Seven myths of digital print dispelled

The stunning capacity of variable data and digital print was on full display at the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) Night at the Australian Museum.

Digitalpress’ Theo Pettaras was guest speaker and invited fellow digital print enthusiasts Ken Williams of Excel, Kodak’s Michael Smedley and graphic designer Marcus Piper to showcase what can be done with digital print.

Pettaras and co demonstrated the flexibility of digital print by taking photographs of every audience member at the start of the night, and producing a personalised poster for every person, delivered at the end of the presentations.

Pettaras also said that his aim was to dispel the 7 myths about digital printing, including the beliefs that digital print is lower in quality than offset, that technology limits the range of stocks and coatings available and that you have to be a data expert to personalise your print.

“There’s a perception that digital printers just chew and spew…I want to reform the image of digital printing,” Pettaras told the audience of graphic designers and students.

Ken Williams (pictured) followed Pettaras with a passionate presentation about the applications of VDP – “which is not a disease,” he quipped.

Williams stressed that by using the readily available data about consumers and end-users, it is possible to personalise marketing communications and achieve incredible cut-through. He gave the example of a wine catalogue with different combinations of imagery and product offers based on the previous purchase behaviour of the recipient. “You can take that data and do something really powerful with it,” he said.

The main takeaway of Williams’ presentation was that if designers can make their marketing profitable by using variable data applications, then they will get more creative and financial freedom, as long as they show results.