life on a permanent basis.
A priori, this data is only used to fine-tune companies' messages to consumers. But it can also be used to make new purchases. And this is the very limit of the system. There is a fine line between public and private life. And the introduction of these ads into our everyday objects could well pose a problem.

A debate on the subject of connected objects would be welcome in the coming months. It would be an opportunity to define the boundaries of advertising in our daily lives, to avoid any abuses of our privacy. These marketing techniques are evolving fast, and it's vital that we protect our privacy in the face of constant innovation.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin

Innovative solutions for companies specialising in printing and signage creation

There are many solutions available to companies specialising in printing. Both are perfectly suited to their customers' expectations. The aim of each solution is to sublimate the targets. It should encourage them to learn a little more about the company presented on the print medium. This is one of the reasons why the "Print In Progress" trade show was created. The organisers wanted to bring together all these innovative and creative printing solutions in one place.

Printers' customers are increasingly demanding. They want products tailored to the expectations of their targets. The latter easily tire of monotonous offers.

So it's vital for printers, communications, marketing and advertising specialists to choose the right printing media.

Two interesting and innovative solutions are the HP Latex solution and the UJCV range. These printers were on show at Print In Progress.

The HP LATEX solution, ideal for high-quality digital printing

Thanks to this solution, NeoDKO has been able to keep printing on personalised paper. The print quality provided by HP Latex is incomparable and excellent. By equipping its workshop with this revolutionary and efficient printer, more and more well-known companies are constantly requesting its services.

With HP Latex Printers, Jean-Damien Riccobono has been able to expand the customer base of his company, which specialises in printing and signage design. He has also been able to complete large-scale projects in no time at all.

This solution enables printers to win new customers. They can promise their buyers a unique experience through personalised offers.

From these few examples, the HP Latex solution also makes it possible to handle large projects while maintaining the quality of the services offered. It also helps printers to grow their business.

Print&Cut and the UCJV range, perfect for creating signage and digital prints

This digital printing solution is offered by Mimaki. This company presented it to visitors at the show.

Mimaki points out that the UCJV range is perfect for creating signage and high-quality digital prints.

The UCJV range is available in two models:

  • UCJV 150 - 160 four colours
  • UCJV 300 - 160 up to seven colours

You don't have to wait forever for the finished product. That's one of the strengths of these solutions. In fact, the immediate drying of UV printing is perfect for making cut-out prints. They are completely adaptable to digital printing, commercial printing, signage, packaging, etc.

It is also possible to have two visual renderings on a single substrate thanks to multi-layer printing. Impressive transformations can be achieved for backlit applications. An image can change colour depending on the light source.

In short, there are several innovative and effective solutions available to printers. All they need to do is identify their needs and select the best solution.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin

Record attendance for LabelExpo Europe 2017

The 2017 edition of LabelExpo took place from 25 to 28 September in Brussels, Belgium. LabelExpo is a key international event for specialists in the label printing and packaging sector. The event was a great success, with attendance up 12% on 2015.

LabelExpo, the must-attend exhibition for labels and packaging

LabelExpo is a major event in the field of labelling, product decoration and printing. It is primarily aimed at professionals in these sectors.

The show presents the latest innovations in the sector. This year, for example, inkjet was at the heart of the innovations. New products were also presented, particularly in flexography, with more powerful functions.

Industry 4.0 was the key trend at the 2017 show. Visitors were able to discover the Automation Arena, an area dedicated to automated label and packaging printing technologies.
New technologies for printing flexible packaging were also on show. Swiss manufacturer Bobst took the opportunity to unveil its new press for flexible packaging.

The event is also a forum for professionals. They can find out about the latest innovations, and watch live demonstrations of equipment.

Record attendance for 2017

Label Expo Europe 2017 attracted a record number of visitors, with nearly 38,000 attendees from 158 different countries, and 679 exhibitors, including 198 new companies. Lisa Milburn, Managing Director of Label Expo Global, commented on this year's event, and on her ambition to build on the success of future editions.

The success of this 2017 edition shows that Label Expo is a major and unmissable exhibition for the label and packaging industry.

The first recycled exhibition stand

The 2017 edition of Label Expo welcomed, among other renowned exhibitors, Avery Dennison. A company that operates in the field of adhesive technologies, packaging and labelling solutions. This year, the company took advantage of the scale of the event to create the first recycled exhibition stand. Part of the stand was made up of recycled label residues. Residual labels and adhesives from the company's customers were assembled into a product: ECOR. This recyclable product is manufactured by Noble Environmental Technologies.

This stand designed from recycled components is a real innovation. Avery Dennison underlined the importance of reusing waste and other residues from label production. An excellent marketing technique. In fact, this stand is a simple but effective showcase, helping to raise the company's profile.

An exceptional event in the labelling and packaging sector, which is going from strength to strength. A major trade event, not to be missed under any circumstances. See you in September 2019 in Brussels, for the next edition of Label Expo Europe.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin

Print In Progress: all about printing and digital communication

Print In Progress was a trade show dedicated to the world of marketing, digital communication and, above all, printing. It took place in Paris on 11 and 12 October. The topics of conversation revolved around digital printing, communication, marketing, digital...

What is Print In Progress?

It's an event organised by the teams at 656 Editions. The aim was not only to showcase participants' products, but also to promote business transformation in the printing and communications sector.

There were many participants. Nearly 70 companies specialising in digital printing, graphic arts and many more shared their experiences.

The event was open by invitation only. The organisers were keen to select visitors to make the show more attractive and interesting.

Why shouldn't you miss Print In Progress?

The organisers were able to offer a varied and rewarding programme.

The best thing about Print In Progress was the hubs. The show director and her team set up four hubs: DECO MAKER, PERSONAL PRINTER, INDUSTRIAL PRINTER and TEXTILE TRANSFORMER.

The talks were very enriching. Some of the topics covered included: "When does marketing enter industry?", "Paper has once again become an object of desire". What interesting topics!

The keynotes and contributions from experts from major companies were fascinating. "Aligning your business with a digital world", "Printed decoration: B to B, B to C, which models? These were just some of the topics covered.

What do the organisers and participants have to say about Print In Progress?

The organisers of Print In Progress were delighted with the event. This first edition was rich in exchanges, meetings...

It's fair to say that they achieved their goal. They found that the visitors were enthusiastic. The speakers performed their roles impeccably. The collaboration with the partners was appropriate and gratifying.

Even if there are a few improvements to consider, this event dedicated to communication and digital printing lived up to the organisers' expectations.

What are the opinions on the show?

"Thank you for the Print In Progress show," said one of the participants. This company, which specialises in online printing, said it had a real exchange with visitors. It was able to present its various innovative products. But they were also able to give their views on the world of printing. Friendly relations were formed between the visitors.

"It was an opportunity to meet new customers", said one company specialising in inflatable totems, custom carpets and other such products. The Print In Progress show was a great help in promoting their expertise.

"The show was fun. It was really informative. I was able to expand my knowledge of the world of printing and digital. I'm very satisfied", said one of the visitors.

In short, everyone is hoping that this is just the beginning and that the second edition will be better than the first.

Other articles:

by mgyi-admin

The use of artificial intelligence in marketing

Why use artificial intelligence in marketing?

To improve business performance

Companies can improve their efficiency and therefore their performance in terms of marketing by optimising the distribution of work. This means entrusting tasks requiring a large number of calculations and research to artificial intelligences. They are capable of carrying out these tasks with a speed and precision unmatched by the human hand.

The machine's adaptability and processing speed mean that it can save a considerable amount of time in areas where humans are not essential. By automating these actions, companies can reduce their workloads and therefore their costs. All that's left for the human being to do is to define the machine's areas of work. He will then base his own work on the data processed and collected.

Optimising the 4Ps of marketing with artificial intelligence

The traditional 4Ps of marketing have been brought up to date by artificial intelligence.
The machine carries out a complete profile of the consumer. To do this, it studies their browsing history, previous connections, hobbies and interests. This data enables the product offering to be completely personalised. In this way, everything is tailor-made and adapted to their consumption habits. The price is constantly seeking the psychological threshold conducive to the act of buying. Various analysis tools process existing data and continually develop additional services.

Placement is determined on the basis of an analysis of availability times and consumer searches and needs. In this way, communication is tailored to prospects' preferences. In addition, the promotion correlates the elements previously analysed to determine the most opportune times to make an appearance.

What role do humans play in marketing to machines?

Highlighting human skills

The aim of artificial intelligence is not to replace people in their work. On the contrary, it makes their expertise even more valuable, if not indispensable. Interpreting and correcting the data processed by the machine requires constanthuman intervention.

Similarly, the development of artificial intelligence, the correction of its algorithms and the choice of data to be used are tasks that cannot be dissociated from human expertise. People optimise their time and results by delegating time-consuming and routine tasks and devoting themselves to marketing development.

The machine frees humans from repetitive tasks

Many marketing tasks are repetitive and time-consuming. The use of artificial intelligence to carry out these tasks frees employees from a certain amount of work. Reporting and interacting with consumers on simple issues such as incorrect invoicing or orders are time-consuming tasks that are too unprofitable.

The human being can then concentrate on the actions that need his or her attention. All the tasks involved in collecting consumer data are therefore entrusted to artificial intelligence. This will enable them to respond more effectively to the challenges of personalising their offering. Human beings use it as a basis for developing new ideas and concentrating on the creative side of marketing.

Other articles :

by mgyi-admin