Print.IT Reseller - issue 61

PRINT IT RESELLER.UK VARIABLE DATA PRINTING 33 Continued... The upward trend for variable data printing (VDP) shows no sign of abating, with the technique growing in popularity across industries due to the unquestionable benefits it offers brands and marketers in creating highly targeted content. Jim Whittington, Antalis’ digital expert, explores how PSPs can overcome common barriers, enabling them to make the most of this lucrative opportunity Who dares, wins It’s those that don’t personalise their content, services and marketing materials that stand out – for all the wrong reasons that stand out – for all the wrong reasons. Within the commercial sector, print customers are savvy to what’s out there. Increasingly, we will see less demand for a two million print run to be distributed to the masses, hoping it will do the job. Instead, marketing is far more targeted and customers want harder working print, i.e. a print run of 500 which guarantees a 50 per cent response rate, achieved via VDP. The capabilities offered by VDP fit seamlessly with the USP of online gifting and photography printing companies – presenting goods that can be personalised easily, are available quickly (often the next day) and are relatively cost-effective. This has been capitalised on by online gifting businesses (or e-gifters) and online photography printers. In the eyes of the consumer, why have something standard when you can have something unique, that you can tailor yourself? For the consumer, personalisation is often key and not necessarily the overall quality and finish of the product – the fact that an item has been tailored, either as a gift or for their personal use, can have more appeal than the overall quality and finish of the product. The opportunity Around the turn of the century, we saw the birth and proliferation of the online photography printing companies and e-gifters, with PhotoBox launched in 1999 and Moonpig in 2000. In its consumer review, Made-to-order: The rise of mass personalisation , Deloitte identified that more than half of British consumers expressed interest in purchasing customised products or services, with the same percentage stating that customised products can make great gifts. The same report suggested that ‘businesses that embrace personalisation have an opportunity to create a differentiated proposition that may command a price premium…and offer a path to sustainable growth’. Research carried out by PhotoBox Group (owners of PhotoBox and Moonpig) found that the UK market for personalised and on-demand products was worth more than £1 billion. The survey concluded with a prediction that despite the sizeable figure, research suggested that spending would only increase as consumers turn their attention to new personalised product options. As a result, the personalised market has exploded and we as consumers can now get anything and everything personalised as e-retailers exploit VDP to its full advantage. Personalised print packaging is another potential growth area that printers can tap into. Vodka brand Absolut used creative flair to maximise presence on the shelf and behind the bar by producing four million bottles, each with a slightly different design. This was achieved by re-engineering its production plant so that splash guns and colour-generating machines could coat the bottles in a nearly endless sequence of combinations. Smithers Pira predicts that digital printing will account for 19 per cent of global print and printed packaging by 2022. Amongst our customers, we’re certainly seeing many traditional commercial printers invest in digital presses as they seek to deliver a tight turnaround on short-run projects that aren’t possible with a litho operation. But if that’s all they are using their digital printer for, they aren’t tapping into the tremendous potential of variable data printing. In a way, it’s like buying a car with sexy optional extras – but never using them. The evolution of VDP VDP has grown exponentially in recent years alongside the industrialisation of digital printing and the shift from mass production to mass customisation. Personalised content has become second nature and an expectation has been set by consumers, which makes VDP a no-brainer. With consumer expectations increasingly high in today’s market, it’s those that don’t personalise their content, services and marketing materials JimWhittington