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Don't miss the 2017-2018 graphic arts fairs
Several trade fairs for the graphic arts, printing and visual communications sectors are scheduled for the 2017-2018 season. Here is a summary of this year's not-to-be-missed events.
Viscom Paris cancelled
It's official: the 2017 Viscom trade show for the graphics and visual advertising industry will not be taking place, due to a shortage of exhibitors. Exhibitors pointed out that the cost of exhibiting machines was too high, and that they could keep abreast of the latest developments by other means, such as the internet, open days organised by manufacturers, etc.
Visual communications and graphic arts shows to be maintained
Packaging Innovations London and Luxury Packaging (England) - 13 and 14 September 2017, at the Olympia exhibition centre in London - Packaging Innovations, the annual packaging trade show organised jointly with Luxury Packaging, presents the latest developments in packaging and offers a wide range of conferences on the subject.
LabelExpo Europe 2017 (Belgium) - From 25 to 28 September 2017, at Brussels Expo in Brussels - Exhibition dedicated to packaging printing and labelling technologies. More than 600 exhibitors expected.
Luxe Pack Monaco - From 2 to 4 October 2017 at Grimaldi Forum - Exhibition dedicated to luxury goods packaging. More than 470 exhibitors expected along with around thirty conferences.
Empack & Packaging Innovations (Belgium) - October 11 and 12, 2017, in Mechelen - Exhibition dedicated to Empack packaging as well as the added value of packaging as a marketing tool. Over 175 exhibitors present to showcase their latest innovations.
Print in Progress (France) - 11 and 12 October 2017, at Paris Event Center, in Paris porte de la Villette - New trade show dedicated to packaging, textile printing, decoration and communication.
Ipex 2017 (England) - From 31 October to 3 November 2017, at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham - One of the longest-running graphic arts exhibitions returns this year with the theme "Print In Action". Over 20,000 visitors and exhibitors are expected to attend.
Label&Print, Empack and Packaging Innovations Madrid 2017 (Spain) - On 7 and 8 November 2017, at the Feria de Madrid - A trade fair dedicated to Empack packaging jointly organised with Packaging Innovations. Various topics will be covered, such as the added value of packaging as a sales tool, packaging conversion and the printing and labelling industry.
Inprint Munich (Germany) - From 14 to 16 November 2017, at the Munich Trade Fair Centre - A recent trade fair that saw its first edition in 2014. The technologies on show are extremely varied (aeronautics, textiles, ceramics, electronics, automotive, engineering, pharmaceuticals, etc.).
Europack Euromanut CFIA (France) - From 21 to 23 November 2017, at Eurexpo Lyon - Exhibition dedicated to handling, process as well as packaging professionals. More than 500 exhibitors and 12,000 visitors are expected.
La Presse au Futur (France) - 29 and 30 November 2017, at the New Cap Event Center, quai de Grenelle in the 15th arrondissement of Paris - Exhibition dedicated to digital and print solutions for all forms of press. Stands from various exhibitors as well as 40 workshops and 10 conferences will be presented. More than 60 exhibitors and 1,200 visitors are expected.
Visual communications and graphic arts trade fairs for 2018
C!Print (France) - From 6 to 8 February 2018, at Eurexpo Lyon - Exhibition dedicated to graphic arts, visual communication and textiles.
Pharmapack Europe (France) - 7 and 8 February 2018, at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles - Exhibition dedicated to drug delivery systems and the pharmaceutical packaging industry. One day will be devoted to the theme of "Serialisation, Track & Trace". Exhibitors will also be giving a number of presentations on the latest developments in the sector.
Label&Print, Empack and Packaging Innovations Birmingham (England) - From 28 February to 1 March 2018, in Birmingham - Exhibition dedicated to the added value of packaging and devoted to the labelling, printing and packaging converting industry. 175 exhibitors and over 6,000 visitors are expected.
Label&Print, Empack and Packaging Innovations Zürich (Switzerland) - 11 and 12 April 2018, at Messe Zürich in Switzerland - The 3 EasyFairs shows, Swiss edition.
Fespa 2018 (Germany) - From 15 to 18 May 2018, at Messe Berlin - Exhibition dedicated to large-format printing solutions thanks to various textile, screen and digital technologies. More than 23,000 professionals from all over the world are expected to attend.
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- Summary of the sixteenth edition of Graphitec, the exhibition on graphic communication and printing, 2017 edition
- Johannesburg hosts the world's largest printing event
E-mail, tomorrow's essential means of communication
These days, it's hard to ignore the countless ways of communicating. Fun (Snapchat), photographic (Instagram, Pinterest), social (Facebook, Twitter) or even professional (email, text messaging), there are so many ways of communicating today, whatever your age or situation. Whether in our private lives or at the office, it's become easy, even commonplace, to keep in touch with the outside world.
Mailjet, a French emailing service, examined this phenomenon in a study commissioned from Morar Consulting in March 2017.
A survey of users to understand their expectations
The study organised by mailjet focused on consumers' expectations. The aim was to understand their habits and requirements, in order to map out future developments in the various means of communication. Nearly 2,000 people were questioned in France and the UK. The study was also reinforced by the opinions of e-mailing experts such as Leade.rs, Webedia, Litmus, Movable Ink, Boomtrain and RebelMail.
When combined, this consumer and expert data proved to be a valuable indicator of how services will evolve over the next 10 years.
Brands out of touch with consumer expectations
The results of Mailjet's survey are edifying. A large majority of the consumers questioned (82%) gave e-mail as the essential, long-term means of communication over the next 10 years. E-mail is closely followed by SMS and Facebook. On the other hand, more playful means of communication such as Snapchat (recently floated on the stock market) or Pinterest are likely to lose users and eventually become virtually non-existent. These are marketing and communication tools that fired up users for a brief period, only to die out as quickly as they appeared.
Consumers are likely to remain loyal to more traditional but reliable means of communication, such as e-mail.
Users looking for the essentials and transparency
E-mail remains consumers' favourite means of communication, which they consider to be the benchmark. Moreover, the study shows that consumers are not sensitive to technological innovations orchestrated by brand strategies. 44% of those questioned said they had not noticed any.
Armed with this observation, companies are going to refocus on e-mail, and give it a new lease of life. The idea is to make it even more attractive and easier to use. As a result, brands are introducing a new way of communicating with their consumers.
Similarly, the consumers surveyed emphasised the inadequacy of the advertising sent out by companies via social networks. Most of the time, these messages are poorly targeted, intrusive and irrelevant, annoying users.
Consumers therefore prefer simple, personalised uses. Clear messages and information are also expected.
The study reveals some interesting and constructive avenues to explore, which will encourage the development of communications media, and more specifically e-mail, over the next 10 years. Companies will be able to focus on more personalised and clearer ways of communicating, for captive users and effective results.
Other articles :
- Which communication media for your business?
- Digital transformation at Marketing Remix 2017
Revitalising the company through digital transformation
Digital transformation" is a concept that has been with us ever since the rise of the internet. It is also known as the digital transformation of businesses. In the 21st century, digital transformation is essential. Whether for customers, partners or private individuals, this process of digitalisation is having a major impact. In a very general way, this concept involves switching all a company's activities over to digital and technological use. Every aspect of an organisation's operations is becoming digital.
In this race towards digitalisation, marketing strategies focus on a company's purely media image. However, to be effective, a digital transformation must be operational at every level. This includes the human dimension, which is often overlooked. This process is known as intra-organisational revitalisation.
A human, not a technological, transition
Digital transformation must be based on a human transition. Marketing approaches tend to make the organisation visible through its digital presence. A company is only truly dynamic if the whole system is committed to the same direction. This is the systemic approach to organisations. Where all the elements must work together in synergy to make the organisation operational. People (in this case, employees) must be able to make the transition to digital. Greater involvement in the use of ICT tools is essential. Because if a company embarks on this digital path, it implies the use of more modern technological equipment. And, at the same time, the implementation of a well-defined hierarchical structure. The human factor is therefore of great value in ensuring the digital transformation of an entire company. They will be the key players.
Between risk and success
Digitalisation can be a source of real fulfilment, but it can also have its downsides. Technology is notorious for limiting physical exchanges. Yet a company is built on the dynamism of internal exchanges. Digital transformation can therefore limit direct exchanges and create tensions within an organisation. It can also be very destabilising for employees. The widespread use of email and social networking, for example, risks blurring the boundaries between professional and personal environments. As employees consult their work at home. And conversely, checking their Tweets at work. This is often at the root of work-related stress, which affects more than 60% of the world's population. But aside from this difficulty in defining boundaries, digital transformation is also beneficial for an organisation. It gives the company greater digital visibility. A presence on all digital platforms greatly enhances e-reputation. This is associated with a successful communications strategy. Indeed, marketers are calling for digital transformation to ensure greater organisational dynamism. Because it is associated with better in-house information management. And, above all, it means opening up to the various neighbouring professional sectors.
Other articles :
- Digital transformation at Marketing Remix 2017
- Customer perception as a factor in marketing success
Are you looking for personalised promotional diaries for your customers?
Margy Consultants, the specialist in personalised diaries for France and Africa, offers you its expertise
To offer your customers a personalised diary with an interior grid from September to September, the ideal is to place your order as early as May to be sure of being able to distribute them to your customers at the right time. But are you still lacking sufficient arguments to choose this advertising technique? Put your trust in Margy Imprimeur, the leading manufacturer of promotional diaries in France and Africa, and you'll understand the importance of promotional items in your marketing campaigns!
Why choose to order made-to-measure advertising diaries?
In this age of programmatic advertising, eye tracking and intelligent geolocation, do you have any doubts about the effectiveness of personalised promotional items with your customers?
Yet what could be more obvious than having everyday objects customised in your company's or business's colours, which will be all the more visible because they will be used countless times in the course of a working day? It's precisely because of this multiple visibility that advertising objects are even more effective than more volatile web marketing: the personalised advertising diary will be an integral part of your customer's working environment, whereas programmatic advertising will only be displayed on their screen from time to time.
So, far from being overtaken by multimedia environments, the quality personalised advertising diary offered by Margy Imprimeur still has a bright future to write on the pages of its long-standing success!
Margy Imprimeur: the expertise of an advertising diary manufacturer for the perfect personalisation of your communication media
In order to be able to offer a calendar schedule for your personalised diaries from September to September, it is ideal to be able to place your order as early as May so that you can benefit from the time needed for the perfect personalisation of your diaries as well as their manufacture.
Margy Imprimeur, a specialist in made-to-measure advertising diaries in Africa and France, offers you a wide range of personalisation options so that your advertising diary can showcase your company's image in a unique and high-quality way.
You can choose your diary from the wide range of diary models on offer, all of which combine practicality with aesthetic beauty, such as the practical and economical Premium diary or the delicate and refinedZambeze luxury diary. You can also opt for more original diary formats, such as the Jubba square diary or the Sanaga spiral diary. These diaries are of course available in a wide range of colours and materials to match your corporate image.
What's more, Margy Consultants gives you a free choice of finishes for your diaries, depending on your preferred model, your wishes and your marketing budget. To refine the personalisation of your advertising diary, you can choose the type and colour of branding, select from a wide range of typical vintages, add metal corners or bars to make your diary more solid, or add a bolduc with a personalised bookmark to make it easier to find the pages.
Of course, originality is not forgotten in the personalisation options for your diary! Margy Consultants gives you the freedom to opt for a bi-material cover, personalised pages, embossing to apply your logo and even interior grids to customise to your needs.
No need to hesitate any longer, your company's personalised diary is waiting for you!
Other products :
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- Advertising mail: still an advantageous communication system
Digital marketing and print advertising: competitors or allies?
Faced with the growing rise of digital, print advertising still holds a special place among professionals. In 2016, Mediapost Publicité published a survey showing that print is holding up well, with over 0.8% of advertising revenue for 2016. In fact, the trend has reversed compared with 2015, when there was a noticeable fall, with the survey revealing - 0.6%. The decline in addressed mail has also slowed, from -7.2% in 2015 to -0.4% in 2016. In recent years, communications agencies have given priority to digital media over paper. These agencies take a smaller share of the advertiser's budget because of the costs associated with printing and distribution. They have also emphasised digital to the detriment of the results established by advertisers.
State of play
Some have relegated advertising mail to the dustbin. Is it considered obsolete? No, because if you think about how to benefit from its advantages, you're on the right track. It is essential to synchronise it correctly with the latest digital communication tools. And yes, paper is resisting: in 2014, 3.3 billion mailings and 21 billion leaflets were deposited in our letterboxes. The current era is dominated by social networks, email, SMS advertising and other media. The question is, does paper still have a serious future in marketing?
According to the director of an agency that specialises in communication strategies for brands and retailers, the answer is yes. However, it is vital to use paper in the right way and to reach the right consumer, with precise targeting. It also needs to be combined intelligently with today's digital tools.
The return of printed advertising
For the retail industry, printed advertising is the perfect drive-to-store medium. As the main driver of drive-to-stop shopping, print advertising provides direct access to promotions. It is promotional, experiential, targeted and premium. Retailers are using it as the ideal way to promote a product, choosing to create affinity by offering a sample. Representing 9% of advertisers' media spend, print accounts for 29% of the mass retail media budget.
Print is truly perceived as the medium of purchasing power. Consumers do not systematically throw it away, and it is not intrusive. So customers consult it when they want to. The quality of the paper, printing and ink enables advertisers to stand out from their competitors. For the consumer, different senses are awakened, such as sight, touch, smell and making an object their own. In this way, paper reveals an experiential side, unlike digital. In fact, if customers want to pay attention to a product, they will prefer paper.
The solution: combining paper and digital
Mail reveals all its importance when combined with digital to produce hyper-targeting. The customer will feel valued because, in addition to their paper information, they will receive a quality mailing. For product promotion, this combination is highly effective for branding. Another process, mail retargeting, is an example of the democratisation of tools. In short, paper has a number of assets, because it is innovative, connected, olfactory and augmented.
Proprietary media have launched the magalogue, innovations adapted to the catalogue. Paper is being reinvented to focus on quality, personalised and relevant content.
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- Digital revolutionises sample advertising
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Margy Consultants, communication experts for over 20 years
Specialists in communication through objects for over 20 years, Margy Consultants is the benchmark company for meeting the communication needs of institutions, embassies and businesses.
Who is Margy Consultants?
Founded in 1995, Margy Consultants initially focused on advertising and printing. Right from the start, the company produced the 1st edition of advertising for the CCI - Rouen Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Today, in 2017, it is proud to be the leading manufacturer and supplier of annual activity reports for Africa. In particular, it has produced annual activity reports for Ecobank (a bank founded in Togo in 1985 and present in 36 African countries).
Margy Consultants' core business: advertising-based communication
Margy Consultants specialises in the production of advertising diaries, advertising calendars and all kinds of made-to-measure advertising media for companies, institutions and embassies. The company's aim is to provide a tailored response to the specific visual identity needs of its customers. The aim is to offer effective means of communication that are also durable and inexpensive.
Calling on Margy Consultants means improving your company's image to stand out in an increasingly competitive market, and giving yourself a chance to increase your turnover. Every product on offer can be customised, from the branding of logos and graphics to the choice of materials and formats. The company's credo is "You think, we make it happen".
Margy Consultants offers quality solutions for printing various communication media, such as annual reports, catalogues, lookbooks, event programmes, brochures and guides. The company is extending its field of activity to include several areas of expertise, such as publishing, printing and marketing in particular. In fact, a number of media will be developed, on paper, for events or for professional use.
Mastering the production chain
The company relies on its expert graphic artists and designers to produce hard-hitting communication materials tailored to each customer. From design to printing, through layout and graphic creation to dispatch, Margy Consultants has complete control over the production chain. A real guarantee of optimal results and reduced costs.
A strong presence on the African market
Margy Consultants has positioned itself as a key reference in personalisation services for African diplomatic, private and corporate institutions.
Easy ordering via the website
If you wish to reward your staff, or simply find communication media in your company's colours, simply place an order on the Margy Consultants website. This optimised site allows you to place well thought-out orders in complete security.
A new online catalogue
Margy Consultants has recently put its new catalogue of promotional items online. A great opportunity to see the agency's entire range at a glance. Everyday items (mugs, key rings), trendy items (customisable glasses, flip-flops) or something a little more serious (speakers, pens)... there's something for everyone, and all personalised of course.
Why use a company specialising in publishing?
While large groups generally have in-house communications agencies and graphic design studios, smaller companies may have limited resources. Margy Consultants can provide you with the right communications and a real commercial strategy for a reasonable budget. The company remains a privileged partner, enabling us to work in a climate of calm and trust. It will be able to respond to graphic and budgetary constraints, and allay the doubts of managers for a result beyond expectations.
Other articles :
- Communication through objects, a powerful tool for boosting your sales
- Customise your advertising media to build customer loyalty with Agenda Afrique
Customer perception as a marketing success factor
At a time when competition is increasingly fierce in every sector, a company needs to be able to stand out from the crowd if it is to succeed. The image it conveys plays a major role in this quest, and building it successfully requires a total understanding of its customers' expectations and needs. Known as HCD (or human-centred thinking), this new way of thinking puts the customer's perception and desires at the heart of marketing communications.
But how do you achieve this, and what resources do you have available to help you? Here are some answers.
The customer is king! We all know this statement, but unfortunately not all companies take it seriously. In fact, 84% of companies admit that they have not yet fully integrated HCD (Human Centered Design) into their communication plan. And yet, how a company is perceived by the public is just as important as the quality of the products or services it sells, if not more so... It's a fact that needs to be taken seriously, from the creation of the logo and slogan through to communication campaigns and future projects.
Visual identity: the first contact
In society, it only takes us a few seconds to judge a stranger, taking their appearance as the primary basis for judgement. The same goes for brands we don't know. Your logo should be as easy to remember as possible, and include the name of your company. Its colour is also important, as each colour has a different meaning and impact on the customer's subconscious. For example, a light green for an organic shop will remind customers of nature, and is therefore well thought out. On the other hand, it would not be very appropriate for a car sales company. As for your slogan, it should be concise and include a clear message or a metaphor indicating the advantage that your company has over its competitors.
Communication: putting the customer first
In addition to the logo and slogan, the way your company communicates defines the perception that consumers will have of your company, making it possible to win over new customers or win back the favour of old ones. To make the right choice, you need to target your customer base in order to define the most effective distribution channels. Don't be afraid to be original when it comes to your marketing campaigns: making an impression tends to have more than positive repercussions. The most important thing is to make the customer or potential customer a direct participant in your campaigns, so as to win their loyalty.
Branding: the final stage
By establishing a brand's name as an indisputable benchmark in its sector, branding is the ultimate gain from excellent communication. Kleenex is a typical example of successful branding, the brand having become part of the common vocabulary because of the impact it has had on people's minds. To succeed in this gamble these days, it is once again essential to put your customers at the centre of your communication. Involving them by organising street marketing operations (tastings, free samples or even street events) is beneficial. Finally, asking them about changes or new features that you can work on to satisfy them is also a powerful loyalty-building tool that will have a lasting impact on participants' memories, while offering you a greatly reduced margin of failure for your future actions.
Other articles :
- Enhancing a company's image through its visual identity
- Sign logos: a preview of the shop window
Labelexpo 2017: inventiveness and innovation on the agenda
A trade fair for labelling, decorative products and printing, this concept is one of the most important events in the field of labelling.
The 2017 edition of the international label and packaging show
Labelexpo will be held in Brussels from 25 to 28 September 2017. For this new 2017 edition, a record attendance is expected. Over 4 days, you will have the opportunity to discover the entire exhibition, which is spread over 9 halls. 600 exhibitors will meet at Label Expo. The previous edition in 2015 attracted over 35,000 visitors. 650 exhibitors had reserved their stands to unveil their latest finds to the general public.
Printing professionals specialising in labels and packaging make sure they're there on the big day by reserving their stands two years in advance. More than 35,000 visitors from 158 countries are expected to attend this year's event.
A real showcase for companies in the sector, this exhibition is ideal for launching innovative products or unveiling remarkable technologies. In Brussels this year, all the major Internet service providers and industry experts will be present. The exhibition also showcases digital technology and the latest solutions, with a focus on the environment.
Benefits for professionals
Labelexpo Europe 2017 is ultimately about showcasing your business activities. For an effective marketing strategy, your communication trump card is to meet your customers, so as to meet their expectations as effectively as possible.
Professionals, if you want to speed up the market introduction of your machines, the show will give you a helping hand. Printers, label converters, industrial suppliers and brand owners, your presence at the show will enable you to attract new customers, penetrate new markets and offer value-added services.
Work to respect the environment, optimise workflows and limit press downtime. Your attendance at the show can also give you an edge over your competitors.
Exhibition of new products
To spice up the show, a number of improvements have been included in the programme, all designed to attract visitors and the curious. Labelexpo 2017 will be showcasing bold new techniques in dedicated areas created with this in mind.
As a result, coating-free label printing has been launched, a novelty that will create surprise and the desire for discovery. An area has been designed and conceived for Industry 4.0, with automated production lines dedicated to the manufacture of labels. You'll be able to admire live demonstrations of new products: digital and traditional presses, and high-tech materials specially designed for packaging and labels. Other examples of equipment featuring pre-printing technologies for plate design will impress you.
Machines specially designed for overprinting, inspection and label applications are being unveiled to the general public. Designers have selected a range of state-of-the-art inks and varnishes, cutters, rollers and die-cutters, working in conjunction with software and interactive technologies.
The ideal way to discover this extraordinary exhibition is to take a stroll down the aisles and see for yourself.
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Cannes Lion 2017 rewards the best advertising
Advertising professionals, trend-setting agencies and all those who love creative advertising come together every year for this internationally renowned show. The 2017 edition had its share of surprises and undeniable successes. Let's take a closer look at this eagerly awaited event ...
The Cannes Lion trade show: an unmissable advertising event
The 2017 edition took place this year from 17 to 24 June. The city of Cannes is used to being in the spotlight, whether for cinema or advertising. The Cannes Lion, commonly known as the International Festival of Creativity, brings together advertising professionals from all over the world every June. The event is one of the most prestigious meetings for advertising professionals. In short, the entire advertising jet set comes together for a week in Cannes.
This major event in the world of advertising and communication offers significant meeting opportunities for budding young advertisers and also for established professionals in the field, looking for innovative and daring talent.
The Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity no longer needs to demonstrate its importance and recognition. Since its inception in 1954, the event has attracted a host of artists from the world of advertising. Thousands of advertisements, short films, posters and other products are shown and exhibited each year. Today, the Cannes Lions show attracts more than 15,000 participants from over 100 countries. Entrepreneurs, managers, creatives, opinion leaders and various professionals from the advertising industry are all present.
This is an opportunity for the Mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, and the other Cannes Lions organisers to present the people of Cannes, festival-goers and visitors alike, with a wide range of sporting and cultural events, and of course to offer visitors the chance to discover the show.
The most popular advertisements in 2017
The 2017 Cannes Lions Grand Prix did not, unfortunately, reward French agencies this year. The renowned "Louise Delage", signed by Addict Aide and BETC Paris, has left its mark on French production with its inventiveness. Other talented French agencies, such as TBWA/Paris, Fred et Farid Paris, Romance and DDB Paris, came up with some noteworthy innovations. Two campaigns made their mark on the Cannes advertising scene this year, winning the most Lions.
The first received 19 lions for the advertiser Addict Aide - Like My Addiction (BETC Paris): Louise Delage is a young Parisian who is discreet, an alcoholic and very active on social networks, particularly Instagram. Her photos reveal her to be an art student who has given her image over to a real artistic performance.
Advertiser Castorama received 7 Lions for its Magic Wallpaper creation (Agency TBWA/Paris). This is a wallpaper that tells stories for children. This design offers an infinite number of possible combinations. It is mounted on a tablet that has scanned various characters. The renowned French DIY shop has put the spotlight on this superb design for children.
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Digital revolutionises sample advertising
Far from being outdated, samples are still a sure thing in marketing. Digital technologies are widening the field of possibilities: they are opening the way to hyper-quality, ultra-personalised samples that enhance a company's image and establish a new closeness with consumers.
Communication through samples creates a bond of trust
Today's consumers are over-solicited, over-informed and constantly on the lookout for new experiences. They are also distrustful and no longer believe the rhetoric of brands: to be convinced, they want to see, touch and smell... By allowing them to test the product before buying, companies that opt for sample marketing fully meet their expectations. According to a survey of 1,500 French people carried out in 2016 by CSA for Mediapost Publicité, 50% of them use the products offered as samples, more than 6 out of 10 testers find out more about these items at a later date and 84% sometimes buy them. In Japan, samples have even become a business model in their own right: shops called Sample Lab, which focus entirely on "tryvertising" (communication through product testing), offer their subscribers extracts of all kinds of products (cosmetics, food, etc.), in exchange for comments that enable client companies to promote and develop their offering.
The sample becomes augmented and connected
The simple sachet stuck between two pages of a magazine is a thing of the past. Like all products, samples now need to create a "wow effect" if they are to be effective. By revolutionising printing processes, digital technology is transforming the traditional approach to sample advertising. The latest technologies on show at the Pack & Gift trade fair (dedicated to event packaging and merchandising), held in Paris on 21 and 22 June, illustrate these new possibilities. For example, D'Haussy, a printer based in the Lower Rhine region of France, presented an astonishing global solution for enriched samples, which enables packaging to be ultra-personalised and integrated with augmented reality: using a smartphone that recognises the sample, prospects can continue their discovery of the brand online, well beyond the simple test. This technology, which can be adapted to all kinds of products, combines a number of innovations: paper connectivity (developed in-house by the printer), high-tech printing, etc.
On-demand samples for precise targeting
While digital technology is a new asset for printing and personalising samples and their packaging, it also enables prospects to be targeted more effectively. More and more brands, particularly cosmetics brands, are offering a sample on demand, which consumers can order online after registering on their website and entering various details (e-mail, age, profile, etc.). In this way, the company achieves a double effect: it recovers valuable data on its target audience and makes significant savings, by only sending its samples to those who are interested in them (and are therefore potential buyers). This type of marketing is particularly popular with the French: according to the CSA / Mediapost Publicité study, 37% of them have already requested a sample in this way, after discovering a product on the web (social networks, discussion forums) or on television. In an interview with LSA magazine in 2016, Lancôme stated that this method had the best return on investment of all its (many) advertising campaigns.
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- Promotional products, a powerful tool for boosting your sales
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