Design and direct mail open up new opportunity at Victorian PICAs

Addition of new design category to Victorian PICAs pushes for further innovation in print.

This year’s Victoria PICAs will see the entrance of a new ‘design’ category. According to PICA Victoria chairman, Trevor Hone, (pictured) Category 35 has been established to recognise the importance that design plays in the success of a printed job.

“Each year, we see some spectacular jobs which, because the print quality doesn’t quite meet the exacting standards required for a Gold in the print categories, fail to achieve medals yet we know that, in the market, these are likely to be highly effective pieces of printed communications,” he said.

“By adding this new category, which will be judged separately by an expert judge appointed specifically for this task, we hope to recognise excellence in design in print, just as we recognise innovation in other areas.”

Hone also encouraged printers to enter the Direct Mail Campaign, which is open to campaigns comprising one or more pieces. “Innovative direct mail can have an enormous impact, either as a ‘stand alone’ campaign or, increasingly, as part of sophisticated multi-channel communications designed to engage the consumer in a very personal and direct way,” he said.

“Judging this category on print quality alone would fall short in many ways of assessing the true effectiveness of a piece, so we have broadened the criteria to include not only print quality, but concept and creative.”

Meanwhile, the next PICA presentation is in Western Australia on Saturday 28 August at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre BelleVue Ballroom.

Some tickets are still available for the event featuring comedy magician Matt Hollywood and Adam Hall & the Velvet Playboys. For information contact Lee Shelley on (08) 9361 4625 e-mail: lee@printnet.com.au

South Australia and Northern Territory have again broken their own entry record and are set for a major black tie event on Friday 8 October at the Adelaide Ballroom, Hilton Hotel. Inquiries to kay@printnet.com.au or call (08) 8373 0622.

Special guests The Rat Pack's Back will feature at the WorkCover  NSW PICA which returns to Doltone House, Pyrmont on Friday 5 November.

But NSW printers have less than four weeks to submit their entries before the 10 September deadline. Inquiries to Irene Manacos on (02) 8789 7382 e-mail: irene@printnet.com.au