Printing moves into personalised communication

Annemarie Burger

The key aspect is that relevant, personalised communications dynamically published via several channels will differentiate printers in an increasingly commoditised space and bring much-needed services to agencies.

"Over time, printers have harnessed the manufacturing mind-set that margins can be cut, while volumes grown, to produce profitability," says Annemarie Burger, director at Remata. "However, printed volumes are now shrinking in the digital era, the number of products printers must offer is growing and it can be extremely difficult for some printers to get the returns they need, particularly considering the high capital investment in equipment."

Personalised, relevant communications via social media channels are gaining traction in the US, which makes delivery via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and traditional computing such as desktops and laptops, critical to modern communications specialists.

The total communications solution, however, includes variable data, cross-media, analytics and portals. Traditional printers only fulfil one component of that broad arsenal. Advertising agencies also suffers for its inability to provide analytics on adverts placed in print, on radio, TV and in cinemas.

"Years ago we noticed the changes were just beginning to take shape across all forms of communication and so we aligned ourselves with the future through global technology solutions and creative minds to stay relevant and influential in an ever-changing market," says Burger.

"Today unquantifiable returns on investments are a relic of the past. During these lean times, most companies are reducing their marketing and advertising budgets. You can see it in the consistent drop in advertising spend, across TV, radio, print and cinema in South Africa since 2007, going on figures from the World Outdoor Research Council."

Printers are the logical choice to fill the gap. They are experts at producing a spectrum of marketing materials, they have decade's worth of experience working with agencies and corporations directly, they have designers and developers on tap. With their investment in high capital infrastructure, they are ideally placed to deliver the technology foundation that underscores variable data, cross-media, analytics and portal services in a seamless package. While they can never replace agencies, they must become invaluable partners delivering a wider range of products and services.

"Employing XMPie produces a number of outcomes. Firstly, there is generally far less volume. You are not spraying and praying as with traditional media advertising, pamphlets, e-mails, brochures and others like those, which means less production cost. Secondly, you are customising the message for each person and delivering it to him or her in a highly visible format, which means the conversion ratio climbs enormously.

"Having direct access to the guys who are already writing the code for the next generation and who wrote the code for the current generation of printers, means that we can create detailed customisations to support the most sophisticated marketing operations available in South Africa," she concludes.