Netherlands-based Thijsen Media Group (TMG) is celebrating a European first with eight full colour KODAK PROSPER S20 Imprinting Systems installed on two web offset presses.
The first four KODAK PROSPER S20 Imprinting Systems were installed in November on a press at TMG’s Emmen printing plant and a further four will be integrated with a press at the company’s Buren plant in early 2013.
This will allow TMG to add high speed full-colour, variable content to advertising leaflets. TMG director Onno Thijsen explains: “We’ll soon be offering customised promotional products, printing in full-colour, 600dpi quality on our web offset presses at a speed of 60,000 copies per hour.”
Developing new applications
Thijsen says the move puts numerous applications within commercial reach: “We are very excited about the new applications we can achieve with this solution. We are now able to add lottery numbers to a leaflet, and switch images – for example, we can show the name of the town or a picture of a local shopkeeper. We’ll even be able to produce fully personalised issues.”
Erwin Busselot, Kodak Marketing Director for Digital Printing, also highlights the interesting, profit-generating opportunities TMG can now offer its customers: “The PROSPER S20 Imprinting Systems will enable TMG to produce print products that are more relevant and appealing to customers’ target audience. The systems will also help the company pull even further ahead of the competition in creative terms.”
Improving the 'Return On Ink' programme
It is the ability of Kodak’s Inkjet Technology to add information that’s specifically relevant to the recipient that is helping the international door-to-door advertising print specialist expand its ‘Return On Ink’ programme - an initiative that advises customers on how to increase the effectiveness of their leaflet campaigns.
TMG launched its ‘Return On Ink’ programme in April 2012. Working in partnership with market research firm, Validators, TMG designs leaflets based on ‘neuromarketing’ techniques: using eye tracking, signal detection and questionnaires. The programme provides insights to consumers’ reading behaviour. Customers use the survey results to optimise their door-to-door advertising campaigns – for example, by adding relevant specific information which is why the KODAK PROSPER S20 Imprinting Systems represent a significant enhancement.
Efficient and effective
The overarching aim of TMG’s ‘Return On Ink’ programme is to make leaflets as efficient to produce and easy to understand as possible. PRINTSCAN Service is used to first analyse costs, as Thijsen explains: “It’s often wise, for example, to opt for a standard format. It’s evident from various surveys we’ve carried out that a non-standard format doesn’t have any impact on the traffic a leaflet generates.”
“Research also highlighted that consumers prefer manageable formats. In terms of the type of paper, we advise retailers to consider this component through the eyes of the consumer and to choose the most efficient type of paper, appropriate to the style of the shop. More expensive types of paper often don’t score any better in relation to image or traffic.”
Boosting attention value
TMG is also implementing traffic generator to help improve the effectiveness of leaflets. Along with hybrid print production – combining offset and inkjet – TMG believes this approach will make its leaflets more attention-grabbing and improve conversion rates. Thijsen explains: “We use this model with our retail customers to calculate what we can achieve with the budget available. We believe collaborating in this way, and using a hybrid print set-up, is crucial to the future of the leaflet as an effective medium.”
Solutions showcase
TMG invited customers, prospects and partners to the unveiling of its European inkjet première, where a panel of experts – including Validators director Martin Leeflang – stressed the impact of visual aspects in advertising printing, and the importance of pushing the right message through the right letterbox. Onno Thijsen then explained how customers can save on costs and deliver a significant increase in footfall with printed media: “We call this ‘Retail Communication 2.0’. We use new technology and business knowledge to help our customers enjoy a better return on their investment.”
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