Welcome to this webinar archive. The live event was held on February 27, 2007, but you may still access the content with the resources below. This event was conducted by Frank Romano who interviewed two mystery guests as they all 3 talked about the topic.

The easiest way to view the archive is to have it stream just as it did the day of the live event. Please try this option first (available for one year)

Streaming Webinar Archive

After one year, you can still get the following downloadables:

Adobe Acrobat version of the slides (707K pdf)

Downloadable audio archive (6.72 MB MP3)

Questions and Answers - Below are questions that were asked but were unable to be answered during the live event, as answered by Frank Romano:

Q:  What type of research and information would you recommend commercial printers engage prior to selling and marketing to ad agencies?

A:  Find out what the agency specialty is and the kinds of clients they have. You can learn a lot about agencies before ever going through the door at -- http://www.redbooks.com/Nonsub/index.asp

Q:  Do you partner with digital printers to support your clients for ongoing projects? If so what criteria to you use to choose digital printers and/or print partners?

A:  Yes, both panelists partner. They look for printers with multiple color presses so that deadlines can be met. Meeting tight deadlines is crucial.

Q:  What level of technology awareness would you characterize the ad firms to be 1-10

A:  We all agree that 6 would be a reasonable rating.

Q:  What is the “average” knowledge regarding PURL’s for Creative Directors

A:  Probably below average.

Q:  What about data segmentation? I met with a client today that wants us more involved on the data manipulation and merging side. I would think that this would be a natural competency for larger agencies.

A:  Many agencies do not have good data management experience or expertise. This is an opportunity for printers.

Q:  What's the greatest need/opportunity out there that has not been met for digital print?

A:  We do not know what it is yet. Agencies are always looking for innovation that they can apply to client promotions.

Q:  The discussions around digital print seems to be limited to direct mail, why? Today's digital print can compete with conventional print methods in many other areas that agencies are buying.

A:  Right on. The suppliers and pundits keep pushing direct mail when short run fast turnaround work has higher volumes. Most of the digital printing work our panelists have done is with direct mail.

Q:  What role do ad agencies tend to play in determining which print technology is used to print a job? (e.g., digital press v. offset press)

A:  Agencies tend to lean toward what they know and offset printing dominates their purchases. The tide is turning but slower than expected.

Q:  Are there types of print jobs whose quality is generally not acceptable when produced on digital presses?

A:  Those auto brochures in dealer showrooms are at the top of the offset quality line. For most work quality is not an issue but there are very high quality levels that digital cannot match.

Q:  In many companies their customer lists are maintained by the companies IT organization and they make if very difficult to use these lists in a digital print-produced projects. How do get cooperation between IT and Marketing?

A:  This is an issue. There is a need for more communication between the agency, the client, and the printer in regards to lists.

Q:  Do agencies understand the term “value per page” instead of talking about the price for the product?

A:  No. They measure results differently depending on the client. They balance cost, quality, results, and other factors in making print decisions. Buzz-terms will not sell agencies.

Q:  Where can printers who want to offer VI and W2P find technical and programming expertise?

A:  There are few experienced people out there. Hire a 4-year college graduate who majored in IT and train them.

Q:  Most agency people VDP is a scary word. Why? My guess is that nobody ever communicated it properly with the value proposition and ROI and then they can't communicate it to their client. Right?

A:  Right. Most printer sales people do not understand it properly and that is where it all starts.

Q:  What specifically do you look for in technical expertise from your print service provider?

A:  Total support day or night on any subject big or small.

Q:  Return on value -- what about that?

A:  What about it? It sounds complicated. Better to count responses. Agencies have to justify campaigns to clients so you have three levels of communication – printer to agency to client. You better keep it simple.

Q:  Can you comment on the marriage of transaction printing and direct mail advertising.

A:  Yes. Both panelists have worked with client marketing to augment bills and statements. Most transaction printout systems are only monochrome and color will be a big incentive to transpromo advances.

Q:  1-to-1 delivers roi, this is a given now, but what are the 'expected' returns in a %  ?

A:  You hear Miss X say that they got over 5 percent on one VDP project and considered that superb. The 20 percent claims are possible but not always needed.

Q:  Should the print service provider develop software for tracking Internet response and offer is this as a managed service to the agency.

A:  Yes. Some agencies would like a total service. Digital-only printers are more apt to offer this capability.

Q:  How about Pantone color vs. CMYK color in the digital world?

A: Digital color printers do have a wider gamut and can print more Pantone colors but they cannot match the spot colors of offset. HP Indigo being the exception. But designers can design for digital and avoid special spot colors.

Q:  How receptive would an agency be to running a static and VDP mailing campaign at the same time in order to measure the effectiveness of the VDP campaign versus traditional static direct mail campaigns?

A:  Both panelists have done it to prove the application for clients.

Q:  What is the RIT Survey?  Where can I find this survey?

A:  It was done for the RIT Sloan Center at RIT  -- http://print.rit.edu/ and is usually posted a while after sponsors get it.

Q:  Why aren't the other items that can be printed digitally (other than direct mail) being mentioned???

A:  Wish we had another hour to cover all printed products.

Q:  What type of samples would pique the interest of the agency contact?

A:  All kinds. A wide array is better than a narrow one.

If you have questions about this webinar, please contact Eric: eric@whattheythink.com

About Fujifilm

FUJIFILM Graphic Systems U.S.A., Inc. is the nation’s largest distributor of equipment, consumables and technical services for the graphic communications industry. Fujifilm provides its customers with products and technologies from best-in-class manufacturers as well as a nationwide network of technical service and support and is fully committed to its customers, which range from commercial printers, color separators, service bureaus and graphic design/art studios to newspapers, publishers and advertising agencies.

Whether it’s information on emerging technologies or reliable delivery of supplies, customers know they can rely on Fujifilm – the industry’s source for technology, solutions and support. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmgs.com.

About WhatTheyThink.com

WhatTheyThink.com is the print and publishing industry's leading online community. The company offers a mixture of free and subscription-based content for industry executives. Additionally, WhatTheyThink.com provides a robust content syndication program serving related web sites.

About Frank Romano

Frank Romano is Professor Emeritus, School of Print Media, Rochester Institute of Technology. He continues to teach courses at RIT and other universities and works with students on unique research projects.

Romano’s career has spanned 44 years in the printing and publishing industries. Many know him best as the editor of the International Paper Pocket Pal, or have read one of the hundreds of articles he has written for publications from North America to Europe to the Middle East, Asia and Australia. He has also consulted for major corporations, publishers, governments and other users of digital printing and publishing technology.

The author of the majority of the books that have been written on digital printing, Romano is the author of 44 books, including the 10,000-term Encyclopedia of Graphic Communications (with Richard Romano), the standard reference in the field. His books on QuarkXPress, InDesign and PDF workflow were among the first on those topics.

Romano has founded eight publications, serving as publisher or editor, including TypeWorld, then Electronic Publishing, Computer Artist, Color Publishing, The Typographer, EP&P, and both the NCPA and PrintRIT Journals. His columns appeared monthly in the Digital Printing Report since 1993.