Business - Knowledge

FEPE, the worldwide association of outdoor advertising companies, is delighted to announce that it is joining with APG|SGA, Clear Channel Outdoor, Exterion Media and JCDecaux to develop the first standardised industry approach to measuring digital out-of-home (OOH) audiences. 

This unique industry collaboration comes in response to the continued global growth of digital outdoor advertising, estimated at 23% annually between 2007-2014, with further growth of 21% predicted in 2015.

The project will be presented at the forthcoming FEPE Congress, to be held in Budapest in June 2015, by two of the world’s leading experts in outdoor audience measurement: Urs Zeier, of Clear Channel Outdoor and Neil Eddleston of JCDecaux.  They will talk about the project’s origins, aims, timelines and international scope.  They will also be showing the specially designed virtual environment that is being created for the project and explaining how this will be combined with eye-tracking to provide advertisers with robust benchmarks to evaluate digital OOH alongside classic OOH in the globally accepted Outdoor media planning systems.

FEPE is committed to continue working for the benefit of the Global OOH industry and to invest in research that furthers the success of Out of home across the world, such as the “Always On” research study in 2014.  FEPE International President, Mr Antonio Vincenti of Pikasso, comments: “We are honoured to be working with our long term partners within FEPE on this landmark piece of research. As digital out of home revenues grow globally, we feel that this initiative will benefit the whole industry and help to continue OOH’s upward trend across the world.”

In the spotlight for the first instalment of Roland DG’s latest high profile brand campaign, ‘With Roland’ is Tony Lane, Creative Director of ThinkIMAGE from Bristol. Roland DG customer Tony explains the diverse benefits of Roland’s integrated print & cut technology and highlights the impressive portfolio of output he has produced in just 3 months on his SOLJET PRO 4 XR-640 print & cut device.

Tony Lane explains: “With Roland and our XR-640 we really have been able to move our business onto the next level. From the moment we switched it on, the XR-640 has delivered the consistency and quality that I, and my clients, demand. We cover the full marketing spectrum from a print perspective –from banners and vehicle graphics to floor and wall graphics, POS displays, stickers and wallpapers– the list goes on.  The XR-640 has a level of versatility which enables me to take the business anywhere I want it to go, knowing I have the right technology at the heart of the business. When you add the ongoing support Roland offers and the reliability of these machines, you have everything you need to grow and thrive.”

Sarah Lyons, UK Marketing Manager, Roland DG, adds: “I’m very excited to be officially launching the new ‘With Roland’ brand marketing campaign. Our flagship campaigns in recent years have focused not on Roland technology itself, but on all the incredible things our customers are doing with their devices – because this is what really matters – to users and their customers. Our machines have never been just about the technology, as great as it is; but rather about helping to extend the imagination and the possibilities of those who use them. This campaign and ThinkIMAGE’s story demonstrates just that.

“Roland machines are for the innovative, the creative, for those who are passionate believers in the power of print – all those who want to push the boundaries and grow their business and profitability in the process. ThinkIMAGE is a great example of a business that is combining its love of print with great technology and creative inspiration to produce innovative applications that excite and exceed the expectations of their customers.”

For more information go to www.rolanddg.co.uk/Tony

Drytac has announced a new educational resource for those seeking information on how to adhere the printed side of a digital graphic to acrylic – a process known as face mounting, second surface mounting, acrylic mounting, or Plexiglas® mounting. In its newly introduced Facemount® video series, Drytac walks viewers through the process with step-by-step instructions from start to finish.

Divided into four videos, the series covers the following topics:

• Chapter 1: Materials Required for Face Mounting
• Chapter 2: Preparing Acrylic for Face Mounting
• Chapter 3: Applying Facemount to Images
• Chapter 4: Adhering Facemount Images to Acrylic

The benefits of Facemount, Drytac’s optically clear, pressure sensitive mounting adhesive used in the face mounting process, are also highlighted so that viewers take note of how effective the material is when mounting to any clear substrate.

Steve Broad, Sales Director for Drytac Europe, comments: "This new instructional video series will be of great use to anyone interested in learning more about face mounting.  It also provides information on several new tricks of the trade that even seasoned professionals may not be aware of."

To watch the full video series, visit the Facemount video page (http://www.drytac.com/videos/cat/PL1Xksf_a3TvvgnQ8TRXMxImgD3gt2W9yJ/?SID=rpd6hn1n4vhe7bmsgp5hv0ur25) or the Drytac YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1Xksf_a3TvvgnQ8TRXMxImgD3gt2W9yJ)

Drytac’s entire range of films and adhesives is exclusively distributed throughout the UK and Ireland by Antalis.  For the most up-to-date pricing and availability, please visit www.antalis.co.uk

For further information on Drytac and its leading range of films and adhesives, please visit www.drytac.co.uk.

CMYUK, a UK-based specialist in superwide digital print, has announced that it has signed an exclusive deal to distribute the ATP self-adhesive media range for the digital print graphic market throughout the UK.  The range will now be marketed and sold by CMYUK under the original material manufacturer’s name. 

On the announcement, Jon Price, Group Director at CMYUK comments: “We’re delighted to have secured the UK rights to the media, as we know the products are of the highest quality and have been sold in the UK and Europe for many years. 

"Following PaperlinX UK’s insolvency announcement, there are many businesses unable to access media.  However, we’ve worked hard to ensure continuity for end-users and guarantee the uninterrupted supply of these leading products.

“In addition, under a separate agreement, CMYUK will be supplying polyester display films, papers and banner materials. Customers will be able to continue printing, finishing and displaying with the materials they trust by contacting us.”

All products can be ordered from CMYUK with immediate effect at the same – or even better – price-point.  In addition, the company is promoting an introductory offer of a 5% discount on first orders.

For further information, please contact Michael Crook, CMYUK’s Commercial Director for the Consumables Division via email: michael.crook@CMYUK.com or call him on +44 (0) 118 989 2929.

For more information on CMYUK, please visit www.cmyuk.com

One of Pixartprinting’s missions is to welcome customers into a comfortable environment that makes them feel at home, with a purchasing experience focused on simplicity and the maximum possible level of transparency. With this in mind, Pixartprinting is launching a new 'My Account' area, and in doing so is strengthening its bond of respect and cooperation with its clients.

“We are launching a range of different functions in our e-shop, to further optimise the user experience”, Andrea Pizzola, Sales & Marketing Director at Pixartprinting explained. “Our aim is to provide customers with a welcoming environment, and to achieve this we have designed a new structure for the My Account area. Think of it as a desk tidy: a simple object that ensures all the everyday objects you need are always to hand - pens, pencils and, if you feel so inclined, ‘to do’ lists."

When you log in, you enter the world of Pixartprinting, with all the information you need to continue with your order displayed on the new My Account page, maximising the website’s usability, clarity and speed. The information is personalised, depending on whether or not the user belongs to Starway, the loyalty programme that offers exclusive benefits and a dedicated customer care service.

There are many new features for both groups. The focus of the display for customers that have not yet become Stars is a summary of their main information: their personal code, date of registration, their most recent order number with a direct link to it, and access to the section to edit their profile. There is also a useful, clearly visible reminder about ongoing promotions and quick access to the latest news from Pixartprinting’s dynamic R&D department.

And for those who want to enter the world of Starway, a handy counter shows the time left to join the 2016 programme, with constantly updated data on the number of orders still to make and the amount of money to spend. This entertaining feature has also been adapted for the company’s top clients, who see their progress towards a potential upgrade from one level to another (Star, Red Giant and Supernova). For Starway customers, new features in the Personal Area include immediate display of the galaxy to which they belong, their personal code for accessing all the exclusive advantages, and the telephone number for UserHub assistance. There is also a tab dedicated to the Call Me Now service, which allows customers to receive an instant call back free of charge. Finally, so users do not forget any of the monthly promotions the offers and corresponding expiry dates are shown, with direct links to the individual products.

As a designer, manufacturing your own products is a fantastic way to grow your own label, get more visibility and be in control of the quality of products with your name on. However, it can be a high-risk strategy, so it isn't for the faint hearted.

If you’re a designer who’s dreamt of seeing your work on stationery, home wares, fabrics and wallpaper, this free five-part ‘Manufacturing Your Way’ video series is for you. Each day for five days, Rachael Taylor – an internationally acclaimed surface pattern designer – will share her experiences, tips and key considerations to help you understand what’s involved in the manufacturing process and if it’s right way for your business to go.

Starting on Monday 30th March 2015, Rachael gives an overview of the manufacturing process, covering key topics such as manufacturing versus licensing, logistics, pricing your products, digital versus screen printing, finding the right manufacturing partner, negotiating a good deal and how and where to sell your stuff, covering both on and offline.

Says Rachael Taylor, Surface Pattern Designer and Founder of Make it in Design: "I always get asked from our Make it in Design course alumni about how I got started manufacturing my own products. I am constantly bombarded with questions about where and how to start, how to find a great printing partner, what printing processes work best for different products, how to know if you're getting a good deal, how to price products and tips on selling and marketing. So I decided to create this video mini-series all about how I have found the manufacturing process. I wanted to share my experience, tips and insight to help others understand whether it's right for them and if so, give them the confidence to go for it."

Make it in Design gives designers the tools, inspiration and confidence they need to succeed in the exciting world of surface pattern design. Encompassing acclaimed e-courses  ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design’ which take students from sketch to pattern design to product in three courses, ‘MOYO’ - the world’s first on-line magazine dedicated to surface pattern design containing inspiration, advice, interviews with successful designers and design competitions plus a host of live workshops, design master classes and a whole raft of resources to help designers build their careers.

This free video series will run daily beginning Monday 30th March and will run for five days, through to 3rd April 2015. For more information, please visit http://makeitindesign.com/blog/2015/03/19/free-manufacturing-video-series/