Elanders UK has worked with Antalis to find the perfect substrate for its personalised promotional campaign
Elanders UK teamed up with Antalis to use folding carton for a promotional campaign produced on its two new HP Indigo 7800 presses. The result not only showcased its print capabilities but also a creative way to connect with customers.
Described as an innovation-led market leader in global print, packaging and supply chain management, Elanders UK has its UK headquarters in Newcastle. The company has recently invested over £1 million in new print technology to further expand the creative and value-added services it offers its clients. Keen to demonstrate these enhanced offerings, it embarked on a series of creative multi-media campaigns to showcase the capabilities of the new technology that called on the resources of Antalis to assist with the specification of a suitable substrate.
‘Having recently invested in two HP Indigo 7800 six colour digital presses, we were able to offer a greatly enhanced service that included higher levels of personalisation, the printing of white ink and the handling of heavier stock and creative, textured substrates. We wanted to present these new production capabilities to our existing customers as well as educate and inform the design, marketing and brand owner communities of the benefits of premium digital print and the impact that highly visual, quality print can play in a multi-channel environment,’ explained Chris Hewitt, managing director of Elanders UK.
Making an impact
The company embarked on a two-phased promotional campaign combining innovative packaging design, high impact and visually stimulating colour and personalised print, with an engaging integrated element that took the printed product into the digital marketing space.
‘The fundamental element of the promotion was the creative design, print and finishing of a unique self-make box that folds neatly to form a secure container, held in place with matching lid,’ explained Mr Hewitt. ‘However, in order for this to work, we had to find exactly the right substrate that would demonstrate our new print capabilities, provide stability for our creation as well as provide the perfect backdrop to introducing a whole range of creative and innovative media.’
Elanders called on the services of Antalis to assist in its search to identify and trial the best product for the job. Jeff Gill, digital business partner at Antalis, explained, ‘We had to make sure that the grammage was heavy enough to support the design and give the required rigidity, as well as providing a suitably visual and textural surface to showcase the quality of the print and colour output of the new presses.’
The paper supplier presented several options and sample products from its digital range of creative papers that enabled Elanders to undertake a series of trials to test for the perfect outcome. Mr Hewitt continued, ‘We tried a number of products, but in the end, found that Popset in 320 gsm gave us exactly what we were looking for. We also trialled it in a pre-coloured pink, but found that the best option was to work with Popset in Urban Grey, and overprint the surface with a bright pink which gave the most stunning and vibrant results.’
Perfect choice
The first campaign for its existing customer base comprised a printed self-folding box and lid containing a tea bag and a personalised URL for recipients to go to the website to select their perfect cake. This triggered a visit from an account manager who personally delivered the customer’s selected cake to enjoy with their cup of tea, during a follow up sales call.
The second campaign, also featuring the self-folding box, was targeted at the creative and marketing sector. When the box was opened and laid flat, the interior of the box had been overprinted in clear, white text that explained the benefits of Elanders new digital print capabilities and the impact of overprinting in a white.
‘We wanted to think of a unique way to educate customers, brand owners and creative professionals about the capabilities of our investment, how it can allow them to push their design boundaries and demonstrate the power of beautiful print within multi-media communications. What better way to do that than by integrating physical print with digital marketing engagement, a first-hand experience of a tactile, highly visual 3D product and of course, the attraction of a slice of cake?’ said Mr Hewitt.
He concluded, ‘I’m pleased with the outcome of these campaigns. They are eye-catching and already promoting conversation about their print and production process during follow up meetings, so I am already looking to expand distribution as part of our ongoing lead generation initiative.’
