print illustrated v6-1 | Print Illustrated

RECALIBRATION

RETAINING AND RETRAINING STAFF FOR THE EMERGING LANDSCAPE

Rolling With It

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

The journey of print through the past 30-50 years is a testament to the remarkable adaptability of our industry. We have navigated the ebbs and flows of technological revolutions, frantic market dynamics, and fluctuating consumer preferences with what I think is a level of grace. In other words, it seems to be rooted in our DNA to kind of roll with it and find a way to thrive.

I suppose this resilience is not just a part of our history, but also a promise for our future. If history is an indicator of how we dealt with change, then I am feeling super confident about the path forward with you. At Fujifilm, we are deeply committed to ensuring that our collective journey continues with strength and purpose. We are here to make every transition smooth and effortless, keeping you ahead of the curve.

Our commitment to adaptation is vividly reflected in the features of this issue. Our cover story, “Recalibration - Retaining and Retraining Staff for the Emerging Landscape,” dives deep into the heart of the print industry’s workforce. It is an exploration of the challenges we face and the immense opportunities that lie in upskilling our teams. We bring you insights on the latest technologies and market trends that are shaping the future of print, alongside strategies to keep your staff motivated, updated, and engaged. This narrative is not just about adaptation; it is a roadmap to thriving in the evolving business landscape.

Equally compelling is our second feature, “Print CX - The Importance of Customer Experience in Print.” This piece underscores the transformative power of understanding and meeting the evolving expectations of print customers. It provides actionable strategies for print businesses looking to elevate their customer experience, ensuring that every touchpoint resonates with quality, innovation, and empathy.

The journey of print through the ages is a testament to the remarkable adaptability of our industry.”

I hope that this issue of Print Illustrated serves as a reminder of our shared resilience and our commitment to not just “get through stuff” but lead the way with enthusiasm. We are more than just witnesses to history; we are its makers, shaping the future of print with every decision, every innovation, and every leap of faith.

Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. Together, we will continue to inspire, to innovate, and to impact the world of print in ways we can only begin to imagine.

Warmest regards,

Mark Friedman

Vice President of Marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Communication Division

P.S. We are very proud to share that Print Illustrated won the Platinum MarCom for our Fall 2023 issue titled “Eco-Friending.”

Tactics, stats, and trends that matter

Building a path to efficiency and profitability with the J Press RECALIBRATION

Retaining and retraining staff for the emerging landscape PRINT CX

The importance of customer experience in print THEY SHOOT; THEY SCOOOORE...

How ColorMark continues to separate itself from the competition

SPOTS

STILL GOING

The market size for commercial printing is expected to reach USD 461.06 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 1.67% to USD 500.87 billion by 2029. The industry is fragmented with many global and regional players, and competition often revolves around price due to the homogenous nature of market products.

Print May Just Matter More than Ever Source:

Trends influencing the industry include the resurgence of direct mail as a key component of omnichannel marketing strategies, despite temporary setbacks from postal rate hikes. Direct mail’s tangible nature offers a unique way to connect with consumers, complementing digital advertising strategies.

POWERFUL STUFF

Direct Mail Makes Major Impact on Marketing Campaigns

Direct mail remains a potent marketing tool, offering personalized communication that can stand out in the digital age. It’s highly targeted, customizable, and measurable, with tangible materials often having a longer shelf life and better recall rates than digital ads. While specific up-to-date statistics on the impact of direct mail were not provided, these ongoing trends highlight the continued relevance and effectiveness of direct mail in engaging audiences in a personalized and impactful manner.

» Direct mail marketing has a response rate of 5.3% (compared to 0.6% for email marketing).

» In 2020, direct mail marketing showed a ROI of 29%.

» D irect mail generates a higher response rate than digital channels, with a 4.4% rate compared to email’s 0.12%.

» Personalized direct mail campaigns yield a 135% increase in response rates over nonpersonalized campaigns.

» 8 0-90% of direct mail gets opened, while only 20-30% of email gets opened on a good day.

» 92% of consumers believe that direct mail is more effective than digital advertising.

» 30% of millennials prefer direct mail for response purposes while 24% prefer email.

» 95% of 18-to-29-year-olds have a positive response to receiving personal cards and letters.

» Adding direct mail to a digital campaign results in a 118% lift in response.

» 6 0% of respondents can recall specific direct mail promotions.

» 76% of consumers trust direct mail for making purchasing decisions.

» T he open rate of direct mail ranges between 55-90%, while the open rate for email only averages 18%.

Source: https://zipdo.co/statistics/direct-mail-marketing/

EDISON PRESS

Building a path to efficiency and profitability with the J Press

For the past 45-plus years, Edison Press has delivered innovative and creative print, production and fulfillment services. The second-generation printer continues to embrace the industry’s ever-evolving technological innovations and processes needed to become a more efficient, productive and collaborative resource.

Led by owners Bob Rosenfield and Joe Rosenfield, Edison Press has built its business on the tenets of Quality Standards, Extraordinary Service and Meaningful Value, complemented by a team dedicated to working tirelessly to improve the value proposition for its customers. The Sanford, Maine, printer specializes in high-quality short-run and print-ondemand projects like annual reports, marketing brochures, direct mail, promotional items, custom pieces, and kit packing and fulfillment.

The Challenge

One of the core values of Edison Press is efficiency. For co-owner and President Joe Rosenfield and his team, that not only means putting the right processes and systems into place, but also having the equipment capable of delivering on the high standards and promises it makes to each customer.

In an effort to transform from offset to digital printing, Edison Press sought equipment that was easy to learn and operate and that would fit the core

part of its business—short-run printing. They also wanted a press that could be an asset to Edison’s increasing workload and fast turnaround demands. “We wanted a piece of equipment where our pressmen didn’t have to worry about setting keys or that the reds were getting too hot,” Rosenfield said. “We didn’t want to worry about running the machine and where the color and quality were perfect to print. We wanted something that was going to bring us forward and into the era of digital printing.”

The Solution

As Jay Van Tassel, a graphic designer in Edison Press’ pre-press department remembers, the Fujifilm J Press 750S inkjet press changed everything. As one of the first of two printers to have the J Press 750S installed in the U.S., the decision was in line with the innovative thinking and progressive mindset Edison Press was known for.

I fall more in love with this machine every day because I can see what we can get out of it. Our decision has made it easier on the company and our employees. I’m never looking back.

— Joe Rosenfield, President, Edison Press

With its ability to offer the best of both digital and offset printing, the J Press 750S featured the quality and durability of traditional offset, and the digital ability to print the shorter runs and variable data Edison Press needed. “We used to worry about outputting to film, stripping it up and

putting everything together with tape,” Van Tassel says. “With the 750S, everything is assembled on the computer screen and positioned properly for the press sheet. We then can send it directly to press, and automate and address things that allow us to do variable content. That was impossible with printing plates.”

The Results

The J Press 750S has proven to be a game changer for Edison Press, with Joe Rosenfield highlighting its unmatched quality and color consistency as key to the company’s successful transition to digital printing. “With its abilities with consistent solids, crisp blacks and vivid images, the choice to go with the 750S was pretty clear for us,” Rosenfield explains. The press’s precision in color matching has been instrumental in landing new clients, allowing them to match brand colors perfectly, a task Rosenfield notes was not easy to achieve with previous technologies. “The color you get with the J Press is perfect, and the quality of the print is going to be perfect forever,” he adds.

AT A GLANCE

The Challenge

Shifting from offset to digital printing, with equipment that’s easy to use, fit for short-runs, and able to handle quick turnarounds, all while maintaining color.

The Solution

Fujifilm’s J Press 750S significantly simplified the pre-press process, marking a significant step in their innovative journey.

The J Press 750S has enabled Edison Press to produce high-quality outputs, such as catalogs for highvalue items, where attention to detail is paramount. Rosenfield says, “On the J Press, what you see is what you get. It is the same quality no matter what. You can produce coffee-table quality books on the press every day of the week.” This level of quality assurance has been crucial for projects requiring impeccable detail and color accuracy.

Moreover, the J Press 750S streamlined Edison Press’s production processes. “Now we can wrap everything into one flow—the mailing indicia, the addresses, etc.,” says Jay Van Tassel, highlighting the efficiency gains. Rosenfield reflects on the broader impact of the J Press 750S, “We have landed new customers because of what we are able to do now,” he says. “We’re more profitable and efficient. I fall more in love with this machine every day because I can see what we can get out of it. Digital printing is just easier on the soul.”

The Results

Superior quality and color consistency are instrumental in winning clients and the efficiency in operations has boosted profitability and productivity.

RECALIBRATION

RETAINING AND RETRAINING STAFF FOR THE EMERGING LANDSCAPE

Over the last 10 years or so, Allied Printing Company has made a concerted effort to focus on its brand, both internally and externally. Its internal focus centers on culture and morale. With just under 100 employees, the Ferndale, Michigan, printer has a family-like environment and culture— one that fosters a sense of loyalty and motivation among its team to perform for the company and its clients.

That strategy is working. Most employees on the Allied team have been with the printers for more than 10 years. And, even amid a time when recruiting new talent can be a daunting task for today’s printers, Allied has found success in not just hiring for the sake of hiring. “We focus on fit from the beginning,” says Elly Chichester, Chief Marketing Officer. “While it can be a challenge to ‘pass’ on a skilled candidate, the consequences of bringing on the wrong candidate can be a huge setback.”

In today’s post-pandemic landscape, the printing industry—along with others seeking skilled laborers—is seeing a shift in what candidates desire from employers. Between a continually dropping unemployment

rate, more job openings, and the enticement of work-from-home and flexible hours, finding skilled machine operators can be tough.

One of the saving graces continues to be opportunities related to automation-related positions, where technological advancements are giving workers reasons to learn new skills with operator interfaces. “This has required us to bridge the gap of moving from a more manual (operator-led) function to an automated (machine-led) function,” Chichester says. “This takes time and is a work in process. We find that many of the technology advances make equipment more intuitive for newer operators used to current technologies like touch screens.

Over the last several years, we’ve

been hyper-focused on training— whether it’s facilitated internally, driven by a vendor partner or led by an industry leader.”

We use AI every day and for many purposes. I think the key to the future is buying technology that anyone can learn to operate efficiently in a few weeks.”

— Al Kennickle, President, The Kennickle Group

The Allied approach relies on its leadership team to identify knowledge gaps and training opportunities. For example, its human resources manager actively researches available training options and programs. The printer also works with its vendor partners on training and retraining opportunities.

From an effectiveness standpoint, while face-to-face, in-person training has proven to be helpful for a large segment of the Allied staff, the online component continues to make educational opportunities available to a broader base of its employees. “The flexibility of online training also minimizes the operational interruptions we historically experienced when an entire department would effectively close for training for a day,” Chichester says.

Score one for automation

When it comes to finding the best strategies for bridging the workforce gaps that abound today, Al Kennickell may have settled on one of the most intriguing. Right now, the President of Savannah, Georgia-based The Kennickle Group is only purchasing equipment that is easy to operate.

For example, his automated approach to employee bandwidth includes having only two people who can run its 6-color 40-inch press and five who can operate its digital 4-color press. In addition, because The Kennickle Group is automating in the bindery department, there no longer is a need for craftsmen, just operators.

“Savannah has just landed the largest economic development project in Georgia history,” Kennickle says. “In the next five years, there will be a need for 19,000 new jobs. All businesses in the area are bracing for the road ahead. The minimum wage here will be $23 per hour.”

If there is one lesson Kennickle has learned of late, it is that today’s workers can see how the landscape is playing out. “They clearly see the direction we are moving technologywise, so they know the ability to do many jobs makes them much more valuable than just being a great press operator. We try to create examples of people who started out low, but moved up. We also say that in order to become of real value you need to be proficient in a job outside of your department. Pressmen

running stitchers, wide-format operators running digital presses, etc. We use AI every day and for many purposes. I think the key to the future is buying technology that anyone can learn to operate efficiently in a few weeks.”

According to the “2023 WEF Future of Jobs Report” by the World Economic Forum (WEF), since 2015, skill sets for jobs have changed by around 25%. By 2028, employers estimate that 44% of workers’ skills will be

We’ve found that most of our employees are thirsty for education, and the company is happy to make that investment in our greatest resource.”

— Elly Chichester, Chief Marketing Officer, Allied Printing Company

disrupted, WEF says. In addition, six in 10 workers will require training before 2027, which means printers must remain at the forefront of talent development in both immediate and long-term transformation plans.

In driving business transformation, the adoption of new technologies such as AI is becoming more of an opportunity. As AI and other technologies continue to emerge, professional development will play an even more prominent role.

SKILLS, SKILLS, AND MORE SKILLS

The numbers can be alarming. According to Springboard for Business’ “State of the Workforce Skills Gap Report,” 70% of leaders say their businesses are suffering because their workforces lack the right competencies. Among the myriad factors, here are five technical skills leaders say their companies need right now:

44%

44%

36%

36%

31%

“We’ve found that most of our employees are thirsty for education, and the company is happy to make that investment in our greatest resource,” Chichester says. “We’ve looked for learning initiatives to up-train staff on new skills and new equipment, and they have also allowed us to bring in novice staff and train them on a particular skill set or piece of equipment.”

To prepare their workforces for the ever-evolving technological

revolution, the need for printing companies to invest in training and professional development is critical. Encouraging your employees to take advantage of educational opportunities on all fronts will help provide them—and you—with the tools necessary to learn and grow.

Print CX

The importance of customer experience in print

t’s a question that Sarah Barr has pondered a lot. As the owner of Konhaus Print & Marketing, she admits to constantly putting herself in her buyer’s shows, often wondering if the roles were reversed, would she make the decision to buy. “It’s that mindset that drives a lot of the decisions we make about the customer experience within our business.”

There are a number of factors that go along with those decisions. For example, the Konhaus team pays close attention to the generation of each individual customer. They work hard on understanding their habits and communication preferences. With that comes the responsibility to always do their best to meet customer expectations. The key is to understand how each generation takes every step throughout its buying journey, from sales to final project completion.

“You have to listen to your customers’ needs, show empathy for their situations and use as much personalization as possible,” says Barr, who often refers to the book, “Would You Buy from You?: Your Brand Makes the Difference,” from sales and brand positioning thought leader Ryan Sauers. “I’m fortunate that every single one of our employees understands this for each of our customers. It allows us to take great care of their needs.”

In today’s ever-evolving consumer landscape, trying to get a handle on who your consumers are, what they want and how they make

the decision to buy is critical, to say the least. According to “The Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report,” more than 50% of consumers say they would switch to a competitor after just one bad experience with a brand. In addition, 59% of consumers believe the way they interact with a company will completely change within two years.

The ability to get closer with customers and more seamlessly ingest and report back data is the opportunity for positive CX.”

— Brian Badillo, VP of Vertical Strategy, Vericast

The numbers are telling that the more streamlined the consumer experience (CX), the more likely the customer is to come back to you to make a repeat purchase. “You have to listen to what your customers are saying—it’s a very important role,” Barr says. “We always want to listen to what our customers say to ensure we are providing the best experience possible.”

And the print goes on

When it comes to evolving customer expectations, the commercial print industry, like many other legacy industries, is witnessing a significant shift in customer expectations, primarily driven by the speed of the modern world and the makeup of today’s educated and fickle buyer. Thanks to the convenience of digital transactions—the Amazon effect— expectations continue to rise. Add in the digital lean with much of today’s marketing dollars, and the complexity and details of print can become a turnoff with today’s buyers.

“With a proliferation of web applications available to manage just about any part of our personal lives, the friction involved in the traditional methods of order capture and project management has now become an inconvenience,” says Brian Badillo, VP of Vertical Strategy for Vericast.

Badillo believes that the customer experience on the print side hinges on the industry’s ability to provide real-time communication, customization and reliability. This includes providing instant access to important information such as project status and shipping details, which can significantly enhance the overall customer experience.

“The answer to whether working with your company is easy or not is the ultimate metric for positive CX,” Badillo says. “I like to think of it as the number of human layers involved, plus the time it takes to access information, is the equation that determines positive versus negative experience—less is always better than more.”

Not unlike any industry, the most effective strategies for creating positive customer experiences revolve around speed to information, i.e., how accessible is information and/or how quickly can you provide it?

You have to listen to what your customers are saying—it’s a very important role. We always want to listen to what our customers say to ensure we are providing the best experience possible.

— Sarah Barr, Owner, Konhaus Print & Marketing

CX trends to watch in 2024

AI and intelligent experiences

Generative AI will accelerate the delivery of more humanized journeys. Chatbots are rapidly transforming into digital agents that can do more.

Disconnect grows between CX leaders and agents on AI-related strategy and tools.

AI transparency and decisioning are the new rule, not the exception.

Data and trustworthy experiences

Businesses are more focused on instantly modifying user experiences.

CX leaders are the new drivers of data privacy related to AI and personalization.

Security is no longer an add-on, but seamlessly incorporated through the customer journey.

Next Gen and immersive experiences

Live and immersive experiences are heavily influencing online shopping.

Voice is carving out a more advanced role focused on handling complex issues. Predictive agent management tools are eclipsing traditional methods.

Source: “Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report”

In addition, integrating some of the spate of digital technologies, such as online ordering and customer portals, is making it easier for print customers to interact with print service providers. But, as Badillo warns, this is no longer a differentiator. “It’s table stakes, and now seen as a must have. The ability to get closer with customers and more seamlessly ingest and report back data is the opportunity for positive CX. Custom data feeds and APIs have now become the standard for driving efficient transactions which, as mentioned earlier, eliminate people and time.”

In the race for optimal efficiency by industries everywhere, the next evolution will be the integration of AI and predictive analytics (See sidebar, “10 CX trends to watch in 2024”). The ability to help inform better decisions and associated spend is the key.

“These technologies offer predictive insights into customer preferences, enabling proactive customization of print solutions,” Badillo says. “The expanded use of chatbots is also anticipated to move beyond customer service, providing strategic insights and trends that inform future print campaigns and decisions.”

In the world of print, CX and how printers face it, stands as a pivotal determinant of success—one that will continue to shape perceptions and foster customer loyalty. As printers navigate their way through the digital age, prioritizing CX will help ensure that each interaction, from design to delivery, leaves a lasting impression that resonates with customers and drives sustained engagement and growth.

THEY SHOOT; THEY SCOOOORE...

Back in his playing days, Dave Hudson displayed the gritty type of attitude and fortitude that the National Hockey League (NHL) demanded of its players. In eight years playing for the New York Islanders, Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies, Hudson scored 59 goals, 124 assists and 183 points.

When his playing days were over, he eventually settled in Carrollton, Texas, where he met up with Al Poppino, who helped deliver solutions in the production process that some companies had issues solving.

The two joined forces in 1993 to start ColorMark Printing, a commercial printing company that serves the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Today, 30-plus years into the game, the digital, large-format and sheetfed offset printer offers the kind of value-added services that satisfy the ever-demanding needs of companies,

How ColorMark continues to separate itself from the competition

brands and individuals across a spectrum of business landscapes.

Along with its core tenets to approach every job with passion, dedication and demand for a quality finish, ColorMark has developed its own color science, which allows a wider gamut of color and sharper images to be printed across all its platforms. Additionally, the ColorMark team has developed various software applications and pre-press plugins to help process jobs faster, with better consistency in production.

Driven by years of research and programming, Hudson and Poppino operate under the team premise that “the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back,” meaning ColorMark plays as an organized team for every one of its clients. “Both Dave and Al know what it means to go above and beyond in their daily work lives and have instilled this same

work ethic in the business,” says Jacques Cangelose, ColorMark’s Process Optimization And Revenue Generating Manager.

— Jacques Cangelose, Process Optimization & Revenue Generating Manager, ColorMark Printing

Part of that work ethic is in how ColorMark communicates with its clients. Cangelose says to keep everyone in the know, the ColorMark team pushes information to their clients so they know what was ordered and how long it will take to produce. Once shipped, ColorMark Challenges are a part of any organization, and printing and the graphic arts are no different. Having the correct individuals in the right job is key.”

customers can access the information and track their jobs with the simple click of a mouse. “Our MIS software also allows the support team to provide quick updates on our clients’ projects. The goal is to provide the status prior to being asked.”

It’s a people thing

ColorMark has evolved significantly over the years. Starting as an offset shop with conventional ink presses, ColorMark knew it needed to advance to UV printing long before it was common practice. For example, the printer led the industry with UV LED printing. This provided the flexibility to produce on a variety of substrates.

Today, ColorMark is known throughout the industry for its expertise in printing on plastics, including developing a formula recognized throughout the U.S. to hold up to abrasions and chemical cleaners while producing detailed, sharp images. “We are heavily involved in the production of grand format printing and digital printing,” Cangelose says. “These departments are an integral part of the company and could be standalone ventures given their size.”

Inventory services are another vaunted service, with thousands of items ready to pick and pack daily. The services enable ColorMark customers to save time and money by producing and shipping their goods throughout the country. It has transitioned multiple customers who once had several vendors to a single vendor system. “We produce heavy loads of production with a great deal of automation,” Cangelose says. “This allows for minimal human interaction without sacrificing quality while expediting print orders. This feature is a significant benefit to our partners in fulfilling their printing needs. Automation does not stop at delivering jobs to printing, but throughout the production process and the clients’ benefits from it.”

While each of these services is critical to the ColorMark reputation, none is more important than its ability to build and maintain long-lasting relationships. The secret is not a secret at all. The key lies in the ColorMark team’s insistence to practice honest communication, combined with always being transparent, offering superior quality, and utilizing state-of-the-art software and equipment.

“Many of our print partnerships today have been with us for over 30-plus years,” Cangelose says. “We train our personnel so that everyone within a group is fully trained to work on any type of job with any type of customer. With hundreds of years of service within our facilities, we have experienced many unique situations. These situations give us the ability to impart knowledge from one type of job to others.”

For example, individual customer types are given specialists within a group to assist in the set-up of how jobs pass through their systems, as well as having direct contact with customer support. This is especially true on job portal work, where thousands of individuals are accessing storefronts. Critical knowledge of how their specific items are handled within the system is helped by specialists.

Building partners you can trust

Along with the right processes and people in place, building partnerships with industry vendors is another critical checkmark on its blueprint for success. Take the relationship ColorMark has built with Fujifilm. Mark Watson, Sales Manager at ColorMark, says that having the right equipment like the new Fujifilm Revoria Press helps keep the printer ahead of the game.

“The Revoria helps us produce jobs that were either too costly to produce with our current equipment or were not achievable at all,” Watson says. “Adapting to customer needs is an

ongoing process. Customers expect a level of service and quality that is ever evolving. We continually meet with our vendors to understand what new products are being introduced into the market.”

Watson says the ColorMark team also pushes its vendors into making changes to systems that would benefit the entire industry. “Being involved in these types of journeys with its clients and vendors can be time consuming, but the reward for the involvement cannot be understated.”

The ColorMark story and how it works with each customer can be seen in every job it takes. Cangelose and Watson remember a new customer the printer took on just as the pandemic had arrived. With more than 1,200 franchises, while the corporate side was eager to get started, the customer’s franchise board was leary of transitioning from multiple vendors down to a single one.

As part of the discussions with the franchise board, ColorMark listened to each of their pain points before springing into action and developing a system to address their issues. Two months later, the board of directors gave special recognition to ColorMark and how it saved the company time, money and efficiency in delivering products throughout their franchises. “Challenges are a part of any organization, and printing and the graphic arts are no different,” Cangelose says. “Having the correct individuals in the right job is key. Our specialty systems push information as jobs are worked so that time is not spent on asking for information on jobs and shipping. Our team members and self-developed software are integral parts of successfully solving everyday challenges.”

It is why, 30 years and counting, ColorMark continues to score where many of its competitors miss.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH

JESSE GODFREY

Executive Creative Director for Marketing and Communications at Clemson University

With a rich background that spans from Leo Burnett Chicago to the heart of Clemson’s Marketing and Communications division, Jesse Godfrey’s journey is a testament to the power of creativity and innovation in branding. Beyond his professional achievements, Jesse’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of creative minds through teaching and mentorship in Brand Communications and Graphic Communications programs highlights a passion for both education and design. Join us as we explore Jesse’s unique perspective on brand design, creative direction, and the impact of mentorship on aspiring designers.

What key changes or trends do you believe the next generation of print designers should be prepared for?

I think with as many digital touchpoints and engagements as people have on a daily basis, there is a greater desire for satisfying tactile experiences. We try to find creative ways to produce meaningful print experiences that surprise and delight audiences through their sense of touch. One specific trend I’ve seen recently is a shift in the perception of uncoated stocks. Many premium publications and high-end books are shifting to uncoated cover stocks, which is interesting to see.

My advice for the print industry would be to figure out how to be brand problem solvers, through creative services or emerging mixed print/ digital technology.”

What steps should the industry take to make careers in print more attractive to emerging talent?

My advice for the print industry would be to figure out how to be brand problem-solvers, be that through creative services, emerging mixed print/digital technology, or otherwise.

Broadening your offerings could bring in different types of talent, some of which are currently looking at advertising/marketing industries for their best career fit.

How do you communicate the value of print to a generation that is predominantly digital-first? Again, I think digital-first audiences are sometimes exhausted by their digital options. I think print has the opportunity to better disrupt digital. Creating a moment with a physical print piece can be more memorable simply because our digital experiences are so readily available.

What advice would you give to printers and workers in the industry to stay relevant and innovative?

Work with your clients to find out what problems they need help solving and position yourself to be that solution. Some of our best vendors are the ones we can come to and say “Hey, we have this idea but have no idea how to approach it production-wise— how would you approach it?” Those relationships are invaluable and it really goes a long way in keeping these printers at the top of our “go-to” list.

What are you most excited about in the world of design and print today? Could you share a bit about the projects you’re working on for Clemson University?

A big focus of ours right now is brand experience, particularly in-person

brand experiences. We’re working on a couple of Spring 2024 “pop-up” experiences. I love these because it’s almost like a new medium that is a convergence of print/architecture/ digital and event planning. They’re fun to create because the focus is always on how do we make these experiences immersive and memorable in a way that puts our brand right at the center of that moment with them.

What core principles guide your teaching and mentorship?

I try to instill a sense of curiosity in my students. I push them to never stop learning, self-teaching, exploring their creative abilities. I also push my students to look for the intersection of what they are knowledgeable about and what they are passionate about.

What are the key qualities or opportunities today’s students are looking for from employers in creative fields?

I’m seeing a couple of trends with students graduating into the workforce. For one, students these days aren’t just looking for jobs, they’re looking for trajectories. They want to see not just the opportunity in front of them, but the direction of growth that they will have from that position and understanding where it could take them 3-5 years from now. The other common theme I am seeing is a desire to find an employer that prioritizes employee support, growth and work-life balance.

Without a sense of caring there can be no sense of community.”

Anthony J. D’Angelo