While checking out my social networks today, in an attempt to keep up with this ever-changing world of print, I came across the following blog article posted by Bill Prettyman called "Should Young People Study Print and Print Media" .
Well, what do you get the person who's got everything? How about dabbling in a bit of graphic design and creating a personalized gift? That's what I decided to do at TPI Solutions Ink for a special person as a thank you gift for being so great. My idea was to create some simple, yet fun and meaningful, memo pads that my friend could use at the office or at home. The design was really basic (as I'm not the designer around here),a collage of select digital photos with my friend's first name at the top. I had the memo's digitally printed on the HP Indigo - this was great because I printed a small quantity, in two sizes, on demand. Once that was done they were trimmed and padded in the bindery. And voila, a thoughtful and creative gift for a thoughtful and creative person! She loved them!
The use of "variable data" or "personalization" in printing has been a hot topic for quite a while now. One factor in TPI Solutions Ink's decision to buy the HP Indigo press was it's variable data capability. Prior to digital printing, extensive personalization of a printed piece was not possible. The direct mail that you received at home might have had your name above your address or in many cases may have said something like "occupant". Definitely not an outstanding way to attract the recipient to do more than just toss it in the trash.