Tactics Magazine, Volume 8, Issue 5 by Shawmut Communications Group

FEATURED

The Ultimate in Recycled Papers Not all recycled papers are created equal—as you’ll see in our feature article and fold-out infographic. The amount of recycled content in your paper matters. Some “recycled” stocks only contain a small percentage of recycled materials and the rest is made from virgin fiber. In other cases, artificial brighteners—which are harmful to the environment— are added to fibers to make the paper suitable for printing. That’s why it’s important to look beyond the label and really understand how your paper is made.

How Sustainable is Your Paper Choice? Learn Why Recycled Content Matters.

This issue of Tactics was printed on CyclusPrint 74# cover and 101# text—one of the best recycled papers on the market. Cyclus delivers across all three pillars of sustainability—people, profit and planet—so you can feel good about your paper choice without breaking your budget. Why we love Cyclus: • 100% recycled • FSC Certified • M ade without artificial brighteners • C onsumes fewer natural resources and helps preserve forests • Reduces accumulation of waste • R equires less water and energy • Reduces carbon emissions • Creates local employment

VOL. 8, ISSUE 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Shawmut Communications Group | www.shawmutdelivers.com

• O ffers a unique look and feel

OUR IMPACT We all know that using recycled paper makes a difference, but the ability to quantify that difference on an individual print job makes the argument even more compelling. Thanks to the environmental calculator developed by Arjowiggins, the makers of Cyclus, it’s now easy to illustrate the environmental savings you’ll have by choosing Cyclus. Here’s how our impact was reduced by printing this issue of Tactics on CyclusPrint. With Cyclus, we saved:

1,667 lbs of landfill 335 lbs of CO

and 2 greenhouse gases

6,355 gallons of water 2,122 kWh of energy 2,708 lbs of wood Learn more about the impact of recycled papers and how to choose a sustainable paper stock in our feature article and fold-out infographic.

FEATURED EXPERTS Marina Carlson Campaign Planning Analyst, athenahealth

Free resource:

DIELINES & TEMPLATES Design faster with our ready-to-go dielines and templates! Download the files to save yourself time on your next print design project, and don’t forget to check back often to see the new dielines we release each month!

Pocket Folders

Direct Mail

Boxes

Specialty Folds

Envelopes

Custom Dielines

Kim Dyer Business Development Manager, JP Gould

Colette O’Neill Senior Director of Marketing, Communications, and PR, ALS Therapy Development Institute

Dave Prezzano Vice President and General Manager of the Americas Graphics Solutions, HP

www.shawmutdelivers.com/dielines

WELCOME

The Snowball Effect I know, it's only autumn and I shouldn’t be using the dreaded “S” word. But as we created the articles for this issue of Tactics, I kept coming back to this concept. The idea that each of our actions can build off of one another and have a compound effect. Nowhere else do I find this to be truer than in print and marketing. Surely that will sound like a joke to some since creating a new brochure isn’t exactly life-saving work, but nonetheless, our impact is often farther reaching than we think. In fact, I see examples of this on our production floor all the time. A simple color adjustment can add warmth to photos and draw people in—connecting them emotionally to the story behind the image. Or a change in paper stock can strengthen brand loyalty by illustrating a shared commitment to doing the right thing for our planet. Sometimes, when a brand goes for the gusto with high-end print effects or personalization, the impact is more obvious. In those cases, customers may take to social media to

rave about a brand’s packaging (seriously, just look at the number of “unboxing” videos on YouTube). In any case, the designers and marketers of the world have the power to create widespread impact. Our words, visuals, and the materials we use to tell a story can spiral into sales, donations, renewable energy sources, cost-savings, and more. Every small change we make to a design or even the way we distribute material can have a snowball effect. The articles in this issue will show how brands of all sizes are using print to further their impact. I hope each one offers small lessons that you can build on for your own brand. I hope you enjoy this issue.

Michael Peluso President

Inside this Issue VISUAL LEARNING: HOW A NON-PROFIT TELLS POWERFUL STORIES WITH IMAGES

To educate the public and raise money, ALS TDI relies heavily on visual learning. See how this non-profit uses images to tell powerful stories that generate more donations for their worthy cause.

When it comes to standing out on store shelves, aesthetic features and personalization truly matter. See how digital printing technology makes it easy for brands of all sizes to create customized packaging that motivates consumers to buy.

WHY CUSTOMIZED PACKAGING WORKS FOR BRANDS OF ALL SIZES

HOW SUSTAINABLE IS YOUR PAPER CHOICE?

Sustainable printing is a hot topic, but do you know how to select paper that benefits your brand and the environment? Find out why you need to look past the label and opt for recycled content.

By leveraging web-to-print technology, athenahealth has saved time and resources. Get advice on succeeding at collateral management by launching your own web-to-print storefront.1 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Shawmut

ASK AN EXPERT: WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AT COLLATERAL MANAGEMENT

I don’t feel the need to carry

negativity towards my life situation. Instead, I carry optimism and positivity towards the time that I do have.

Visual Learning: How a Non-Profit Tells Powerful Stories With Images “You have to work harder these days to get noticed. Powerful images are the answer.” Colette O’Neill Senior Director of Marketing, Communications, and PR ALS Therapy Development Institute

Shawmut

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

The ALS Therapy Development Institute has one mission: to find a cure for ALS. This rare, debilitating disease robs people of their ability to walk, talk, speak, and eventually breathe. Sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, there are over 30,000 people living with ALS in the United States at any given time. There isn’t a cure or even any significantly effective treatments. But, a one-of-a-kind non-profit is working to change that. The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) runs a brick and mortar research lab that’s 100% focused on finding a cure for ALS. “We’re not driven by profit or politics, so we have a unique opportunity to make a difference here,” Colette O’Neill, senior director of marketing, communications, and PR for the ALS Therapy Development Institute, says. “But, to do that, we have to raise awareness and funds.”

To educate the public and raise money, O’Neill says ALS TDI relies heavily on visual learning. By combining personal stories and images, the non-profit is able to connect with more donors and drive more donations.

“This campaign is different,” O’Neill says. “It’s not a letter from the president or a generic donation letter, it’s real life.” The combination of firstperson storytelling and personal photos elevate the campaign to a new level.

The impact of a visual story Every non-profit raises funds, but ALS TDI doesn’t send out generic fliers and emails asking for donations—they show people why they should donate. Their campaigns share real stories of those living with ALS.

“Without the images, the story wouldn’t be as impactful.”

How brands can use imagery in their next campaign Any brand, whether it’s a for- or non-profit, can use imagery to enhance a marketing campaign. It’s one of the best ways to get your audience to stop and act, O’Neill says.

“It’s important for the public to see real men and women who are living with this disease, and to show what it does to their bodies,” O’Neill says. “Images are the only way to unmask the awful realities.” O’Neill reaches out to people with ALS on a regular basis to get a first-person account of life with the disease. During one such campaign, a 21-year-old man, Osiel Mendoza, shared his emotional journey with ALS. Mendoza met the love of his life in the eighth grade. The two grew up together, graduated from the same college, and got engaged. Three days after proposing, Mendoza was diagnosed with ALS, and was told he had two to five years to live. Mendoza wrote a letter to ALS TDI donors, describing this life-

“You have to work harder these days to get noticed,” she says. “Powerful images are the answer.” changing diagnosis and how it has forever altered his future. The story was shared through print, email, and social. Alongside his story were images from Mendoza’s wedding. “The pictures bring his story to life,” O’Neill says. “To see this happily married couple and know that ALS is stealing so much of their future is just gut-wrenching.” Because Mendoza was willing to share his experience, ALS TDI raised a recordbreaking $333,000 during its year-end campaign.

To help marketers embrace visual learning, here are several tips from O’Neill: Opt for raw, real-time photos The most powerful images aren’t edited or retouched. Ditch the editing software and filters and show your audience truth. Don’t be afraid to ask A lot of people are willing to tell their story and have their picture taken, so don’t be shy. Ask. Repetition is best Don’t tell one good story a year; tell a lot of stories. Feed your

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Shawmut

audience a steady diet of short, relevant stories to keep them consistently engaged with your product or brand.

SAVE A STAMP! PLEASE DONATE ONLINE AT ALS.NET/YOUNGESTGENERATION. THANK YOU. Yes, I am all in! I want to support the advancement of the AT-1501 treatment and other hopeful opportunities to help Osiel and others continue to live with ALS. Please accept my tax-deductible gift of $. ............................................... I want to impact science on an ongoing basis and want my gift to be a recurring monthly donation! Name ........................................................................................................................................................................................... Address .......................................................................................................................................................................................

Use images on multiple channels

City .......................................................................................................State ............ Zip Code ................................................ Email ....................................................................................................Phone ........................................................................... Check here if you do not want to receive email from the ALS Therapy Development Institute.

Images aren’t just for digital media—use images on print campaigns as well to give each piece a wow factor. The human brain processes images 60 times faster than text, and 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Keep this in mind before developing your next fundraising or marketing campaign and try using more visuals to capture the essence of your story. 

Payment Options

Please donate online at ALS.net/youngestgeneration. Thank you.

Check payable to the ALS Therapy Development Institute Credit Card:

Visa

Mastercard

Amex

Discover

Account Number ............................................................................................................................................... Exp. Date .................................. Signature................................................................................................ Security Code ........................................................................................... My gift is

In honor of

In memory of: Honoree/Family Fund Name............................................................................................ Address (if you want them to be notified) ...................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................

I am the newest and the youngest Matching Gifts als.net/giftmatch • Planned Giving als.net/plannedgift • Donor Advised Funds als.net/DAF Other ways to give: generationStock/Securities of ALS. And I need to beDonations the als.net/cars last. als.net/stock • Vehicle The ALS Therapy Development Institute is a tax-exempt non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Our federal tax ID # is 04-3462719. - Osiel Mendoza, 22

John Q. Sample 123 Any Street Any City, AS 12345-6789 November 13th, 2017 Dear John,

Take a moment to think about what life was like when you were 21 years old. Were you determined to do well in school? Were you worried about finding a good job? Were you dreaming up ways to impress that cute boy or girl you liked? Despite the many life struggles I am facing and will continue to face, I don’t feel the need to carry negativity towards my If ALS did not exist, that would be my life, too. But unfortunately, that’s the case.toI was diagnosed at 21 years life situation. As my physical bodynot continues get weaker, my with mindALS becomes stronger. I carry optimism and positivity old and my life drastically changed, forever. towards the time that I do have. And believe me when I say this, I’m fighting back. And I hope you will fight back with me. I spent the summer of 2016 working hard and saving money to buy an engagement ring for Bella, the love of my life. She I have been inspired by a particular organization to boldly continue my fight. The ALS Therapy Development Institute and I have been in a committed relationship since we were 13 years old. At the end of the summer, I asked her to be my (ALS TDI) is a non-profit biotech with a relentless drive towards innovative research and drug development practices. wife. We were so excited to begin living Scientists out our dreams: world together, buying a house, and treatments having fourand kids. at ALStraveling TDI are the 100% focused on discovering effective cures for ALS. Because of their mission urgency, I’ve never had more hope that this will indeed happen in their lab and in my lifetime. Three days after I proposed to her, I wasand toldsense I hadofALS.

ALS TDI is working hard to advance promising treatments such as AT-1501 into clinical trials, and because of the ongoing I knew that something strange was happening with my body that summer. I was tripping all over myself, experiencing support of people like you, AT-1501 trials are expected to start in 2018. The other thing that gives me great hope is the muscle cramps, non-stop muscle twitching, and I lost 15 pounds in just two weeks. It was obvious that something was ALS TDI Precision Medicine Program (PMP). As one of over 500 active participants, the program physically tracks the wrong, but not once did I ever think I would be told, “You have ALS.” progression of my disease, and gives me insight into what potentially may slow down or stop that progression. A year has passed since my diagnosis. Bella and I both graduated from the University of Oregon in June and we were givinginupSeptember. on myself.My I’mbody not giving up on my like teaching my kids how to play sports, growing old with married in front of our wonderful familyI’m andnot friends has changed a lotdreams, in the past year. Walking Bella,are and that ISitting love her myinown voice.me I truly believe that ALS is not an incurable disease, it is an is now a considerable struggle for me. Stairs mytelling worsther enemy. on with a chair the physical shower saves a substantial underfunded one. Dollar signs should notand stand in theright wayback of advancing promising amount of energy. Becoming left-handed is my new challenge. And falling down getting up is becoming a treatments, and I will do everything possible to raise money to support projects that give me and others a chance at a longer life. daily norm. WillI’ll youlose please join metoinwalk, supporting aggressive research efforts ALS TDI today? I am scared of what is to come. Eventually, my ability talk, eat,the breathe on my own, and teachatmy future kids how to play sports. I’ll even lose myAability tell Bella that I love needed to ensure that the pace of her with my own physical voice. research at ALS TDI is not impacted in 2018. The average lot oftomoney is desperately

If you’re interested in donating to this cause, please visit:

gift given to ALS TDI in 2017 was $100. Will you consider making a similar or larger gift to support the organization’s I’m just 22 years old. I still cannot fathom the thought of ALS taking my dreams away from me. critical work? I am the newest and the youngest generation of ALS. And I need to be the last. over... Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

als.net/youngestgeneration

Colette O’Neill joined ALS TDI as the Senior Director of Marketing, Communications, and PR in April 2015. She has spent over fifteen years leading marketing and communications efforts at Boston area non-profits, as well as running her own practice in marketing strategy, design, and production.

Shawmut

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

300 Technology Square, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02139 o 617.441.7200 f 617.441.7299 w als.net The ALS Therapy Development Institute is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit. EIN # 04-3462719

Osiel Mendoza

I don’t feel the need to carry

negativity towards my life situation. Instead, I carry optimism and positivity towards the time that I do have.

How Sustainable is Your Paper Choice? Learn Why Recycled Content Matters.

Sustainability is a hot topic across nearly every industry, but print and paper might be one of the biggest. “Almost every brand we work with has some level of interest in choosing environmentally-friendly or sustainable paper stocks,” says Kim Dyer, Business Development Manager at JP Gould, a global paper distributor. “Consumers want brands to reflect their values,

and paper is a good way for organizations to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.”

“I don’t. I let the printer do it.”

But when it comes to sustainable printing solutions, are brands looking much beyond the label? Do they know what attributes are important? Do they view sustainable paper as a dual opportunity to benefit their brand and the environment? The reality is that choosing paper is often an afterthought, even when brands are striving to meet corporate sustainability guidelines. Dyer says that when she asks brands how they choose paper, she hears things like:

“ We pretty much go with whatever looked good last time.” “ Procurement picks the paper we use.” “ We choose papers that reflect our environmental strategy and list them in our brand standards.” “ We want our brand to look good, but to be honest, we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about paper.” If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Shawmut

The good news is that choosing a truly sustainable solution— one that goes beyond basic environmental certifications— doesn’t have to be super expensive or complicated. “The key to knowing what’s a green paper (and what’s not) is to know where it came from, how it was made, and how it traveled to your printer. You’ve got to think of it as a journey and how using recycled materials can affect each step in that journey,” adds Kim.

Recycled Materials for Paper Sourcing Paper can be made from virgin fiber, recycled fiber, or some combination of the two. Virgin fiber comes directly from trees, but don’t sound the alarm bells just yet. Not all forests are created equal, and many are managed with sustainability in mind. “Years ago, print budgets were slashed in an effort to ’save the trees’,” adds Kim. “Sadly, this was a myth. In fact, thanks to the print and paper industry there are more trees in the US today than years ago. That’s because the industry plants three times more than it harvests.”

by investing in papers made from the highest percentage of recycled fiber possible.” That’s where post-consumer recycled fiber (PCRF) comes in. This type of fiber comes from paper materials that have already met their intended use. “It’s sort of like a reincarnation process for paper. Catalogs, magazines, and other printed materials you recycle every day end up as PCRF and they find new life when those fibers become part of the pulp used for new paper,” says Kim. These days with everyone trying to reduce, reuse, and recycle it’s easy to see why paper made from PCRF offers many benefits. However one of the biggest takeaways for brands is the value of producing a paper that’s made from 100% postconsumer recycled fiber. It only takes 1.1 tons of waste paper to

Sustainable forest management is certified by an independent, third-party organization called the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). “A paper that carries the FSC logo is a good choice,” says Kim. “But brands can go further

Shawmut

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

produce 1 ton of recycled paper— nearly a 1:1 ratio. Plus recycling carries a big upside when it comes to employment and our economy. For every thousand tons of paper collected, processed, and re-manufactured; seven jobs are created.

Recycled Materials for Paper Making The way paper is made also affects how green it is. Production of paper that’s 100% PCRF uses approximately 75% less water and one-third less of the total energy required to produce its virgin-fiber counterpart. Continues on page 9

Need more proof? Check out the infographic inside this fold-out section to see how much recycled content matters.

1.1 TONS

1 TON

It takes 1.1 tons of waste paper to produce 1 ton of recycled paper. On the other hand, it takes 24 good-sized trees to produce 1 ton of virgin fiber paper.1

The total energy required to produce recycled pulp is one third less than what’s required to make virgin pulp.

VIRGIN PULP RECYCLED PULP

Paper that’s made from 100% post-consumer recycled fiber (PCRF) uses 75% less water in production than virgin fiber paper.

1 TON VIRGIN FIBER

Approximately 100 endangered species live among the trees needed to produce virgin fiber. By contrast, recycled paper has no impact on endangered species.8

Why it’s Better to Make Paper from “Trash” not Trees In 2015, recycled fibers used to make new paper saved

21 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.5

Logging leaves behind wood residues (called slash) and underground roots. When slash or roots decay, they emit greenhouse gases. 6

One tree can absorb 48 pounds of CO2 per year.

Recycled paper saves about 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space for every ton of waste paper. 2

Alternatively, paper that goes to landfills decomposes and emits methane gas, which traps up to 25 times more heat and CO2 over a 100 year period.3

The Opportunities for Recycled Paper are Limitless There’s no supply limit when it comes to making paper from recycled fibers.

1,000 TONS Producing a ton of recycled paper, saving 24 trees, could eliminate 192 pounds of CO2 (24 trees at 48 pounds of CO2 absorbed per tree).1

Why Recycled Content Matters

Recycling brings an employment upside: For every 1,000 tons of paper collected, processed, and re-manufactured, 7 jobs are created.12

Currently, we only recycle less than two thirds of the total amount of paper that could be recycled.10 Plus, 40% of office paper is still thrown away.11

you think transforming + Ifrecycled paper into pulp doesn’t make much of a difference for the environment, think again. We’ve gathered the facts on just how much it matters to choose paper made from recycled fibers.

Consumers Value Recycled Paper

“ THE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR PLANET IS THE BELIEF THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL SAVE IT.” Robert Swan, OBE, founder of 2041

Do your part. Choose 100% recycled papers.

It’s a common myth that paper made from PCRF should only be used in tissue, low-grade packaging, and other “down-cycled” stocks. But in reality, PCRF doesn’t compromise quality for printing or writing papers. When properly equipped, recycling facilities and paper manufacturers are able to meet the same standards for brightness. Plus, printing and writing papers do not require the fiber strength or purity of virgin fiber, as some packaging and other paper products do. More importantly, the number of consumers who value PCRF content in their printing and writing paper is large and growing. They want it, and there’s no reason not to give it to them.

1. Environmental Paper Network (Papercalculator.org) 2. American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) 3. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.gov) 4. North California State University 5. SF&PA Sustainability Report, 2016 6. SCS Global Reincarnation LCA p 60 7. S CS Global’s Life Cycle Assessment of New Leaf Reincarnation 100 Coated Freesheet Paper, Compared to Virgin Paper Baseline, October 8, 2015 8. SCS Global Reincarnation LCA p 8 9. American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) 10. American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) 11. Paperrecycles.org 12. More Jobs, Less Pollution (Bluegreenalliance.org)

Plus, since one tree can absorb 48 pounds of CO2 per year, using more recycled content in paper production—instead of virgin fiber from trees—can play a positive role in climate change. When it comes to paper-making companies two things matter most: 1. h ow hard they work to improve their environmental impact, and 2. how much you can see and learn about what they’re doing. Here again, two independent organizations have created standards by which the sustainability practices of paper manufacturers are measured—making it easy for you to identify companies that align with your goals. Paper manufacturers that carry an ISO 14001 designation from the International Organization for Standardization have certified that they have a systematic way to reduce their environmental impact. The World Wildlife Fund also recognizes paper companies that choose to disclose data about their manufacturing process in their Environmental Paper Company Index (EPCI). Choosing paper from a manufacturing company that carries these certifications

and endorsements is another way brands can feel good about their paper choice.

Recycled Materials Impact Moving Paper Too Just how did that paper get from the manufacturer to your printer? That’s often an area overlooked by brands when it comes to choosing a sustainable paper source. Transportation can have big environmental implications— but all transportation journeys are not created equal. One paper manufacturer who is a key player in the circular paper economy and manufactures several papers made from 100% PCRF is Arjowiggins. As the number one manufacturer of recycled paper in Europe, Arjowiggins exceeds waste reduction expectations in every area of production— including transportation. In fact, the impact of transportation on Arjowiggins’ overall carbon footprint is approximately 6%—less than the impact of getting paper from California to Maine. You might wonder how that is possible. How can the carbon footprint

Kim is a business development manager at JP Gould and a member of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP). She develops paper sourcing strategies for Fortune 500 corporations around the world, resulting in paper programs that ensure brand consistency while demonstrating environmental commitment and delivering cost savings.

of transportation be less when purchasing paper from a European mill versus one based in the US? It’s all because of Arjowiggins’ commitment to using recycled materials and renewable energy in every phase of production. For example, in order to reduce the transportation needs for waste paper collection, Arjowiggins partnered with several nonprofits that provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Individuals collect waste paper from local schools and businesses thereby reducing the distance the waste paper must travel. The local collections are then sent to Arjo’s nearby de-inking facility where it can be processed into pulp. “It’s a fantastic partnership that shows how companies can reduce waste throughout their production process and give back to their community at the same time!” adds Kim. It is difficult for brands to choose wisely when paper selection is an afterthought to their design and print procurement process. But actively choosing a paper with a favorable environmental profile—one that’s made from 100% recycled content—turns an afterthought into an asset. It’s a choice that shows your organization cares. 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Shawmut

Why Customized Packaging Works for Brands of All Sizes Café Pelé, a coffee brand sold in Brazilian supermarkets, needed to fight back against consumer perceptions that its coffee was not as fresh as that of local Brazilian coffeehouses. Working with its marketing agency, the local newspaper, and their printer, the company used digital technology to print flexible packaging with images from that morning’s newspaper with the message,

“ This coffee was vacuumpacked today, here’s the proof!” The marketing campaign was a hit, with more 1 million customers repeatedly engaging with the Café Pelé brand and sales jumping 400%. Not long ago, a campaign like this would have been nearly impossible for most brands because of limitations in traditional printing technology, such as lengthy press setup and economics that reward standardization and long print runs. Today, digital printing technology makes it possible to produce short runs quickly and affordably, so brands of all sizes can be more agile with product customization.

Shawmut

Digital printing gives small brands packaging flexibility Indeed, this technology can help smaller brands use flexible packaging to build awareness and look more professional, even when they’re not operating at the scale of their larger competitors. Competition among similar products on store shelves can be intense, with shoppers often making buying decisions in mere seconds. Some are more motivated by price. Others select brands based on experiences and loyalty. But a large and growing set of consumers are influenced by visual stimuli.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

According to a WestRock survey, 86% of packaging professionals believe consumers are more likely to purchase products with visually appealing labels, and 38% are likely to repeat purchases for the same reason. Similarly, a study by Shorr Packaging found more than half of 422 adult buyers polled believe specially printed or customized packaging makes a product more valuable. For smaller brands, the upshot of this data is clear: when it comes to standing out on store shelves, aesthetic features such as color, typography, brightness and graphical style truly matter. For example, facing stiff competition from imported brands, Israeli chocolatier Strauss Elite

few or as many customized labels or packages as needed, operating almost as a personalized branding bureau. Many printers today have entire business practices dedicated to doing just that.

decided to breathe new life into its brand by releasing 1 million candy bars, each with one-of-a-kind labels. But Strauss took its custom packaging a step further. Every one of its wrappers could also be folded into a fun sculpture of a cow using origami (the company has used cows in its signature red packaging since 1934).

Personalized packaging drives sales What Café Pelé and Strauss Elite have been doing isn’t unique to smaller brands. Larger brands like Coke, Dr. Pepper, Oreo and Planters have also driven successful, limited-time marketing campaigns built around custom labels and packaging. Still, many large consumer packaged goods brands don’t pursue this option because their size tends to limit

their ability to be agile and to customize at scale. Smaller, more nimble brands have an opportunity, therefore, to compete with larger brands by embracing custom packaging to stand out and be noticed. Digital printing presses make this possible. They can embed not just data but also variable images and special effects, producing it all in beautiful color on an extensive variety of media. In fact, color reproduction is incredibly sharp with digital printing, which is one reason many major brands have put it to work. Obviously, the average small or mid-sized business does not have the capital to invest in digital presses to make any of this a reality. But they do have options— their printer can produce as

Dave Prezzano is the Vice President and General Manager of the Americas Graphics Solutions business at HP Inc. In this role, he is responsible for the go-to-market strategy, execution and overall financial performance of the business.

Images courtesy HP Graphics Solutions Business

Shawmut Communications Group, for instance, recently installed a die cutting machine to complement their H-UV offset press and HP Indigo digital presses—expanding their packaging services. This combination of equipment allows Shawmut to print on a range of flexible and board grade packaging substrates, use variable data and images, and have the ability to meet low minimum order quantities when needed. Printers can offload much of the stress, complexity and time involved in producing custom labels and packaging. At the same time, they can offer smaller brands the expertise and strategic counsel they might need to limit costs and produce more compelling images that will resonate with consumers. Today, it’s becoming evident that looks really can matter, and that product packaging itself is becoming an important element in the marketing mix. Growing businesses have an unprecedented opportunity to put their imaginations to work and create innovative labels and packaging that will grab consumer attention and help them compete against larger brands. 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Shawmut

ASK AN EXPERT

Lessons Learned: What it Takes to Succeed at Collateral Management A Q&A with Marina Carlson from athenahealth on how to be successful when setting up a collateral management system.

In Volume 8, Issue 3 of Tactics Magazine we profiled three Shawmut customers that changed the way their organizations manage print collateral. By leveraging web-to-print technology, they’ve stripped away time-consuming order processing, inefficient distribution methods, and cumbersome sales tools. If your marketing team faces some of the same challenges, a web-to-print collateral management system might be right for you. But setting up a new process and e-commerce storefront is no easy feat. Take it from athenahealth’s Marina Carlson who shares some lessons learned during their recent transition to online collateral management. What advice would you give to other organizations looking to adopt this technology? You’ve got to figure out your business need first. For us, it was primarily sales enablement, although we will also use our new

Shawmut

storefront for event marketing and employee needs down the line. Once we identified the primary challenge, we set out to find a solution that helped our cultivation process with prospects. The site lets our sales team send thank you notes and follow-up materials quickly to keep the conversation with prospects going. I also recommend finding a vendor that you have a good relationship with. I would not have taken on this project without it! Why do you think having a collateral management system is important? Although I love the fact that this solution makes our marketing team’s job easier, it goes well beyond that. Collateral management is good for the whole organization because it centralizes resources and makes it possible to have consistency in our brand and messaging. For athenahealth, that consistency is critical. Because we’re in the

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

healthcare space, we can run into compliance issues if our materials aren’t up to date. We need to have a seamless way to manage collateral and get it between marketing and sales, because there can be legal implications if we don’t. How did you define your project requirements? Our marketing team knew our current process wasn’t working. First, we needed a really simple way for sales to order and ship collateral. Second, we wanted a convenient way for marketing to stay on top of our in-market offers and what needed to be discontinued. That’s what drove us towards printon-demand (POD) capabilities and custom templates. We looked to our stakeholders on the segment marketing team (content producers) to determine which pieces should be kept in inventory vs POD items. Then we structured the website with ease-of-use in mind for sales and we’ll continue to incorporate their feedback as we move forward. How long did the site take to launch? In total it took us about six months. We started off with a few planning sessions to identify our focus areas which included promotional items, print-on-demand collateral, custom kits, and the user experience. Making sure it was easy-to-use was critical so that we did not end up

with adoption challenges down the road. From there it moved pretty quickly in terms of building templates, tweaking the design, and making sure the inventory was ready and available for launch. We also set clear expectations— things didn’t have to be perfect on day 1. Like many of our projects, we used an agile approach because the system is so flexible it can easily grow as our needs change. In fact, we’re already talking about phase two. Which internal resources from athenahealth were involved? We gathered input from legal, compliance, content marketers, sales, design, and finance. It’s important to identify who is going to have skin in the project and get their buy-in sooner rather than later. We included at least one person from each team in our kickoff meeting and started by asking some of the tougher questions: What kind of tracking did we need? What type of reporting? How were we going to allocate costs? What were you looking for in a vendor? Previously we had multiple systems so the first thing we wanted was to keep everything under one roof. Working with a company that could do the website development, print, and promotional products sourcing was a must.

Personally, I had never done a project like this. So I was looking for a partner, not just a “vendor”— there’s a big difference! Working with Shawmut felt like we were one team working towards a goal rather than two companies each fulfilling their individual responsibilities. The whole process was very collaborative. We’d toss out some crazy ideas and they found a way to make it happen which made the end product that much better. I couldn’t have asked for a better project team! If you had to build the site over again, what would you do differently? In the beginning, I should have taken a bit more time to review the calendar for holidays, vacation time, or other potential roadblocks. Our launch date did get pushed out slightly because of holiday delays so it’s important to account

Marina is always ready for a challenge and blends her creativity and analytical skills to improve marketing operations for athenahealth. As campaign planning analyst she seeks out solutions that will help the marketing team operate efficiently and in accordance with the company’s values.

for that up front and adjust the timeline accordingly. How will the collateral management system help athenahealth moving forward? Now that we’ve launched, our next step is to conduct a user survey and implement relevant feedback. So far, the initial impressions have been quite positive and everyone loves the site design. This first phase was sales focused but in the future I see us developing tools for our event marketing team and things like employee onboarding and internal communications. What other advice do you have for companies looking to launch a web-to-print storefront? Don’t be afraid to throw ideas out there and see what the technology can do. That’s the beauty of doing something you’ve never done before—you don’t see any limitations. And fortunately, we had a great partner that was able to turn our ideas into a reality. 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Shawmut

Shawmut Communications Group 33 Cherry Hill Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 www.shawmutdelivers.com

John Q. Sample 123 Any Street Any City, AS 12345-6789

Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greetings, Made Simple

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be caught out in the cold this holiday season. Cross an item off your to-do list with our holiday card templates. Order and send the cards as-is or download and tweak the designs to your liking. Either way, our templates are here to get you one step closer to holiday marketing bliss!

linkedin.com/company/ shawmut-communications-group

www.shawmutdelivers.com/holiday-cards facebook.com/ ShawmutCommunicationsGroup

@ShawmutDelivers

youtube.com/ shawmutprinting