Regional digital printers converge on Sydney
The prestigious international event saw printers from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Singapore as well as New Zealand and Australia come together at the Australian Technology Centre in Sydney for intensive workshop sessions culminating in a visit to the HPA plant. Working on the theme Communicating with Consumers in the 21st Century the workshop focused on the techniques and technologies of using print in direct marketing campaigns.
Fuji Xerox has a direct interest in the field with its iGen3 being the company’s digital colour press flagship. It regards personalised direct mail as one of the major growth opportunities for the technology and conducts the international workshops to help develop the skills and marketing mindset among its customers.
A high-powered line-up of direct marketing and digital printing experts included Australian direct marketing guru, Malcolm Auld, (pictured) who pulled no punches in a hard-hitting presentation. He pointed out to the Partners that with high-end digital printing they were entering into a new space with the need to invest heavily in new people who can speak the language of the marketers. “You are involved earlier in the process and as a result are more accountable. Instead of simply printing and handing over the job you may be tracking results for months afterwards,” he said.
The upside is that digital printers, who are increasingly meshing with mail houses, develop a data bank of experience that can be used in future campaigns with new clients.
Nick Mercer of Mercer Bell, one of Australia’s leading direct marketing agencies, disputed the traditional view that direct mailing was only about ‘active’ results and not about building of the brand. In a wide-ranging presentation he claimed that branding today is the most important differentiator between products. He gave a compelling example in brand building using his agency's success in the Johnnie Walker ‘Black Label’ campaign that is now being used globally.
Michael Durie of Australia Post gave an insight into the dynamics of the mailing sector, pointing out that while transactional mail had plateaued at 80 per cent of total mailing, promotional mail was a fast-growing 15 per cent (personal mail is steady at five per cent). He maintained that unlike other forms of communication people looked forward to spending time with their mail, describing it as “the mail moment” and the “hard copy anchor of promotional campaigns.”
Leading the international contingent was Axel Booth of Daten_Partner, a leading direct marketing specialist from Düsseldorf, who gave a provocative presentation on successful tactics to engage the DM market, as well as an insightful survey of the technology available to printers, contrasting continuous feed and sheetfed operations. He claimed that while 80 per cent of DM printing in Europe is continuous feed it only accounts for 20 per cent in Australia and New Zealand.
The value of research into the market was the theme of the presentation by Michelle Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan Research. She gave a fascinating explanation of the new Roy Morgan values segmentation analysis, a powerful research tool that uses values to provide an understanding of people and the choices they make.
To top off the two day workshop the international visitors were given a tour of the HPA headquarters in Sydney (locals were understandably excluded). The Sydney Fuji Xerox Premium Partners followed two previous events in Hong Kong and Shanghai. A further series is planed. More info from Suzanne Myerson Suzanne.myerson@aus.fujixerox.com
Read more of this week's news stories here … www.print21.com.au
A high-powered line-up of direct marketing and digital printing experts included Australian direct marketing guru, Malcolm Auld, (pictured) who pulled no punches in a hard-hitting presentation. He pointed out to the Partners that with high-end digital printing they were entering into a new space with the need to invest heavily in new people who can speak the language of the marketers. “You are involved earlier in the process and as a result are more accountable. Instead of simply printing and handing over the job you may be tracking results for months afterwards,” he said.