Getting Personal: Newspapers & TransPromo Individuated Newspapers Tapping TransPromo Profits TransPromo Summit Check Printing Security Digital Nirvana
Under continued assault from competing media like cable television, the Internet, all-news radio, and changing work and lifestyle patterns, the newspaper industry is under pressure to win back readers, increase circulation, and grow advertising revenue. As the newspaper industry searches for ways to reinvent itself, many experts believe the future lies in personalization. Personalized newspapers, you ask? How does that work? By applying digital printing technology to the paper that lands on your doorstep each morning. And there's more.
All the News That's Fit to Print Digital printing poised to inject new life into newspapers
Many pundits and experts would have us believe that the demise of the newspaper as we know it is at hand and that newspapers are a weakening market segment for printing in the U.S. Theres no denying that the shuttering of papers like the Rocky Mountain News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the daily edition of the Christian Science Monitor posit profound changes in the newspaper industry. But it does not necessarily follow that all newspapers are an endangered species.
Individuating the News There are several ways in which digital print can help transform newspapers notes Guy Broadhurst, vice president for new technology and client development at Océ North America, Production Printing Systems division. "One way is customizing content at the individual level. This can encourage creation of hyper-localized papers, especially weeklies, that offer targeted advertising and have links to deeper articles on the web along with web-based discussions that promote local communication. The future is cross-media newspaper publishing combining the best of both print and the web." ()
To help foster this shift to a new type of newspaper, Océ North America was a sponsor of the (INC3) as part of the companys continued support of the evolving newspaper publishing model. Océ is the market leader in short-run digital newspaper printing, with 98 percent of the worlds contracted papers running on Océ presses. The global conference took place June 24-26, 2009 at The Washington Times facility in Washington, D.C. Other INC3 sponsors include Newspapers & Technology magazine, Media News Group and Accrisoft Software.
The conference gathered innovators, thought leaders, publishers, technology experts and print providers to exchange ideas and develop a direction for the future of the news personalization. With the goal of defining new opportunities for the industry, the event explored print-centric business models and enabling technologies for individuated newspapers and ancillary products. Digital printing technologies play an important role in providing totally variable, consumer-selected media. Océ technology has already produced more than 20 million newspapers worldwide, a number that is growing with market adoption of .
As the concepts of micro-zoning and individuation become more top-of-mind in the print news media, Océ is ready to provide assistance and expertise. A featured speaker at INC3, Duncan Newton, Ph.D., Manager, Business Development, Océ North America, Production Printing Systems division, noted, Automated processes for individualized newspapers is a reality, and Océ is committed to helping publishers find success with this new approach." He went on to describe a pilot program run in conjunction with the , in which subscribers could choose from an online database of several hundred different pages. To create the customized weekly editions, Océ worked with , a German company that has software which supports creation of customized publications from an online repository. Syntops provided Océ with a PDF of each customized newspaper that was then printed using Océ JetStream printers and mailed to participating Washington Times readers.
Focusing on TransPromo Tapping the Profits Beyond the Buzzword
TransPromo, the present buzzword for marketing and informational content that's added to transactional documents continues to grow and carve out an important place in the evolving world of print. It's an excellent fit for most transactional print operations and offers new opportunities for improving customer communications while growing revenue. While it may reach the same individuals, a successful TransPromo program, though, is distinctly different than a direct mail offering
Different markets/different customers "TransPromo is not a one-shot deal like a targeted 1-to-1 direct mail offer," explains Duncan Newton, Manager, Business Development, Océ North America, Production Printing Systems division. "It must be a committed, ongoing program. We have watched an aggressive, targeted, TransPromo campaign being done by one of our customers for one of their financial customers escalate beyond anything we could have anticipated. When they brought their high-speed Océ inkjet press on line they began with a monthly print volume of 30 million pages, but within the first six months they had doubled that number."
According to Newton, the project is a long-term effort to integrate variable promotional elements in transactional messaging. The variable messaging is based on consumers buying habits and some very sophisticated demographic segmentation. "Our customers customer is delighted with the results and has no intention of going back to the old way of doing things. In fact, they want to double volume again in the next six months," says Newton.
Learn more at .
The TransPromo Summit Another Revolution comes to Boston
Successful TransPromo campaigns are ones that convince other firms that TransPromo is more than a buzzword: it's a way to grow business and forge stronger customer relationships. That's why Océ is a worldwide sponsor for the and the inaugural . The TransPromo Summit will take place August 13-14, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Boston in Boston, MA and the European TransPromo Summit will be held October 6-7, 2009 at Square Brussels Meeting Centre in Brussels, Belgium.
We are pleased to participate this year in both the US and European events, says Mal Baboyian, President, Océ North America, Production Printing Systems Division. Being at these conferences gives us the opportunity to work towards our mission-- to enable customers to manage their documents efficiently and effectively.
The two TransPromo Summits are the only educational conferences that focus exclusively on the TransPromo opportunity. With the addition of the inaugural European event, the TransPromo Summit has become a well-known educational resource for the printing industry. The events bring together technology vendors, print service providers, and corporate marketing executives, and users for information sharing, exposure to best practices through real world examples, and peer-to-peer networking. In addition, attendees will be able to meet with industry-leading vendors and service providers during the dedicated technology showcases.
Be sure to check out the current discussions at to gain further insights into , books, newspapers, , and more. Like the growing trend of . Clickable print to the , and . There's a lot happening these days and the pace is picking up. Don't miss out!
Océ JetStream security features have helped Direct Group earn . As a result, Direct Group can confidently print check applications knowing the output will meet all recognized security standards. MICR Printing Systems enable users to print negotiable documents that meet CPSA security requirements and to become certified by CPSA. CPSA certification authorizes the user to print the CPSA registered padlock icon, indicating the presence of required certified security features.
Going Beyond the Minimum The Océ JetStream family was the first to integrate the Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) feature into a full process digital ink jet color engine as an all-in-one solution to support both high-volume color inkjet printing and MICR applications on a single platform. As a result, print professionals can produce convenience and full-color checks with complete reliability, security and error recovery. The technology won Océ the 2009 Innovator of the Year from Xplor International.
, a fully integrated direct marketing solutions provider, serves sophisticated multi-channel clients in financial services, gaming, retail, insurance, pharmaceutical, nonprofit and other industries. Companies in these markets often have direct marketing and promotional applications that require highly personalized check-issuance capabilities, such as balance transfer programs, refund checks, reward certificates and coupons.
We are always looking for ways to improve our client offerings by providing the latest technologies, said Chris Ryan, Direct Group Chief Operating Officer. This certification means our clients can benefit from the peace-of-mind our check printing security capabilities offer, especially in this time of economic uncertainty. Right now, fraud and specifically check fraud is high on the list of client concerns, creating more and more demand for this type of protection.
Revolutionizing Check Printing Enhancements like MICR printing and Océ security features give customers more ways to leverage their investment in high speed color technology. With the Océ JetStream system, marketing and print service providers can expand their services to include more check-related applications. As a variable data digital printer, the Océ JetStream system is already positioned to handle future security features that require variable images and content. As a further cost and security advantage, checks can be printed only when needed, eliminating the risk of maintaining preprinted check stock.
Abundance of Check Security Features With its abundance of security features and operational advantages, Océ JetStream digital printing can revolutionize the check printers business model, said Guy Broadhurst, Vice President of New Technology and Client Development, Production Printing Systems division, Océ North America. Océ is committed to helping customers succeed with new approaches to capturing revenue and growing their businesses.
The Check Payment Systems Association (CPSA), an association of North American check producers, sets standards for check document security. Océ is a member of the Check Payment Security Association (CPSA), and Océ JetStream customers may qualify for CPSA certification. Certification means additional security features have been incorporated into the check design, production process or materials.
CPSA security features supported by the Océ JetStream system include:
Micro printing of signature line or check borders appears as solid line when photocopied or scanned
Variable micro printing to match account numbers
Uneven laid lines that flow throughout the check document and fill in when copied or scanned
Color change from light to dark, top to bottom, or side to side throughout the check
Copy Void pantograph across face of check when photocopied
Padlock icon on check amount box meaning at least three security features are present
Faint Original Document security screen on check back drops out easily and doesnt copy or scan well
Very light Invisible Ink can be used for printing security screens, logos, artificial watermarks or other images
Security Features warning box appears on back of check
About Océ Océ is a leading international provider of digital document management technology and services. The companys solutions are based on Océs advanced software applications that deliver documents and data over internal networks and the Internet to printing devices and archives -- locally and around the world. Supporting the workflow solutions are Océ digital printers and scanners, considered the most reliable and productive in the world. Océ also offers a wide range of display graphics, consulting and outsourcing solutions.
Océ employs around 23,000 people, with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.3 billion, operates in more than 90 countries and maintains research and manufacturing centers in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Romania and Singapore. Océ North America is headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL; New York City; Boca Raton, FL; Salt Lake City, UT and Vancouver, BC. North American revenues represented approximately half of Océs worldwide business in 2008, and employment is approximately 10,000. For more information about Océ, visit . Outside the U.S., consult .
