Neenah Paper Launches Virtual Swatch Books

If you're like many of our customers, just when you need a particular swatch book it goes missing. Now Neenah has made it even easier to find just what you're looking for, even if your AE walked off with your only copy of the Classic Crest swatch book.

In a continuing effort to provide product information whenever and wherever needed, Neenah Paper now offers its most popular swatchbooks in a virtual format on its Web site. The electronic swatchbooks are a great new tool for printers, estimators, and anyone who specifies premium paper.

Because paper is such a tactile product, it might seem that the word “virtual” doesn’t make sense when referring to paper. But sometimes, no matter how many swatchbook copies are kept in the shop or office, they aren’t always where they’re needed. In addition, a virtual swatchbook can be just the ticket when on the move or calling on clients, providing quick access to useful information such as paper color selections, environmental properties, paper characteristics, and stocking charts. Currently available are some of Neenah’s top-selling brands such as CLASSIC CREST®, CLASSIC® Linen, CLASSIC COLUMNS®, ENVIRONMENT®, and OXFORD® Papers, with more to be added.

“A virtual swatchbook is a perfect example of how to best use technology to direct customers to the right paper color, surface and weight,” says Tom Wright, director of design for Neenah Paper. “Today, using web-based tools—like our Think Ink and eco calculator iPhone apps, BlackBerry downloads, and now the iPaper swatchbooks—is part of helping customers make the right paper selections, so when they print, they can do it well.”

To browse Neenah’s online library, visit www.neenahpaper.com/virtuallibrary,.

Consumers Value Relevant Marketing Messages, Prefer Print

A recent survey by Chief Marketing Officer shows that consumers prefer print. Regardless of channel, for consumers, relevancy and individualization of the marketing message is what is valued. Key findings of the consumer engagement study highlighted in the report, Why Relevance Drives Response and Relationships: Using the Power of Precision Marketing to Better Engage Customers, shows:

•When given the opportunity to choose, 51% of consumers prefer to receive product or service promotions via traditional mail while 44% prefer email.
•Nine out of ten consumers open monthly bills delivered via traditional mail, compared to 72% who open bills delivered via email. For all types of mail received, print mail is opened and viewed more than electronic mail.


What types of mail do you always open?

Type of Mail
Traditional Mail
Email

Monthly Bills
92%
72%

Bank Statements
83%
60%

Promotional Offers
56%
41%

Newsletters
51%
40%

Flyers
41%
NA

News Alerts
NA
37%

"Junk Mail"
23%
NA

•Three-quarters (73%) of consumers say they would you opt in for more traditional mail vs. electronic statements if the government certified that mail had less environmental impact than electronic delivery.

•Consumers are inspired to do business with a retailer after receiving personalized offers -- 30% of respondents answered "yes" and 48% stated "sometimes."

•While 64% of consumers say promotional offers dominate both the email and traditional mail they receive, only 41% view these as must-read communications.

•Of the 91% of consumers who opt out or unsubscribe to emails, 46% do so because the messages are not relevant.

•Four out of ten (41%) say they would consider ending a brand relationship due to irrelevant promotions--whether print or email. An additional 22% say they would definitely defect from an offending brand.

“Irrelevant, impersonal communications, be it email or traditional mail, is a waste as it does not engage a receptive recipient,” said Liz Miller, Vice President, Programs and Operations, CMO Council. “It is no surprise that consumers are opting out of irrelevant emails. However, what is a grave sign for marketers to heed is that customers will disconnect and stop doing business with brands who continue to send messages that demonstrate a lack of intimacy, customer insight and individual understanding.”

Printing on Metallic Papers

It’s that time of year when a client’s thoughts turn to holiday cards. Inevitably they are drawn to a design featured on a festive paper. Today’s offerings make it easier than ever to give your client a holiday card with the shimmer they’re looking for.

Most metallic papers have a luminous surface that was developed to show through most printing inks, and enrich any design. They tend to achieve this luminescent quality from a mica coating. Keep in mind they are specialty papers and, as such, do differ in some aspects of printing from conventional coated and uncoated papers. Here are some things to note when printing on a metallic/pearlescent uncoated sheet.

PRINTING

Offset: the paper’s lustrous effect is intended to be visible through the printed image, though heavy ink densities may somewhat diminish the effect. Due to the pearlescent coating, they tend to be less absorbent than standard uncoated papers, so general process inks are not compatible with this specialty stock. Drying times will be longer than for standard papers, and this should be factored into the production schedule.

Inks: Most metallic papers are a specialty substrate, and conventional inks are not suitable for printing on this stock. Fully-oxidizing or UV-curing inks are required when offset printing on these sheets. Drying results will be faster for UV inks than for fully-oxidizing inks.

Laser and Ink Jet: With advances in technology, many of these papers are suitable for laser and ink jet printing. As for any paper, pretesting is essential as performance may vary from one printer to another.

Digital: Many of these sheets have been run successfully on various digital presses. As digital print technology changes quite rapidly, and results depend on many variables, it’s always a good idea to do pretesting for all digital applications.


DESIGN AND PREPRESS

Grain Direction: In all swatch books you will find a paper stock chart that lists all sheet sizes – the grain direction is always last. As for all papers, binding and folding a metallic sheet parallel to the grain direction is always recommended.

Line Screen: In general, line screens ranging from 150-200 are used for printing on these types of papers. It is always advisable to consult with your printer to determine the appropriate line screen for your project.

UCR: For areas of heavy, layered ink coverage, consider the use of UCR (under color removal) in scanning. This will decrease total ink density, and can cut drying times significantly, especially for black.

FINISHING

Varnish & Aqueous Coating: While these papers may be varnished or aqueous coated, please keep in mind that any varnish or coating will likely alter the sheet’s luminous appearance. Varnishing or aqueous coating them after printing can help to protect and seal the printed area, especially for projects where finishing is complex.

Foil Stamping: Like most text and cover grades, these papers foil stamps beautifully.

Scoring & Folding: It’s a good idea that all weights in these papers be scored prior to folding to ensure the best fold. As for all papers, folding with the grain direction is preferred. It’s usually recommended that a rounded channel score with a minimum width of 2.5 times the caliper of the sheetbe used.

Binding: To avoid waviness, binding should always run parallel to the grain direction.

While there are many of these grades now available on the market with a pearlescent finish here are some of the one’s you find available at Millcraft: Classic Linen, Starwhite Flash, Esse Pearlized, Shine, and Stardream. You can request a sample of one these sheets for your next project with our online sample request form.

Printing Envelopes - Before or After Converting?

A big consideration when designing for envelopes is whether to print them before or after converting. There are a lot of factors to consider when making this decision, here are a few things to keep in mind.

It’s safe to say, in general printers would prefer all envelopes be already converted before printing. The drawback to this from a creative standpoint – no bleeds. Why the big fuss about bleeds? On an envelope that is already converted, they can only be positioned on three sides of an envelope, leaving one of the short dimension edges for the gripper. Non-bleed images and addresses can be printed on the back flap. When printing already converted envelopes,
keep in mind screens or printed text can appear heavier on the seams where the double thickness of paper and glue create a raised area. Depending on the artwork, you may want to consider a side-seam or diagonal-seam envelope.

If you’re printing an unconverted envelope, you can have bleeds on all four sides of the outside and inside of the envelope and flap, leaving the integrity of the design in tact. Bleeds on the inside of the envelope are a common design feature as well as providing security through added opacity. It’s a good idea to talk to your envelope converter before printing to find out if there are any special requirements for areas that will be glued.

Try to avoid designs that need an exact register across the seams, this is mainly due to the variability in die-cutting and folding.

Unlike converted envelopes, unconverted envelopes allow you to foil-stamp and emboss a design without leaving a debossed image on the opposite side of the envelope.

Test your envelope in the laser printer before running to avoid jamming and creasing caused by envelope thickness. In general, testing is always a good idea. Trust me on this one, the last thing you want is for your client to have issues with printing the envelopes (or letterhead for that matter) of their new identity system. Tacking of the seal flap can happen when the glue is exposed to the intense heat and moisture generated in the fusion chamber of the laser printer.

The number one frustration my customers have with envelopes is around availability. Since there are a huge number of possible paper/envelope size combinations, it is unrealistic for any paper merchant to inventory a complete selection of envelopes. Merchants and envelope convertors stock a small subset of popular sizes—typically No. 10 commercial, A2, A6, etc. in cream or white stock. However, any text weight can be converted into any size or style as long as you plan for it. A good rule of thumb is to allow three weeks for non-standard envelope orders. For best results I recommend working with your paper rep early on in the process. 

RFQ Basics

One of the requests I get asked a lot is to speak to college students about paper and print. Inevitably one of the questions I am asked most is about getting accurate print quotes. So I thought I’d include a quick reference guide for those novices out there, or those that have found themselves handling new responsibilities in their current job. And all you print production pro’s, feel free to comment if I’ve left something out.

In a perfect world, a Request for Quotation (RFQ) happens once the design is finished and no other major changes are expected. Ideally sent to at least 3 potential printers, it should reference any differences from the ballpark estimate, and cover the following items (as applicable):
• Quantity or quantities to see price breaks based on different volumes.
• Flat size and finished size.
• Number of pages: each side of a sheet/leaf of paper constitutes a page.
• Cover type: self cover or separate cover.
• Stock: text and cover along with alternatives that may add to the design or lower the cost. This is also where should specify the paper merchant you are working with.
• Ink Colors: if possible, note any specific match colors, metallics, heavy solids or bleeds which can add to the cost.
• Varnish: indicate the type of varnish desired (spot, overall, dull, gloss).
• Art: describe the types of images and whether they will be provided in digital or conventional format. Also, tell the printer if he will be expected to scan images as high-res files and then return them to the designer to place in the layout or if he will be turning the file over for manipulation or another form of digital editing.
• Special finishing requirements: die-cuts, pockets, embossing, stamping, etc.
• Binding requirements with any alternatives
• Proofing requirements
• Packing instructions: shrink-wrapping, paperbands, custom boxes all add time and money
• Shipping instructions
• Shipping and arrival date
• Tolerance of overs/unders: typically 10% of the job but can sometimes be held to 5% for projects with a high unit cost. Also any samples you would like of the finished piece.

Neenah Paper Conservation Poster Series

The key to getting any point across is choosing the right medium for the message.

When Neenah Paper wanted to highlight the versatile beauty of their environmentally friendly, FSC-certified CLASSIC Linen Papers, they decided to tell the larger story about sustainability through a series of cutting-edge wallpaper posters designed to promote larger conversations about paper as a physical medium.

Neenah Paper's new series of Conservation Wallpaper Posters are not just beautiful to look at, but are packed with smart information about environmental efforts. It's all part of Neenah's ongoing mission to be a good steward of the Earth's natural resources and show how beautiful and versatile recycled paper products can be.

The first poster, released this summer, is printed on ENVIRONMENT Papers, PC 100 White and is packed with facts about recycling, what Neenah has been doing to make a difference and how anyone can get involved, starting with this sobering note:
"You may think that a lot of paper gets recycled, but according to the National Recycling Coalition, Americans still throw away enough office paper each year to build a 12-foot-high wall of paper from New York to Seattle. Paper and wood account for almost half of all waste that goes into landfills and incinerators."

The second poster, released in October, highlights water and is printed on CLASSIC Linen Papers, Recycled 100 Bright White. The third, due in November, looks at energy and will be printed on CLASSIC COLUMNS Papers, Recycled Bright White. And, due to the popularity of the posters, Neenah has decided to add a fourth poster focusing on the protection and restoration of Earth's resources and natural habitats. It is due out later this year.

"Environmental issues tend to be deadly serious subjects that many treat with a somber tone," said Steve Sikora, co-owner and creative director/copywriter of Design Guys, the Minneapolis-St. Paul firm who designed the Neenah Wallpaper Poster Series.

Taking the opposite tack, these posters were designed to have maximum visual impact - making the most of a few bits of text and being able to work singly or as a group. Both of those attributes increase the odds they will make their way onto plenty of walls - and stay there.

Sikora said he'd like designers to respond to the Conservation Poster Series by realizing how much of an impact they have on consumer attitudes. "I once heard Milton Glaser say that he made 'no distinction between good design and good citizenship.' That isn't the way most of us begin thinking about our work, but I think he is exactly right."

You can request your copy of the Conservation Posters from our online sample studio while our stash lasts.

Execs Say Direct Marketing Has Greatest Impact on Company/Brand Success

One of the findings of a recent social media survey of U.S. marketing executives is that direct marketing by far is expected to have the greatest impact on the success of companies and brands in the next year.

The Social Media Survey 2009, conducted on behalf of PRWeek magazine and MS&L, a global communications firm, queried marketing directors, VPs of marketing, CMOs and others about their use and perceptions of social media.

Despite the belief in direct marketing's impact on company and brand success, the survey finds that in companies where funds are being shifted for expansion of social media, 40% is coming from direct marketing, 48% is coming from advertising, 29% from media planning and buying, and 18% from PR.

Is Price Really ALL That Matters?

Written by Deborah Corn

As Print Producers, the bottom line is part of our jobs. We are charged not only with executing final materials, but staying within budget and finding options where needed. Options may be as simple as switching a Premium paper stock to a Value one, converting PMS colors to 4CP, or in some cases opting to print on a Digital Press when the job will work there. But there is still a cost, and while it might not be a financial, one could argue the quality of your final materials pays that price.

I have been working in the Production arena for 20+ years, in many capacities. When I started, layout was done by paste up, no computer programs even existed other than the typesetting machines. A stat camera and an x-acto knife were your best friends. Some of you reading this have no clue what I’m talking about or remember life without a cell phone or a remote control let alone a wax machine. I only mention this to give you a little reference to my experience in this field, and to point out that as it changes, so must you.

The changes these days for Print Producers don’t revolve so much around leaps in technology as much as they do getting the most bang for your buck. The economy has shrunk budgets and staffing and still we are required to produce award-winning materials and keep clients happy, without sacrificing the quality.

I have bid out a few jobs recently that I expressly asked for offset pricing. I received digital quotes. I had asked for PMS colors and Varnish and yet they had been magically removed in the bids. When I questioned more than one vendor about it, I was told - “this will save you money.” I found that a very interesting response first because I have always assumed that if I spend the time with Art Directors and Designers creating specs that they mean something, and second that Vendors quote what I ask for, as they have always done in the past. But this economy seems to have everyone in a freefall. If they quote as I asked they seemed afraid that their bid would be too high so they redesigned my work to make it cheaper… and I say cheaper vs. less expensive purposely.

We multi-bid jobs for numerous reasons whether dictated by Clients, or Agency/Company policy, or just so we have a feel for general price range. With all being equal, yes, the lowest bid is often chosen to execute. We also use specs to make sure our bids are apples to apples and not apples to Gorgonzola cheese. So not bidding what we have asked for really is of no help at all.

Lets assume you received three bids that followed your specs and all three are over your allotted budget. First, I would turn to the Vendor I had the best relationship with and see if they could come down. More often than not they do as long as you don’t abuse them. If that wasn’t possible, or the price reduction still has you over budget, discuss paper with them and make sure they engage their Paper Rep in finding solutions or alternatives. As well, call your Paper Rep. They know of other sources and vendors who may have something comparable to what you have speced in their shop or warehouse to substitute and are always a helpful resource in my experience. Ask for alternative paper samples to be sent to review with your in-house team. Talk to your vendor about other jobs you have or other jobs they are running. See if you can work out ganging up jobs on press and reducing or splitting set-up costs. Ask about a volume discount if you can send a certain amount of business their way in a time frame you agree upon. Question delivery method, question why their bid is so high, or so low based upon others you have received. Develop relationships that expand beyond customer/client and work with them as a partner in your process. The bottom line is always more than just dollars and cents, and you will get what you pay for if you only focus on that aspect.



Deborah Corn is a Print Production and Project Management Professional and owner/manager of the Print Production Professionals Group on LinkedIn with over 6200 members. She was invited to submit an article as an independent contributor and is not associated with Full Circle, Millcraft Paper, or any of their products or opinions.