Author: Steven Round

If you work in any sector of the print industry; including labels, leaflets or banners, you would have heard this bold statement many times…

“Print is dead“

Many people do believe that print has died a very sudden death. There’s no wonder why the popularity of emails, social media and TV marketing is increasing daily; but would you believe us if we told you that they’re wrong?

According to researchers a very high percentage of people said that given the choice, they would prefer to read on paper. This is true across a mass range of age brackets too. Who knew?!

Dry Eyes?

Doctors and specialists have linked “dry eyes” to the use of computers, tablets and mobile phones. This is because our blinking times decrease while looking at screens, compared to reading a physical book. But having the ability to zoom in easier on digital documents as well as enabling different modes for colour blindness, partial blindness and dyslexia; you can see why it’s still widely popular too.

Is that the postman?

Think back to 10/15 years ago… As emails were few and far between as they were quite new and exciting, you would have taken a notification ‘ding’ of a new email over a stack of physical mail any day of the week. In this day and age, it’s quite a different story! With spam and junk emails being an everyday occurrence, or nuisance, most people prefer the spark of excitement when a physical letter is posted. Okay, maybe not when it’s bills…

Piece by piece:

Ferris Jabr explained in an article for Scientific American called ‘Why the Brain Prefers Paper’ that reading information that has physically been printed on a piece of paper is easier to interpret and retain than its newer, updated counterpart. Here’s a quote from the mentioned article above: “When we read, we construct a mental representation of the text. Most digital devices interfere with intuitive navigation of a text and inhibit people from mapping the journey in their mind”. So, what do you prefer? Personally, we like printed. But we’re slightly biased, being print specialists and all that!

What about the environment?

We all need to make changes towards a healthier, safe planet. So, using paper instead of screens can feel like you’re taking a step backward. Recycling has now become the norm in our everyday lives which means consumers know how to rightfully reutilize their printed paper. You could enhance your impact by using FSC paper as well as showing people what your company does to save the planet. Staying on the eco-friendly track, a high percentage of consumers admit the main reason companies shift to electronic delivery rather than printed marketing is to save money, not to be environmentally conscious. On the other hand, we are all overwhelmed by pop ups and brightly coloured banners from a variety of sources, some more suspicious than others. The fear of viruses and spam mean that some people stay well clear from pop up ads unless they are familiar with the company. Print provides a blanket of trust to consumers with a corporate, substantial introduction.

Are you struggling to sleep?

A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggested that the blue-light that is emitted from screens withholds the sleep-inducing hormone Melatonin, which increases alertness. At work that’s great, but if you’re reading an article before you have a snooze, reading a printed item would turn out to be far more relaxing.

As well as using print for advertising, labelling, health & safety or simply newspapers; print is still very much alive. With certain publications and user manuals being online exclusive it can seem that printing is simply going out of fashion, but certain products will always be around. QR code stickers, food labelling, a new book! What do you think? Is print still going slow and steady? Or is it time to say goodbye to the old ways?

From pencil sketches on scrap pieces of paper to beautiful illustrations created on complex software, it’s safe to say we’ve seen it all. With over 50 years in the print industry we’ve got simple, non-complicated answers to your artwork related questions.

PDF or JPEG?

We prefer a clear, high-resolution PDF but AI, ID, PS, CDR, JPG and even Word Documents are fine too! If you are sending JPEGs, we do suggest that you make them as high quality as you possibly can, this will speed up the time that your order is with our artwork department which means a shorter lead time. If the quality isn’t up to scratch then we will happily re-draw it for you.

I don’t know much about artwork

or software, what can I do?

Our Customark artwork department have over 20 years’ experience in their field so we can confidently say that we can advise and design artwork that is right for you. A detailed idea of what you’re looking for, images you want using, text etc and we can whip up a design for you. No problem at all!

Do I need to add bleed to my design?

We’re not very fussy here, plus we like to keep our artwork team busy. We don’t have any problems with you adding bleed to your designs, but if you don’t then it isn’t the end of the world. We can pop it on for you.

What about cut lines, crop marks and registration marks?

These you really don’t need to worry about. Our artwork team will prepare your artwork for our machines with the right cut lines, crop marks and registration marks to fit the purpose.

Do I use CMYK or RGB?

CMYK is always best. If you send over your artwork in RGB format there is a risk of colour changes when we convert it over to CMYK, so it’s always best to do it yourself.

How about if I want to use specific colours?

If you have specific colours in mind it’s always best to pop the pantone references of said colours over on an email so we can get your products spot on.

And fancy fonts?

If you’re sending over raw Illustrator, InDesign, PhotoShop and CoralDraw files that have fonts that aren’t standard or they are hard to get a hold of we do advice that you either expand and export your files into PDFs or JPEGs or send us over the font file too so we can download and install the right font.

Pictures incorporated into the design?

If you do have an image on your design, we do ask that it is of very good quality and high-resolution as it would show when printed. We suggest vector images and no screenshots!

What if I’m ordering something a bit more technical like a Membrane Keypad?

We have developed a reputation as one of the most dynamic and pro-active industrial marking solution companies. In order to maintain our commitment to providing this quality service we are continually investing in state-of-the-art graphic design software and equipment.

Our past customers have generally sent us technical files or drawing which we work to. If the customer would prefer us to control the engineering design, this is no problem to us. Sometimes the designs are rough sketches so we have pointers, it is then down to us, in these cases, to pull things together into an approval document. Our design service has always been here to help the customer to achieve their goals.

What’s an approval document?

An approval is what we send back to you once we’ve finished your artwork, before it goes to production. New orders will always need approval. We send it back to you for you to give it a once over, we want your products to be perfect. Once you’ve emailed us with the approval we can then pass it on to our production team.

If there’s something that we haven’t covered then get in touch and we will happily answer any questions that you may have! Call 01384 264700, email sales@customark.co.uk or visit our website www.customark-limited.com

Getting your POS and POP right is extremely crucial.

What does POS mean?

POS stands for Point of Sale, also known as the areas around checkouts and counters. In the advertising industry, POS is also used to describe printed advertisements that will be seen by potential customers.

What does POP mean?

POP is used by retailers to refer to the “Point of Purchase” which is a part of the store that all customers must use. For years confectionary was a great example, placed strategically near tills and checkouts at shops and supermarkets. This practise is now frowned upon as it was proven that it was putting too much pressure on parents and families with young children.

In Marketing terms, Point of Sale advertisements are found in the Point of Purchase areas of shops and retail environments.

What kind of POS items are out there?

We are proud to say that we have been in the Point of Sale manufacturing industry for many years now, because of this we have noticed purchasing patterns and what’s in at the moment: –

• Shelf Wobblers
• Shelf Edge, on rolls or strips
• Bus Stop Wobblers
• Shelf Talkers
• Floor Stickers
• Posters
• Signs

Shelf Wobblers:

With a mixture of materials and wobbler arms to choose from, you are guaranteed to get the best wobble out of your Point of Sale!

These are a fabulous and eye-catching way to get your products noticed on a very busy shelf. What they entail is a piece of rigid PVC or recyclable card with a PVC “arm” strategically placed on the back. This arm is flexible with two adhesive pads, one for the back of the face of the wobbler and one for the shelves. The arm is flexible enough for it to “wobble”!

Shelf Edge Strips / Rolls:

Made from sturdy PVC or recyclable card, in strips or on rolls; full colour and completely customisable. These simple pieces of Point of Sale are perfect for helping you get your message across on a cluttered shop shelf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bus Stop Wobblers:

Similar to normal shelf wobblers, they are made from white PVC. What makes them different from Shelf Wobblers is that Bus Stop Wobblers are printed double sided and come with a plastic Bus Stop Shelf Edge Clip.

Shelf Talkers:

Shelf Talkers are made from similar materials as Shelf Wobblers making them robust and durable. With a perforated fold that hangs over the shelf to show the desired design, it’s a different and unique way to advertise your brand! With an option to be manufactured with no PVC and no need for PVC wobbler arms these can be made specifically to be much friendlier to the planet; perfect for advertising organic products, cruelty free cosmetics and moving towards a non-plastic world.

Floor Stickers:

Floor Stickers are an affordable, fun and unique way to promote your brand or direct foot traffic. From Point of Sale or Safety Floor Signage, Floor Graphics can be printed with almost any design, for almost any floor type. With different slip ratings, duration periods and customisable designs they are perfect for any part of the retail sector, whether it’s in the warehouse or on the shop floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posters:

Even something as simple as a Poster can help boost your engagement with your customers. Printed with high quality inks on the right materials means that you can get your Point of Sale message across perfectly; whether that’s a clearance sale, 2-for-1 or advertising a new product!

Signs:

There isn’t a retail sector that doesn’t have some sort of sign; whether it’s the sign above the door, sale signs, health & safety signs, outlet signs etc. If they are printed to a very high quality on the right materials then they can be a vital part of your POS.

So, where can I get these from?

We are print specialists here at Customark Ltd, so this is perfect for us. We have various websites that you can browse through and purchase from, depending on what you’re after. Shelf Wobblers, Shelf Edge Strips / on rolls, Bus Stop Wobblers, Shelf Talkers and Floor Stickers can be found on our websites; Posters and Signs can be quoted upon request! Email sales@customark.co.uk or call 00441384264700 to speak to a member of our friendly sales team.

We’re not limited to these products and no project is too much bother for us, let us know your ideas and we will happily assist you as much as we can.

Is there a place for traditional print now?

There is no denying that we now live in a digital orientated world; from the latest smart phone to industrial robots in the automotive sector, it has managed to appear throughout our day to day lives. Digital print has become a gigantic sector of the print industry and with how far technology has come there’s no wonder why; but is traditional print like hotfoil, flexographic print, screen printing and pad printing still in demand?

Hotfoil:

Hotfoil which is also known as foil stamping is typically a commercial printing process. It is the application of metallic or pigmented foil on to a solid surface by application of a heated dye onto foil. This process uses a metal plate that has been engraved with a design, the plate then strikes the material that is being printed, this makes it adhere permanently to the product below leaving the design of the dye. There are many pros of printing with hotfoil; it is fully customisable, as well as a huge range of coloured foils to choose from, there are also different effects that can be added.

Flexographic Print:

Flexographic print is known as the modern version of letterpress printing. Flexo printing uses flexible photo-polymer printing plates that are wrapped around rotating cylinders on a web press. The inked plates have a slightly raised image and rotate at high speeds to transfer the image to the substrate. Flexo uses quick drying, semi-liquid inks. In the digital age, flexography holds its own in the areas of larger orders, particularly of packing products and labeling. Extremely high press speeds are one of the advantages, all printing, varnishing, laminating and die cutting is done in a single pass.

Screen Printing:

Screen printing is a process of forcing ink on a surface through a prepared screen of fine material to create a picture or pattern. The most common type of screen printing is clothing, like printed t-shirts, but it can be used for industrial purposes. The main advantage of screen printing is the durability; because of the thickness of the inks used, it can withstand far more stress than others without losing any quality of the print. Another benefit is that it can produce vibrant colours that are hard to replicate with other printing techniques, finding another method as versatile as screen printing is also very difficult to do. It can be done on almost any surface as long as it is flat, fabric, wood, plastic and even metal, as well as many others. A disadvantage is that the more colours in a design the more money it will be; this is because a screen has to be created for each colour.

Pad Printing:

Pad printing also known as tampography, is a printing process that can transfer a 2D image on to a 3D object. From the simplest single colour number or logo printed onto a medical instrument, through to a 4 colour image on to a promotional item. One of the advantages to this process is that you can print on to a three dimensional object with curved or odd surfaces and still achieve a good quality print, this is because of the unique properties of the silicone pad. One of the disadvantages to tampography is that speed isn’t one of its strongest points, you do have to apply different colours separately which does take time but there is also a possibility that the registration could then become off.

Digital Printing:

Digital printing has taken the print world by storm with its vast printing techniques, speed and how cost effective it is. Modern printing methods like ink-jet printing and laser are what is known as digital printing. What it entails is a picture is sent directly to the printer using PDF files and programmes like Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign; doing this eliminates the need for expensive printing plates which will save money and time. Without the need for printing plates, this process has brought about quick lead times and printing on demand. At this moment in time digital print does have its struggles. Despite it constantly improving, they still can’t match the colour quality of traditional print.

In summary, traditional printing is great for printing large quantities as well as jobs that require exact colour matching and different materials. Digital printing, however, is perfect for small quantity jobs that have a short lead time. So there is definitely still a place for traditional print.