Digital Printing: Transforming Marketing and Print Management

Digital printing technologies are rapidly replacing traditional offset for many forms of print marketing. This represents more than a production shift. It represents a radical marketing shift. This shift is occurring because digital print production enables marketers to produce applications and manage their documents in ways not possible or cost-effective with offset. This report examines how digital print technologies are reshaping print marketing by changing cost structures, changing document management models, and driving customization and personalization. Points are illustrated using best-in-class case studies, hypotheticals, and graphics from actual campaigns in key application categories, including short-run printing and versioning; one-off, personalized follow-ups; automated fulfillment; personalized URLs; 1:1 print personalization; transactional and transpromotional; and Web-to-Print. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of changing the way marketers evaluate the cost-effectiveness of print marketing, including a shift to cost per lead, cost per sale, and return on investment. Report concludes with best practices and strategies for success.