Crumpled on the side, one corner completely torn off, the poor thing arrived at my doorstep a few days ago. Was it the loser in a feral cat fight? No, just an innocent postcard that got caught in an ill-fated traffic accident.

Now, we all get a solid number of direct mail pieces each day, but what made this one so special was the fact that it actually looked much worse for the wear than most and … wait for it … was mailed by a printing organization. Not that it was their fault as such … it’s just that funny irony thing again … especially given that the “Paper Queen” ended up as an eyewitness.

Bulking Up for Protection
It was a large postcard, a very large postcard. At 6 x 11 inches, it offered a lot of marketing real estate. But was there any connection to the overall size and its tattered condition? Was it the weight of the paper or perhaps the thickness of the paper that left this card in a vulnerable spot?

“The weight and size of the paper probably had little to do with the problem,” said George Heinrich, a.k.a. the Postal Professor. “However the minimum thickness for a piece 6” x 11” is 9 point, so this piece was printed on paper with the absolute minimum acceptable thickness.”

After examining our postcard, Donald Stuhler, Mailpiece Design Analyst for the U.S. Postal Service, agreed, “If you construct a mail piece this size, you should use a paper stock that is at least a 10 point as some papers mic less than others.”

This is exactly the point I’ve been making for years. When thickness is important, as in mailing and packaging, you should spec a sheet that is produced to caliper rather than weight. A 10 pt. or 12 pt. paper would have given this postcard not only more oomph from a design perspective, but also more stability in the postal process.

The USPS allows cards 4.25” x 6” to be on 7 pt. stock. Although this is the regulation, the Postal Professor recommends that mailers begin to transition to 9 pt. for this size of card. “If the card is any larger, then I recommend a minimum of 10 pt., but 11 or 12 is even better to maintain the integrity of the mail piece. I know this affects the cost, but the look and feel of the piece when it gets in the addressee’s hands can make or break the “sale,” says Heinrich.

A Speeding Postcard
All letter-size pieces, and our postcard in question, are processed on equipment that runs at 36,000 pieces per hour.

For those of us mathematically challenged, that is 10 pieces per second. Faster than many web presses, faster than you and I can type “postcard.”

Add to this that the each mail piece also makes numerous twists and turns during this sorting process. Each of which could possibly lead to damage.

But wait, there’s more. The postcard in question was also sorted to what’s known as a “mixed tray,” meaning it was processed through this twisting and turning, speeding equipment up to eight times before it was delivered to me. Ample opportunities for damage.

The Accident Report
One option to explain the torn off edge and general damage to our postcard is that it might have had a miniscule tear in the lead edge. This tear likely got caught on one of the “gates” in our super-fast, twisting-and-turning postal equipment and just ripped off the top corner. Ouch!

“Now, says the Postal Professor, “this is what I think happened. Your piece was trailing another mail piece that jammed in the equipment during processing. Because the machine is running so fast, it can’t stop quickly enough and trailing pieces run into the jammed piece and become damaged. If the machine takes one second to stop, it means that 10 pieces could have possibly jammed behind the leading piece. I once asked a postal supervisor how many pieces usually get damaged if one piece jams in the machine. He responded by saying, based on the age of the equipment and the location of the jam, between 10 and 25 pieces.”

So our damaged piece of direct mail was, like a freeway pile-up, not a common occurrence thank goodness and likely not the only “victim.” At least no insurance reports had to be filed.

If you want to see one of these super fast, twisting-and-turning machines in action, and I think it’s worth your while to do so, check out the video below. Keep the volume on your computer to medium though ;-))

——

Seeing designers worldwide struggle to stay current with new papers and paper trends inspired Sabine Lenz to create PaperSpecs, an independent and comprehensive Web-based paper selection tool and weekly e-newsletter. Growing up in Germany, she started her design career in Frankfurt, before moving on to Australia and the United States. Lenz worked on design projects ranging from corporate identities to major road shows and product launches. From start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, her list of clients included Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Deutsche Bank, IBM and KPMG. Lenz is a noted speaker and author on paper issues and educational topics related to the paper industry.

Copyright 2010 PaperSpecs.com. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced by any means for any purpose without express written permission of the copyright holder.

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1. QR codes can be in color. Pick one — red, green, purple. Just make sure the contrast is high enough for the readers to pick it up.

2. QR codes can be branded. Because codes can be incomplete (the percentage of allowable incompleteness varies based on the code), they can be branded. QR codes are showing up with logos inserted inside them more and more often.

3. QR codes are really a sub-category under 2D barcodes. 2D barcodes can be proprietary or non-proprietary. There are two primary types of non-proprietary codes used in the United States today — QR codes and Datamatrix.

Other 2D codes, such as Microsoft Tag and BeeTag, are proprietary and require proprietary readers. Some proprietary readers can read generic QR codes, as well.

Why use proprietary codes when non-proprietary versions are available? For the marketer, proprietary codes work reliably and consistently because they don’t have to be all things to all people, as non-proprietary codes do. They do one thing and they do it well. For the code developer, they provide a revenue stream based on sophisticated back-end services, such as tracking, integration and 1:1 capabilities.

4. QR codes can be “smart.” They can read the location and characteristics of the phone being used to read them. Then they customize content based on location, time and capabilities of the phone, among other characteristics.

5. QR codes can contain variable data. Not all QR code generation software will create variable data QR codes, but a growing number will. Because heavily data-driven QR codes would be too large to print well (and therefore be readable), QR codes aren’t likely to become vehicles for sophisticated 1:1 printing campaigns any time soon. But they can be (and are being) used to contain personalized URLs. Instead of typing in your personalized URL from a printed piece or clicking on a link in an e-mail, just snap it with your camera.

And some people think QR codes are just little black-and-white boxes.

——

This information is excerpted from the report “QR Codes: What You Need to Know,” part of the Marketer’s Primer Series.

Heidi Tolliver-Nigro has been a commercial and digital printing industry analyst, feature writer, columnist, editor and author for nearly 20 years. Her industry commentary can regularly be found on What They Think’s Digital Nirvana and in top industry publications. This article was originally posted on The Digital Nirvana and has been updated specifically for PaperSpecs.

Copyright 2010 PaperSpecs. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means for any purposes without express written permission of the copyright holders.

Armed with paper samples and fact sheets, my search for exciting products to inspire designers and printers brought me to the recent Visual Media Alliance conference in San Francisco. What innovations would I find this year?

Like Goldilocks, I considered my choices and said, “Too big,” as one speaker promoted social marketing, blogs and Web traffic. “Too small,” I thought when another speaker revealed his clients’ requests for marketing materials in animation and video rather than print.

Finally, it was “just right,” when Ian Flynn of Direct Response Imaging and Mike D’Eredita from ColorGraphics presented three new technologies in digital and offset print. Dimensional printing, remote proofing and QR codes are fascinating tools with tremendous potential.

1. Feel that texture with dimensional printing
Dimensional printing is a new print technology that can be used to simulate a texture or add dimension to digital printing. Created with Kodak’s NexPress Digital Production Color Press and Kodak NexPress Dimensional Clear Dry Ink, “There’s no other machine that I’ve heard of that does anything like this,” Flynn said.

The effect can be used to imitate a texture in an image, on the paper or to simply raise a part of the piece to enhance the design. Think of the texture of snakeskin, an orange or a fingerprint on an invitation, a book cover or a direct mail piece.

“The part that really has impact is where you put your hands when you pick it up,” Flynn said. “It’s best if you put the dimensional coating on the edges of an invitation or postcard. If you put it in the middle, you don’t notice it as much, but on the edge, you really feel it.”

New techniques for classic effects
Dimensional printing is similar to thermography, but now you can take advantage of digital methods, such as print on demand. “You don’t need to print large quantities with digital printing and the turnaround is much quicker because there is no longer the makeready of the older process,” Flynn said.

You can use Illustrator and Photoshop and finish it in InDesign to produce the technique. It’s all imbedded in the PDF and acts as a spot color for the NexPress press. “To get the maximum effect, you can put the dimensional toner over CMYK for the most dramatic relief,” he said.

A little coating goes a long way. “We did a book cover recently where there was double helix on the cover and no printing underneath,” Flynn said. “It was really subtle and looked really cool. A minimal coating, but it was probably one of the most interesting applications I’ve seen so far.”

Unlimited design applications
Create your own patterns by putting a screen underneath the dimensional ink or screen the coating itself. Flynn recommended running a test sheet before you run your project to check both the paper and light colors, but they’ve printed successfully on coated and uncoated stock.

“You can have all the creative control here,” Flynn said. “In many cases a customer will come in and say, “Here’s my InDesign file, and I want you to raise this, this and this.”

According to Flynn, it’s very reasonably priced because it’s an inline process and requires a minimal amount of additional prepress time. The ink is also completely recyclable and is approved for publishing and packaging.

The impact is all in the feel. When Flynn showcased this effect in Southern California, one print buyer for an airplane manufacturer was very interested but said, “I don’t know how I’d leverage it.” Flynn looked at the photos of the jet’s cockpits and replied, “Imagine if we could pop all those cockpit gauges or texturize the leather seats so you could almost feel it.”

2. Control your project with Remote Proofing
Here’s a process you can work with wherever and whenever you want. How many times have you given a file to your printer and watched it travel the chain of command: It goes to the sales rep, goes to the planner, goes to prep and gets approved two to three days before you see your proofs?

“What do you do when you’ve got six people who have to approve the media,” Mike D’Eredita said. “You can’t send lasers out to six different places across the country and get it approved in one day.”

If you send out six e-mails, six different people have to get that media, open it, annotate it in Acrobat, download it through the desktop, save it and resend it. Now, you’ve got a pile of six different annotated PDFs to extract corrections from and everything’s due now or yesterday.”

Collaboration with speed and ease
Virtual proofing to the rescue. D’Eredita presented a fast, safe and mobile way of reviewing proofs that speeds up the workflow and eases communication between designers, printers and clients.

The software is provided by your printer via the Web and allows a collaboration space for everyone using an uploaded PDF file to review and correct throughout the entire process.

Currently, if you’re doing adaptations on Acrobat or using asset management tools, it costs you money. With InSite Remote Proofing, the print provider is investing in the technology to make it easier to communicate in one environment.

InSite: Projects, Jobs and Libraries
There are three parts of InSite Remote Proofing. The ‘Projects’ section allows you to review changes, corrections and annotate your images and linked elements online. The ‘Jobs’ section lets you do the same with your composed pages in high resolution, and ‘Libraries’ gives you access to retrieve approved online images anytime.

“You can always see hard copy proofs,” D’Eredita said, “but you’ll eventually say you don’t need to anymore because you trust your printer. It’s really a process that needs to be established between you and your printer.”

3. Trigger a response with a QR code
Access is also key to Quick Response codes that have unlimited potential. These little black and white digital squares are cousins of the bar code and carry data that could contain a URL to a website with video, animation or graphics.

The QR code triggers a response in a mobile device, such as a camera phone or a Web cam with reader application software you can download for free. It can scan the image of the QR Code causing the phone’s browser to launch and redirect to the programmed URL.

Adidas is one of many companies that have used QR codes to enhance the buyer experience with video. Wallpaper magazine used QR codes that allowed readers to manipulate graphics and create their own magazine covers. The codes could be attached to stuffed animals that invite children into a larger cartoon world. This effect is also known as Augmented Reality.

You might see a trailer for a movie or get a coupon to use in a local store. Once it’s in your cell phone, it could give you details about that business, allow you to compare prices, find locations or access any product data. As mobile devices improve, the QR codes will get smaller and be able to do more and more transactions with more information.

All three of these technologies are in the early stages of service to consumers, and all have unlimited potential. They also all have one thing in common: we have no idea today what direction users will take them tomorrow.

——
Ruth Hagopian is a regular contributor to PaperSpecs.com and Communication Arts and has written about art and design for Print and Online Design magazines.

We want to thank Neenah Paper for sponsoring this special event and Steve Sikora, creative director and co-founder of Design Guys, for sharing his vast store of knowledge and insight into the subject. As well as your many questions, which are answered below, you also had great praise for our speaker.

“Great presentation, great samples and it’s very informative. Steve has shared a fountain of knowledge about packaging and branding. Thanks.”

“That was VERY interesting and informative. Steve was an excellent presenter and had some great ideas and examples. I am very glad to see a package designer of his stature pushing for more sustainable packaging. It is very heartening.”

But now, on to your questions and Steve Sikora’s answers!

What percentages of clamshells are recyclable?

Theoretically, 100 percent of clamshells are recyclable.

Some are made of recycling symbol #1 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), the same plastic used in water bottles, but most are made of recycling symbol #3 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), a more problematic material because of its additives.

PVC off-gases VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can cause headaches, nausea and sore throats. PVCs contain phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors that can cause harm to the reproductive systems of both males and females. Finally, PVCs contain the highly toxic chemical called dioxin, known to cause severe damage to one’s health: cancer, birth defects and endocrine disorders. Even so, it can still be downcycled (recycled into a lesser material use) into one type of plastic lumber. The other type is made of HDPE.

Typically, municipal recycling programs only collect #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) plastics. The accepted plastics must be in bottle form because they are the easiest to sort. In other words, very few clamshells ever get recycled because recycling programs don’t support their collection.

According to the National Recycling Coalition: “On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 – $75 to incinerate it.” Common sense and financial sense say that recycling is the smartest decision.

If it is more sustainable, uses less energy and is cheaper why aren’t we recycling more? I mean this from both the personal and cultural perspectives. It is possible that it is a lack of incentive. But the ultimate reason may be “human nature.” We are habitual. We are a little lazy. We are emotional. Emotional decision making is not governed by rational criteria.

As with pharmaceuticals, could clamshells go away for electronics if a printed card were on display? So that a customer brings the card to the register and receives the product then? The card looks like the eventual package but is less likely to be lost or stolen.

That is certainly one idea. Big box stores also use that strategy for cumbersome or heavy things like furniture that a customer can’t load safely into a cart on their own. A locking display case would achieve the same result. The downside for retailers is that this kind of security requires staff to manage it, and staff is expensive.

On the point of small things needing to be in large packaging, do you think that the current trend of using less packaging will change this?

High-theft items sold in unattended, mass-market environments require some form of security. Until another, cost-effective solution is found or until self-serve, mass-market retail changes, I believe we will continue to see excessive packaging. If it could be returned and reused, it may not be such a bad situation. Sort of like in the 80s, cassette tapes were sold with bulky plastic cases wrapped around them that were removed at the register and reapplied to new cassettes.

What was the reason for changing materials in the Coke bottle refresh?

I wasn’t responsible for it, but I can guess. Aluminum has plenty of advantages over plastics. It can be printed 360 degrees including the cap. Aluminum has much higher recycling rates than plastic. Although aluminum bottles have been around for a long time, no one has really done anything as dramatic as this. So newness is a big win. It is very likely that the aluminum material itself was the solution that allowed the best expression of the concept.

Do you make up a story for the client?

We help clients identify and tell the authentic stories of their origin.

Where is the line between good storytelling and too wordy?

Since the webinar is based on packaging, I am going to assume that you mean “too wordy for a package.” There is no single answer to that. From our perspective, we try to keep packaging very simple today. As consumers, our heads are so cluttered with information that we are in a state of near-constant overload. Remember, stories can be told visually as well as verbally. It is best to attempt to communicate as much as possible first on a sub-lingual level. In other words, through color, shape, texture, pattern and image, before applying typography. Having said that, take a look at Dr. Bronner’s Soap bottles. They are covered with words and the language is pretty dense. It reads like a religious tract. But those stories are the brand essence of Dr. Bronner’s. The brand would not exist but for them.

What would you do if the client is inexperienced and hasn’t figured out their brand story?

That is always the genesis of our work. Whether a client knows this or not, it is important for you, the designer to know it. The packaging is only an expression of the brand. It is not the brand itself. A product is physical. A brand is metaphysical. One is the body, and the other is the soul.

I have a technical layperson question. What are the color dots found on most packaging, and what is their function?

If we are referring to the same dots, they are there for quality control. Sometimes dots or other shapes are printed to show that inks match and the correct registration of inks.

Is shelf presentation most important in a brand launch?  Graves’ things are now amidst its competitors.

Thus the redesign. The newer iteration is not as iconic as the original, but it lives in a very different environment than product packaging did at launch.

Does this take a certain kind of printer to get the good crack-proof scoring?

Have your Neenah Paper rep get you a copy of the promo for Environment Folding Board. There is a great technical sheet on scoring inside of it. Any reasonably skilled printer should be able to produce good scores with the right material, the correct approach and some testing.

How do they fit the Kleenex in the triangular box?

That’s one of those compelling attributes that makes you want to buy one and see for yourself.

What about shipping and delivery?

Most of the webinar was focused on the creative. There are a great many practical challenges to packaging. Sometimes the best packaging from the perspective of shelf presentation is not the best packaging for fitting a master pack shipper. A right-sized rectilinear form is usually going to be the best fit in a shipping carton. They require no inner compartmentalization as would glass bottles for example. It is a balancing act weighing the values of several variables at once. We are currently working with a company called Mobi. The particular product I am referring to is a pair of crutches (Mobilegs). At retail, the best and simplest way to package them is not a good configuration for shipping by container from the manufacturer overseas. Consequently, we made a decision to package the retail versions here in the United States.

I think that IKEA does a good job of minimizing shelf packaging by designing extremely good master cartons.

How is consumer safety considered when choosing package materials?  I find hard plastics can cut.

I don’t think anyone is thinking particularly hard about clamshells from a consumer safety perspective. They are dangerous to open, for sure. The thinner the mil of the plastic sheet you specify, the easier it is to cut open. And, clams can be sealed in ways other than a totally welded seam. The sharp-edged seam can be deadly.

Can you recommend some resources on packaging (books, urls, blogs, etc.)?

The Dieline
DzineBlog
Package Design magazine
Packaging of the World
The Cool Hunter
Packaging Digest
Packaging World
Amazon.com has a great many packaging titles.

What criteria should we be aware of when designing packaging for the international market?

Governing regulations differ from country to country. Check local regulations before designing for an unfamiliar market. For instance, under the German packaging regulations, suppliers are obliged to take back and recycle up to 70 percent of their packaging and submit an audit to prove it. The alternative is Green Dot, a not-for-profit organization that recovers and recycles packaging put into circulation in Germany on behalf of its licensees. Packaging under this program is imprinted with a Green Dot designation.

How do women and men differ on what they like/dislike in packaging?

Men and women respond in packaging to what men and women respond to in all other areas of life. Since people identify with the products they choose, we are wise to carefully consider the primary audience for any product and devise a package that is a mirror to the “self” we are attempting to appeal to.

What about development of packaging that people can take with them and reuse for different items?

Reusable packaging can be a great solution to the waste problem. “Reusable” takes many forms, from refillable bottles to packaging that can be utilized for a secondary purpose.

In the webinar, I showed a slide of shoe packaging from Puma that substitutes a fabric bag for the traditional cardboard box. So long as everybody “bags” their shoes, that is a good solution. If people are more prone to storing (and stacking) out-of-season shoes in the original shoebox, and people dispose of the bags, it’s not.  Nothing is terribly clear-cut. Conditions and human nature determine what the best idea may be.

I have a vision for my greeting card packaging! Can you provide some resources to go to for starters like me?

You could look into corn-based PLA plastics, or there are acetate folding carton boxes made of PET. Avoid the PVC boxes.

What about industrial packaging and prescription drug packaging, the non-retail world/mass marketing world…does the approach of packaging change?

Yes and no. Industrial, B to B and other forms of non-consumer packaging do not require the intense appeal that consumer packaging demands. One reason is that these packages are less likely to ever be seen on a shelf next to a competing product.

However, that said, I do believe that many industries have completely underestimated the values of brand in market spaces that are commoditized. We have had experiences over the years that tell us unequivocally that brand matters even at the level of the order desk, the delivery van and the shipping carton. Recognizable and distinguishing branding lends credibility at every level of contact.

Prescription drug packaging is another matter. I think that the rules of consumer packaging need to be followed, plus something that is currently missing from all health care fields needs to be integrated into it, that is a “sense of humanity.”

What is the newest in clamshell design to prevent theft and cuts on hands?

Typically, clamshells are sealed all the way around the perimeter. If they are hinged, the hinge acts as a seal on that side of the clam. Clamshells can be sealed by other means such as the button snap closures that you typically see on clear food containers. These can be supplemented with a secondary label to assure that the container was not opened. It is safer and easier to open, but far less secure than a welded flange. Once, we designed and tested a perforated strip into a clam that could be torn to gain safe access. Sadly, it did not go into production.

Do the biodegradable bottles pose any health risks to the consumers?

Enso Bottles say not. Microorganisms devour and breakdown the molecular structure of the plastics same as they breakdown anything organic in nature. I think dissolution through microbial action is very much the way we must handle waste going forward. It is how waste has always been handled in the natural world.

The downside of biodegradable plastics is that they are still petroleum products. Very soon, we need to move away from the petrochemical economy we are currently basking in. Oil is environmentally hazardous to source and is a finite resource that is being rapidly depleted. You may be surprised how dependent we are on it. Check out this PDF from Texas Alliance of Energy Producers called “The Many Uses of Petroleum.”

We are working on an animation about petroleum that we hope to post soon to our website at www.designguys.com.

How has e-commerce affected packaging?

It is much less important for online packaging to carry sales messaging and security features, but can we have special packaging forms for e-commerce only? It’s a thought. But I am unaware of any great movement to produce packaging unique to the delivery channel. Separate packaging for online transactions would be something else to manage in inventory.

I’d be interested to see your feedback on some packaging that has caused a backlash, such as Minute Maid a few months back.

I think that you may be referring to the Tropicana redesign fiasco. In sharp contrast, Duffy’s Minute Maid redesign has been heralded as successful. It looks fresh, crisp, bright and delicious. I love how the carton graphics link together when side by side on the shelf. To be honest I wouldn’t even have noticed that Tropicana had redesigned its packaging because it is invisible. I obviously passed through the cooler section, and it never registered. Instead, it took scores of outraged customers and critics shredding it in blogs for me to notice. That is pretty sad. It is absolutely remarkable to me that limitless budgets and consumer insights can produce a result that is so wrong. What happened to intuition? Gut reaction? Common sense? This is exactly the fate of so many soft drink brands and consumer packaged goods over the past couple of years. What looks like an impulse to change and rebrand your product at any cost. I understand the desire to cast off the old-world, CPG design clichés, but am confused that no one noticed that in the end, nothing of any value remains. Proof that there is a difference between simple and simpleton.

Do you have any reliable packaging printers you could recommend?

Well, I just plain don’t recommend unreliable printers.

Depends on the type of packaging. We have used Johnson Printing and Packaging in the Minneapolis area for folding cartons. Corrugate printers are completely different. Bottling companies are different again. These resources are available nationwide. These days, so many things are produced overseas that your client or the product supplier may be choosing your printer for you.

What makes EcoPure biodegradable?

It is the addition of what EcoPure calls “organic nutrients” that allow microbes to break the synthetic polymer chains into organic monomers, which are then completely biodegraded by microbial action. I recommend checking them out at http://www.bio-tec.biz/. A bottling company that uses the product is Enso Bottles.

Are there any materials we can purchase, i.e. the ten functions of a package?

I wish. Here is the checklist from the presentation:

1. Protection — How your package protects its contents
2. Organization — How your package arranges or manages the bits and pieces
3. Theft Deterrence — How your package keeps the product safe prior to sale
4. Display — How your package flaunts the product to best advantage
5. Branding — How your package defines true character
6. Marketing — How your package helps sell the product
7. Prestige — How your package elevates the product
8. Shelf Presentation — How your package contributes to a greater brand statement
9. Experience — How your package touches the customer’s senses
10. Authenticity — How your package expresses true essence

What should packaging cost be relative to cost of your product?

Excellent question, as with so many things there is no simple answer. In some cases, a simple sticker might be .05 percent of your cost of goods. In the cosmetic industry or software, packaging might be several hundred times the cost of the product. The packaging cost increases in direct proportion to the value of the product being packaged.

Do you have any examples of how packaging materials for real estate have improved?

It seems to me that short run digital printing has changed everything on both the low end and high end of the spectrum, when it comes to real estate.

	To listen … If you missed “Packaging: Tying It All Together,” it’s not too late! Just click here to listen to the full webinar.

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Every minute counts. If the client approves the design by 5:00 p.m. today, we can get the files to the printer first thing in the morning, and ultimately make the client’s crazy deadline after all.

But … your client doesn’t approve the final artwork until late afternoon the next day yet still expects you to make the deadline originally agreed upon. Sound familiar?

Some deadlines are crazier than others
… and some clients more challenging. Projects that were set to be completed in four weeks end up taking six months (Ask me about the health care forms for the Wodonga Hospital some time.)

But so far, by far, the award for the longest project in the making goes to a good friend of mine – Heather Hitchcock, salesperson at Ironwood Lithographers here in San Francisco.

The utterly amazing thing was not the complexity of the piece – even though it was, in and of itself a piece of art – but the time it was a “work in progress.”

The Jay Paul Company Brochure
Heather’s client, Hutner Descollonges, first approached her about the Jay Paul brochure three years ago – no, this is not a typo … three years.

Jay Paul Company, a privately held real estate company in San Francisco, focuses on the acquisition, development and management of prime commercial real estate throughout California. We’re not talking your average home or small commercial building here.

For instance, the award-winning Pacific Shores Center, a 1.7-million square foot, 106-acre waterfront campus, was a signature project for Jay Paul. This is a company that has a proven track record of identifying and creating unique opportunities. So the design of its capabilities brochure had to match this uniqueness.

Heather did the usual preliminary planning and estimating and then … nothing. A few months later, the project was resurrected. Specs changed, budgets changed and then … nothing.

Over the course of three years, the project was on again, then off again at least five times. Hutner Descollonges was on design round 12+ at this point.

Rising to the challenge
Then, one foggy San Francisco spring morning, Jay Paul Company’s president gave the go ahead, with a small, but significant catch: 25 of the very elaborate pieces had to be in New York for an all-important client meeting the next Wednesday.

And the race began. We’re talking nine days to print and finish. Bear with me while I share the complexities of the piece with you:

Slipcase
Double hits of PMS 446 plus aqueous coating printed on 120 lb. Mohawk Superfine Cover; diecutting, converting to slipcase, fold and glue with capacity.

Jay Paul Company Brochure
A 28-page extravaganza with a six-page cover, allowing for a double-thick back cover. The brochure sported 4-color printing, plus two PMS colors, plus spot aqueous coating.

On top of this, the cover featured a blind-embossed and diecut back pocket. The extra back panel had to be folded and glued down to create said pocket including half moon business card slits.

We are on the home stretch now ;-)
The brochure was perfect bound and inserted into the slipcase and (why stop now) shrink wrapped.

All this in nine days – including any proofing, color approvals, press checks, embossing, hand assembly … the whole enchilada. Oh, and did I mention special dies needed to be made for a particular depth in the blind embossing?

Sounds impossible doesn’t it?
But Heather and her team did it.

“Bill Heitman, production coordinator, kept the project on track both inside the plant and at the outside vendor. Steve Cobb in our prepress department did amazing system work to perfect the color images and made the plates for press helping to keep us on the very tight schedule,” explains Hitchcock. “And both men were recognized for their efforts with Ironwood Litho Employee of the Month awards.”

The client gave the final approval on Friday. The design team worked over the weekend and sent the final files to Ironwood Litho on Monday morning. Leaving the printing team nine days to do their magic … and pure magic it was.

I will spare you the day-to-day, hour-to-hour race with time, and the technology it took to not only get this piece done, but create a great quality piece. Let’s just say: They did it.

Twenty-five pieces arrived in ample time for the crucial client meeting in New York on Wednesday morning, and the balance was delivered soon after to Jay Paul’s offices.

And the moral
Why am I telling you Heather’s amazing story?

1. Never discount a client or a project even if it is three years in the making.
2. Always have a great relationship with your printer. As this story shows, they come through for you when you need them most.
3. Never underestimate the power of great planning and a true team effort. Ironwood, Hutner Descollonges and Jay Paul Company were very proactive and did everything to make this seemingly impossible deadline happen.
4. And most importantly: Never, ever underestimate the power of a great printed piece.

P.S. I know you’re wondering … all the clients were ecstatic, and the rest, as they say, is history.

——

Seeing designers worldwide struggle to stay current with new papers and paper trends inspired Sabine Lenz to create PaperSpecs, an independent and comprehensive Web-based paper selection tool and weekly e-newsletter. Growing up in Germany, she started her design career in Frankfurt, before moving on to Australia and the United States. Lenz worked on design projects ranging from corporate identities to major road shows and product launches. From start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, her list of clients included Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Deutsche Bank, IBM and KPMG. Lenz is a noted speaker and author on paper issues and educational topics related to the paper industry.

Copyright 2010 PaperSpecs.com. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced by any means for any purpose without express written permission of the copyright holder.

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Dejan, North American ETC Print and Creative Manager for Sappi Fine Paper/North America discussed the in-and-outs of optimizing a color management workflow, showed where most print challenges occur and how to address them to avoid costly pitfalls.

Here are his most informative answers and insights to your questions!

When it comes to an uncoated job, how will it appear on a printer’s glossy proof?

Daniel Dejan: I know so many printers when they give you the proof, they’re on a proprietary paper, proprietary to the proofing system that they’re using. I would share that you’re going to be much closer if you ask the printer once they have converted it themselves from RGB to CMYK and they’ve done the voodoo that they know so well, ask them to just print it out on one of their calibrated inkjet printers on an uncoated stock. It will get you very, very close. It will not be such a huge surprise as what happens when you see it on glossy stock and then you go on press and see it on uncoated stock. Obviously, all the colors are going to mute. You’re not going to have the level of color saturation. You’ll have much more dot gain. Hopefully, the printer will have doctored in their plate curves for dot gain. But you’re probably going to be much, much closer if you can get an inkjet proof on uncoated stock. The printer should be able to provide that for you if you ask them.

What is an example on how to calibrate … and then also continue the proper flow, profile, etc. to my printer and also to my scanner?

Daniel Dejan: Very complex question. How to calibrate – not that difficult if you buy a calibration instrument like the X-Rite Eye-One display or the Color Monkey display or a Spyder. All of these come with software – follow the software. It really is a very intuitive process. Once you put in the software, it’s going to show you exactly: “Set your instrument to this setting. Do this. Do this. Put it on the monitor. Hold it there while it does all the things.” That’s pretty straightforward. To answer the question, you have to have a calibration instrument to be able to do it. And then from there, the second part of the question I gave several recommendations of books. If you remember, I suggested the books by Dr. Abhay Sharma. I think they’re exceedingly accessible. They really talk about calibration. There’s a whole chapter on them – terrific. Also, the other book that I recommended very highly – I’m crazy about this book – it’s called CMYK 2.0, and it was written by Rick McCleary. All of these books are available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Borders. You can order them online or in some cases, you can even find them at the actual stores. They really will take you through the proper workflow and the process.

What is the importance of profiling?

Daniel Dejan: If you remember when we talked about what is the definition of color management, it is to be able to take a color from an originating device that either has scanned it, captured it or generated the color, and then to be able to take that color information and take it through a workflow that’s going to have a lot of different devices within it. Based on that, the idea being how do I get each of these devices to talk to one another.

The profile, if you remember, has three parts: a) the source profile – originator, c) is the receiving profile or the destination profile, and the b) portion is when we talked about the lookup tables. We said that it is the lookup tables that actually do the work where we can, in fact, see what happens. We talked about the fact that you’ve got an input and an output. What happens is the profiles when they speak to one another, then it accesses the lookup tables in the color management module. The goal is to get each of these devices to use the information. “This is the way I have seen the color or captured it or created it.” The output device is saying “In that case, I need to make these adjustments in order to replicate that color with that same color fidelity.” So profiling is paramount to color management. You cannot have color management without profiling.

What are your thoughts are on the trend to keep RGB native files in the design instead of converting them prior to going to your print provider?

Daniel Dejan: This is probably a conversation that I have with more companies, and I think it’s very, very important. There are so many different schools of thought – there are really several schools of thought and different camps. I am very much of the camp that “I work in RGB. I want to keep that file in RGB for as long as I possibly can.” Why do I want to do that? Because when we go to sample it down, when we rip it, I want to sample from the largest gamut possible. As soon as I convert it to CMYK, I have basically taken all of that information out, and now I am sampling from a very small gamut.

You would be very surprised how many colors can be captured in CMYK from an RGB file. If we can do it, it is available. I keep everything in RGB for as long as possible. I always archive my files as native RGB files because I never know how I’ll repurpose them, and I want to be able to sample from the largest gamut to be able to create in the next project. I feel very strongly. I retouch in RGB. I archive in RGB. In some cases, I actually send the native file to my printer in RGB, and I let them do the CMYK conversion because their equipment is so much better than what we have. We all think because we’ve spent $5,000 or even $10,000 for our hardware and software in our studios that we really are cutting edge. I’ve got to tell you, have you gone into a good printer and looked at their equipment and their software? It’s extraordinary; it really is. When you stop and think about it, they do a lot of work on a Mac, but it really is the Mac talking to the RIP, and that RIP is a quarter-of-a-million or half-a-million dollars. Stay in RGB as long as you possibly can. This is my opinion. If it is a project that is particularly cumbersome to do, send the RGB file to the printer and let them do the conversion. You may end up having to do some retouching at the printer’s once they’ve converted it to CMYK, but I think you’re going to be so much more pleased with the end product.

We talked about several color measuring devices. Steve would like to know which one you would recommend. He has been using Optix XR by X-Rite.

Daniel Dejan: I have to be honest. Any of the X-Rite instruments are absolutely top-notch. A lot of companies are making all kinds of equipment, and certainly, if you go to the color management conference, you’ll see all these different companies who have got superb equipment. I think once you start looking at a company that is making scientific measuring equipment, you’re in a whole different ballpark. You’re paying a different price certainly because it’s going to be more expensive but it has very much to do with a high-end task. You have to realize also there’s a lot of consolidation in the industry. X-Rite ended up buying GretagMacbeth and Pantone. So there aren’t as many companies out there as there used to be, but there are quite a few. There are some Japanese companies that are making beautiful equipment. The investment that you’ve made in the Optix is excellent. Just learn how to use it optimally. In a way, it will serve your purpose perfectly well. The fact that you even made the investment in buying a piece of equipment like that is superb.

I feel very strongly about this. If we are selling color to our customers, we have an obligation to own the tools of the trade and own the tools of color. It means calibrating instruments. It means proper lighting instruments, monitors that are made for critical color. The fact that we don’t do this and I think it really says a lot when I hear about a designer who doesn’t have the equipment and then they blame their printer for not getting what they want. If you’re not going to do your due diligence, then you’re not going to get the result that you expect.

I work on a PC so when I create my images in Photoshop in Adobe ‘98 color space, am I not seeing the full ’98 gamut?”

Daniel Dejan: No, you’re not. Let me put it this way. When we look at the slide, the outside is Adobe 1998. The inside is sRGB. When you’re working on your PC, you really are working on the color space that’s on the inside. What you are setting when you set it to Adobe 1998 is that you are embedding the profile for Adobe 1998 into the file that you are working on, as much as that computer that you’re working on can do it.

Here’s the interesting thing: there are newer models of PCs that are running Microsoft that really have worked hard to expand the gamut. That’s very important. So it can be a larger gamut. If we could and hopefully, one day I’ll try to do for folks is I’ll try to run this again. This software is called ColorThink by CHROMiX. We can actually download the ICC profiles for a wide variety of different CPUs. It would be very interesting, in fact, to put different CPU profiles or color spaces and you could actually see what’s the difference between a Dell, a Gateway. Some of those that are being made really are trying to fill the gap for the content creator in a more corporate setting where you are going to use PCs.

To answer your question, you’re embedding the Adobe 1998 profile into your file rather than the sRGB profile, which is terrific. Keep doing it. But what you’re seeing is really a truncated workspace.

Please let people know that neither operating system is locked into a color profile. Macs aren’t necessarily higher in gamut than Windows machines. Do you want to comment on that?

Daniel Dejan: Well, the fact of it is that a color space that a Mac operating system, particularly the newer ones working it in Adobe 1998 really do generate more colors than a PC working in sRGB.

It is a lot about the embedded profile to maintain the integrity of the workflow. So I think to this point, which I agree, we can work in an Adobe 1998 on a PC and have that be the profile that we are embedding into our file that we are sending on. No, you’re not locked in. But for the most part, keep in my mind that if you’re working on a PC, and you are doing content creation, by default it’s going to be doing it in sRGB unless you have gone in and changed the preferences of your computer.

I just purchased a MacBook Pro for student Photoshop work. Is Adobe 1998 RGB the preferred calibration I should be using?”

Daniel Dejan: It’s not the calibration. We’re not using the right terms. It is the right color space, yes. You would be calibrating that monitor using a tool. So you’re going to characterize it and then calibrate it accordingly. It’s more semantics, and I hate playing semantics. But the fact is you work in 1998 as your color space, yes. And please, please, please calibrate your MacBook Pro because when you pull it out of the box, it is just using default settings from the factory. You can optimize it so that it is much better. It is totally capable of doing so.

Where can I find the lookup table?

Daniel Dejan: You really can’t. The lookup table is part of software; it’s embedded. As an example, when you pick a Pantone color in Illustrator or Photoshop or InDesign, what’s actually happening is that you’re going into the Pantone licensed software. What it’s doing is it’s using a lookup table or color management module and from there, it is determining “I’m choosing PMS 185. What are the RGB builds for PMS 185? What is the corresponding closest CMYK build for that?” That lookup table is actually what does the conversion. You would not see it. You would not find it. It’s built into the software.

As a designer, should I be talking to the printer about CMM and LAB?

Daniel Dejan: If you are working in critical color, if you are working in let’s say a corporate identity color, a bookending color, a very specific product color – yes. You should be articulating that color as a LAB color. It is the most accurate way.

Here’s the interesting thing: all the folks that are in the color world really do work in LAB. What they then do is they take that LAB and they convert it to the specific materials or the specific liquids that are going to be used in order to be able to replicate it. So it can be inks. It can be paint. It can be fingernail polish. It can be car paint. It can be lacquer. It can be whatever. The fact is that we work in LAB and then we convert that into an accepted language for that trade.

Perfect example: probably you’ve all seen the TV commercial where people show up with the most bizarre objects. They show up at the hardware store with a big purple teddy bear, a pair of shoes or whatever and the message is “Yeah, we can match that.” And yes, they can because what they’re going to do is they’re going to take spectrophotomic color test of that. They’re going to get it in LAB and then they are going to convert that, in this case, to wall paint. But we could just as easily take that LAB and turn it into screen printing inks or offset inks or toners or fingernail polish. I hope that makes sense.

Do design schools still teach color theory? Most freelancers we have as clients are clueless about color gamuts, etc.

Daniel Dejan: No. I’ve got to be honest. Most of the schools that I speak to do not teach color theory, unless you go to the print schools – RIT, Ryerson, Clemson, Cal Poly, ASU – those kinds of schools.

It’s interesting that color theory is actually taught more in photography, prepress courses; but as a part of a design curriculum or a communications curriculum, no, not at all. It breaks my heart.

I would share with you a larger concern that I have is that the companies that actually have the most skin in the game, who have the most to benefit are the ones who seem not to be doing as much as they could. That would be companies like Apple, Dell and Microsoft. You don’t see any of the schemes discussed in manuals. Here’s the interesting thing in their defense: they do have resources, and if you go online, you can, in fact, get some good information. I don’t want to make it sound like they’re leaving everybody clueless. But at the same time, very few designers even read manuals, let alone go to Web sites to understand this. It’s a huge challenge and concern. Part of the reason why so many printers appreciate workshops like this (and the color theory workshop we did in Part I) is because it hopefully bridges that gap.

Do XMPie, Dialog and other vendor engines for dynamic print allow for input device to output device profile mapping similar to what Photoshop does?

Daniel Dejan: No, not in the same way. When you talk about XMPie, Dialog – they’re languages. What they’re doing is they are actually converting. You would still have to go in and do the profile or color profile. Photoshop does it as an automatic.

What space do you work on a PC and not a Mac?

Daniel Dejan: The PC is sRGB, and Mac is Adobe 1998. Going back to some of the previous conversations, yes, you can change in your preferences so it is available.

How do you calibrate if you have two different monitors? You have a MacBook and a Wacom 21?

Daniel Dejan: Well, actually you can. You’ve got to optimize both. You’ve got to characterize and calibrate in order to optimize both monitors. But if you use an advanced tool, it will, in fact, let you calibrate the candelas – how bright the monitors are. It will also let you set gamma and a number of different metrics. If you set both monitors once they have been fully calibrated and optimized, you can actually set that they are the same brightness, whiteness, the same levels of RGB in terms of 0 to 255. You can actually get them to be quite similar. But you need a good tool to be able to do that, and you have to have monitors that allow you to go in and change settings like RGB, whiteness, brightness, contrast, gamma, white point, etc. which not a lot of particularly laptops are able to do well. Typically, you would do this more from a tower/CPU and monitor.

I have “Real-World Color Management.” Is the information in the book fully up-to-date considering that it was published in 2005?

Daniel Dejan: It’s still excellent. It’s an excellent book. It’s a heavy read in my opinion. I think some of the newer books really sort of address what’s happening. A lot has happened in five years. I would say the information contained in “Real World Color Management” is excellent, and on a theoretical level – absolutely terrific. In terms of implementation, one of the reasons that I like Rick McCleary’s book and Abhay Sharma’s new book is because they really do address some of the newer innovations and evolutions in technology. It’s good from a theory perspective.

Can you address proofing with Photoshop as far as viewing paper simulation before printing?

Daniel Dejan: Yeah, you can. That all falls under the whole concept of rendering intent. There are a number of different rendering intents. I don’t have that in this particular presentation. I do it when I do live presentations. We talk about rendering intent. It really talks about where is the source and where is it going to. There are really terrific explanations of rendering intent particularly in Abhay Sharma’s book. Basically – and I’m going to do this really quickly – perceptual rendering intent is essentially keeping the fidelity and the integrity of a photographic quality from one working space to another working space. And then we have relative and absolute colorimetric rendering. When we look at relative, what happens is that the paper is not accounted for, whereas in absolute, it is. This is very important. This is particularly what proofers use if they want to be able to simulate the paper.

Again, in relative, the white point in the image is allowed to change to compensate for the paper color. If you’re working on a very creamy paper, it will actually create a very soft yellow (it’s going to lose little bits of yellow and magenta) to kind of simulate the paper. In absolute, no color change to the paper, meaning, the paper is not taken into account.

Most proofing is actually done in relative colorimetry. I have a wonderful slide in my color workshop. You find this in your Photoshop in print. It will ask you if you want to set a rendering intent. You can choose what rendering intent you want. If you want more information, go to Abhay’s book or go to McCleary’s book or any of the color management books or go to Yahoo or Google and type in “rendering intent.”

Does the whole color management thing apply to printing to a digital printer as well as to an offset one?

Daniel Dejan: Absolutely. In fact, right now there’s an enormous amount of attention being focused on digital color management. To me, digital is sort of a complex term. Digital, for me, can either be toner-based or inkjet-based. It can be a desktop printer or a proofer. Frankly, some of the most beautiful proofs that we get are inkjet proofs.

We definitely use color management in digital proofing and printing. The toners are slightly different because the toners are proprietary. Quite honestly, while everybody is trying to get a standard, the reality is there is a bit of a difference between the HP toners versus the Epson toners. Not great, but there are. We’re also working with machines that are not just simple 4-color. Some of them are 6- or 7- or 8-color where they will do two magentas, two cyans, two yellows and a black, or in some cases, two blacks or the ability to add things like orange, green and violet to be able to do like a standard gamut. Yeah, there’s a lot being done right now, and that information is readily available online.

What does SWOP mean?

Daniel Dejan: SWOP is specifications for web offset publications. It is a guideline. It is created by a group called IDEAlliance, which has now teamed up with IPA. These are the folks that actually do the research and work with printers and prepress groups and publishers to be able to create the guidelines for not only a piece of web printing, but more importantly, the way a piece of printing that’s intended to go on the web press should be created. You can get this from our first seminar, but you can also go to IDEAlliance at  . You can buy the booklet that gives you all the guidelines.

How can I convince designers to use D50? They do not like the way it looks on their screen. They like things very bright and very blue.

Daniel Dejan: This is going to be a constant challenge. D50 is the standard we use in the United States. Interestingly enough, D65 is used virtually everywhere else in the world. More interestingly, D50 is a lighting standard used by photographers and prepress folks and printers. But in the paper industry, we actually measure paper as D65, and if you want a D50 number, we have to convert it.

The biggest challenge we’re having right now is the market likes bright white, blue white. I don’t think it’s right. I think it makes it much more difficult for color management, absolutely. But the fact is that’s what they prefer. It’s very, very hard.

The best argument is if you want a color critical workflow, then you really have to use D50 because that’s what the photographers are using. That’s the lighting that they’re using when they’re retouching. That’s what the prepress folks are going to use. That is what the printer’s going to use. That’s what you’re going to use when you go into press check. So you might as well stay in the flow. Otherwise, you’re going to be disappointed. You’re going to look at something and go, “Wow, this isn’t as bright as white.” Yeah, absolutely. Keeping the color critical workflow.

Are there companies that can calibrate printers and monitors?

Daniel Dejan: Oh gosh, yeah. There are, in fact, color management consultants all over the United States who will come in and calibrate your monitors, your printers, your scanners, and they do it at an extraordinarily high level. The Color Management Group is a great source for that. They’ll give you names and numbers of folks all over the United States that will do just that.

What I really like is the idea of having somebody come in to ensure not only that all of the monitors are calibrated to the CPUs, but then all the CPUs are then calibrated to the printer that they’re using to output. That, to me, is like paramount.

Do I need to calibrate an Apple cinema display?

Daniel Dejan: Yeah!

Is it limiting then to color manage photos on a PC as opposed to a Mac?

Daniel Dejan: What you want to do is optimize the system that you are on with the understanding the PC is going to have a slightly smaller color space than a Mac. But the fact of it is, you want to optimize it so calibrating is paramount.

What color space would you use to work in Photoshop when designing for web?

Daniel Dejan: sRGB.

Can you describe the practical, pragmatic difference between the Pantone Matching System and the Pantone Goe System?

Daniel Dejan: Just think that it’s got twice as many colors. It’s a different book with a different numbering system. The different numbering system has made it too difficult. You can’t find PMS 185 because it doesn’t exist in the Goe system. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant color system. The software that comes with the Goe system is just excellent, but you also would get this from the Color Monkey or you can just get this from X-Rite or Pantone.

What degree of Kelvin do you recommend viewing in the live booth?

Daniel Dejan: 5,000 degree Kelvin, which approximates D50.

What does a Color Monkey cost?

Daniel Dejan: Actually, the original retail price manufacturer’s suggested retail price was $500. I have actually seen them anywhere from the high $300s to the low $400s. This is definitely one of the things that if you’re looking for $20, $30, $40 difference, go online and you’ll be amazed, depending on who’s selling it.

We talked about optical or our tendencies to go really bright and blue white in our papers. How does optical brightener in paper affect color management?

Daniel Dejan: Here’s the challenge. It doesn’t show up anywhere really until you actually get to ink on paper. It’s not in proofs. Although we use optical brighteners in the paper that we print through our desktop printers or companies who make proofing stock will add certain amounts of optical brighteners to replicate our premium No. 1 or No. 1 paper, the fact of the matter is, we really don’t see it.

I was using the example of G7 last summer. We were talking about G7 – one of the core principles of G7 is using neutral gray as sort of a benchmark. Neutral gray is either 50 percent white and 50 percent black, or it can be created using 50 percent cyan, 40 percent magenta, 40 percent yellow, and we create what is known as trichromatic gray. The beauty of a trichromatic gray is it’s very balanced. If anyone of those colors goes out, then you’re going to get a blue gray, a pink gray, a green gray, yellow gray, etc. We’ve been working with printers who really have done their due diligence. Their proofs are balanced. You look at the neutral gray bars and they’re uncontaminated, etc. They make their plates on very exacting measure and then they go on press and everything’s balanced. They print those first sheets and they look at the neutral gray and it’s not neutral gray. They see contamination. They see usually something in the pink, purple level. They’re frustrated and they say, “Look, we did everything by the numbers. How can they not be there?” That is where optical brighteners rear their ugly heads. That’s where we’re going to see it. A lot of optical brighteners are really going to make it difficult to have color balance, and you cannot color manage for it, quite frankly. It has to be done on press and you’ve got to be working with a printer who has extensive knowledge in working with certain papers. That’s why you find a printer who likes to work with a certain paper and a certain paper mill because they get to know the idiosyncrasies of that paper and the paper mill – the blue dye content, the optical brightener content – and they’ve learned over time how to compensate for it. That’s the best response I can give to you in a short period of time.

How does one handle color as a production manager in a situation where we are printing a book and the author submits color digital files – so RGB – for art in his book? Once the printer sends color proofs, what is the most accurate way to judge if the color is correct?

Daniel Dejan: Well you know, we are in a very privileged situation because we are the only folks in the entire graphic arts process who actually get to see the original image, see it in RGB, see it converted to CMYK, and see it printed in the ink on paper experience. Nobody else gets to do that. We take that process very, very seriously. That is why most people think that they work in critical color when, in fact, they really don’t. I don’t mean to belittle it.

One of the things that we are paid for is having good color judgment. I would share with you that what’s most important is the product that we send out to our customers. Is it as good as we can make it based on all the science, the technology and the art that we have available to us? So when I say “correct,” it is also subjective.

I may like flesh tones warmer than you. I may like my apples redder. I may like greener grass. Who knows? That’s what you get paid for. If I have an extended experience of doing this for a long time, and people agree with me and people sort of nod to my judgment, it doesn’t make me right. It just says I have a good sense of what the market likes. I would say that that’s very important. Particularly when we look at the United States, I always say in my press check class, you don’t want somebody from Maine press checking your surfing magazine in California – completely different ideas of what flesh tone looks like, in as much as it varies differently when you go from continent to continent.

The Japanese or the Chinese or Indonesians see color very different from the way we see it here in the States. Look at the color proofs. If there is critical color that can be measured using a colorimeter or spectrophotometer, then there’s no question. The numbers are the numbers. But if it’s subjective, then we have to sort of bow to somebody, usually the artist or the generator, whether they like or not, as long as they understand what the limitations are in the printing process.

Considering that most digital cameras shoot in sRGB color space, is all that color information effectively lost if converting to Adobe ’98 RGB in Photoshop after the fact?

Daniel Dejan: First of all, it depends on the digital camera. One of the things that we discuss when I hire a photographer, one of the things I want to do after I look at the aesthetic values of that photographer – do they frame well, do they understand lighting, that kind of stuff – I would ask them if they have a camera or cameras that we can actually set the profile to shoot in. Most of the time, they’d say yes. In most cases, I would say I want to shoot in Adobe 1998 because that’s what I’m going to be working in.

But the answer to the question is if they’re shooting in RGB, they are not capturing the full gamut. Remember when we talked about photo raw as a setting, not a gamut, photo raw is shooting at the largest, widest available gamut possible, much larger than you’re going to possibly use. You want as much detail, as much contrast, as much tonal range as totally possible. And then from there, you’re going to have to assign it a profile. You can say I’m going from raw to sRGB or from raw to Adobe 1998. So have that conversation with the photographer. Don’t necessarily assume you’re shooting in sRGB because that may not be the case.

I work on a PC and when I work in Photoshop, I was told to work space color in Adobe 1998 and to never work in sRGB. Is that correct?

Daniel Dejan: Keep in mind that yes, this was sort of touched on earlier. Printers work in Adobe 1998. One of the challenges that will make a RIP choke or stutter is when we have an embedded profile where you have a sRGB profile embedded into an Adobe 1998 file. What would invariably happen is that the prepress folks will go in and change the profile to 1998 so that you have continuity in the overall files.

What’s very interesting is software like Pit Stop will identify that. As it’s doing its diagnosis, it will say “Oh by the way, here’s this image. It came in as a RGB image or a CMYK image.” But more importantly, it will also say to you “By the way, the profile of this image is a sRGB image in a 1998 file.” The prepress folks will go in advance and modify it to ’98 so that you have a nice continuity that will work optimally. So yeah, you don’t want to have embedded profiles that are not part of the larger color space or working space.

That actually happens a lot particularly with things like catalogs and magazines when you have a lot of different sourcing for imagery. Sometimes, an image comes in and it’s in the camera’s default – an Olympus profile or a Canon profile. Other times, it comes from a corporation where it comes to you as sRGB. What we always recommend is as the images come in, you should have Photoshop set up so that as you download the image, it immediately identifies what profile it is in and then lets you modify it, or automatically. You tell Photoshop, no matter what it is, I want it in 1998, and it will actually go ahead and make those changes automatically.

One of the things that always annoyed me is that you notice that onscreen, color in a PDF looks decidedly different than the same file viewed in Illustrator. Is that actual or just virtual?

Daniel Dejan: In terms of the rendering intent or in terms of “is that real”? One thing to keep in mind is that PDFs by nature are CMYK PDFs. That lets you know that the conversion has been made. Actually, you are seeing different color because once it’s in a PDF format, then it has, in fact, been converted.

The upside of the latest version of PDF is that there are RGB PDFs. It’s a very advanced formatting because the idea “I don’t want it to turn to CMYK. I want to send the printer the RGB information.” It’s a much bigger file; it’s huge. It has kind of a different rendering. Yeah, you are going to see very different physical color between what you’re seeing on your monitor and what happens when you turn it into a PDF. It’s sort of like the analogy that I used about you are on a Mac and you send the file to your customer on a PC. They open it up and a lot of the colors are missing because they just cannot be rendered.

Could you explain briefly what sRGB is?

Daniel Dejan: It is a color space. It is what that particular software is capable of creating. That is, sRGB is in fact the color space or the working space that has been assigned to PCs after the Internet. There’s a much, much better and in-depth explanation in the books that I offered as part of the bibliography.

Let me make this comment. When you hire a color management expert/consultant to come into your company, typically the first thing that they’re going to do is they’re going to create what is known as the color management tree. There are a lot of different terms for it, but it’s easier for us to think of it that way.

What they’re going to do is they’re going to identify all the different ways that color is transferred, converted, all the different devices that are in your workflow. It will be scanners. It will be CPUs. It will be monitors. It will be printers, proofers. What they’ll do is they will create a tree to identify all of these and will give them numbers.

The job is, first of all, to calibrate all the monitors to all the CPUs. Then, it is to be able to calibrate the scanners and optimize them so that they are calibrated and they are calibrated to the CPUs inasmuch as all the desktop printers and proofers are calibrated. They use these RTA color patches with approximately 1,200 different colors on this patch. They’ll scan it. They’ll bring it up. They’ll output it off of a printer and they will do readings using spectrophotometers. Based on that, they can literally see where the color is drifting, being contaminated and make adjustments. So that essentially, if I scan that RTA patch on a scanner and send it to one of my computers and look at it on my monitor that it is exceedingly close. If I take that file from my computer and send it to my printer and when I print it out, all of these 1,200 patches are exceedingly close, in that case, I do have, in fact, a color-managed workflow.

Do you have a white paper on ROI of variable data printing versus static printing?

Daniel Dejan: I don’t, but I would share with you that there’s a wonderful site. It’s the Digital Printing Council, and it is a part of the GATF/PIA. You can go to www.digitalprintingcouncil.com and there’s just an enormous amount of information on digital printing and variable data printing. This group, the Digital Printing Council, if you’re not familiar with them is headed by Frank Romano and the RIT team has expanded over the years. It’s just superb. You’ve got a great Web site and a great resource.

	To listen … to the follow-up Q&A session with Daniel Dejan, please click here. To view the Managing Critical Color webinar, please click here.

There are six sides to conventionally designed product packaging. While marketers focus on the five panels seen by most consumers, packaging designers like Apex Die also pay close attention to the sixth side: the bottoms of your boxes.

To select a bottom closure style, consider the function, budget and usage requirements of your packaging application. Some styles prioritize strength to support heavy products; others are designed for ease of use. Check out a few popular bottom closures:

Auto-Lock – Using a combination of carefully designed glue tabs and flaps, an auto-lock design automatically forms the box bottom as soon as the box is opened. Auto-lock bottoms are easy to use and create a strong base.

Sealed End – This style uses a solid flap glued the length of the packaging to seal the bottom. Sealed end bottoms are popular for food packaging and can be performed inline during product packing for some applications.

Tucked Flap – Also called a “tuck end” closure, tucked flap styles use a large final flap folded over two smaller dust flaps to create a secure closure. Tucked flaps are highly versatile. They work equally well as a top or bottom closure, and the final flap can be positioned to open at the front or rear face of the box – great for software packaging and retail applications. Tuck-style boxes are inexpensive to produce, easy to use, can be shipped and stored flat and handle weight very well.

Snap Lock - Similar to a tucked style box, a snap-lock bottom incorporates interlocking tabs to form a strong bottom seal. Snap lock styles are popular for point-of-purchase applications such as counter displays.

Tips and Tricks for Successful Bottom Closures

• Match your paper stock and closure style selections to the weight requirements of your application. Heavier stocks allow your packaging to hold more weight, but the dimensions of your package and the thickness of your stock may limit your bottom closure choices.
• For bottom closures that use glue, such as auto-lock styles, always knock out inks and coatings from all glued surfaces. Many packaging designs rely on single spots of glue to allow a box to function properly. Any compromise in adhesion can be embarrassing for your customers’ brand identity.
• Consider how your packaging will be assembled, and by whom. If end users must “square” (open) hundreds of boxes a day, automatic or semi-automatic bottom closure styles such as an auto-lock can save time and aggravation.

——

Apex Die is a second-generation, family-owned business in San Carlos, California that specializes in high-quality diecutting, foil stamping, embossing, UV coating, film laminating, sheet mounting and many related services. They create consumer product packaging, folded cartons, capacity boxes, media holders, POP displays, wine labels and many other products.

This article is reprinted with permission of Apex Die. Copyright 2010 Apex Die. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reproduced by any means for any purpose without express written permission of the copyright holder.

With the direct marketing industry in the grip of a series of upheavals, from the digital revolution to the economic meltdown, figuring out what’s coming next is becoming progressively more difficult. Creating effective strategies based on these expectations is the toughest part of all.

And so, faced with one new challenge after another — from increasing costs for production and materials to rising environmental concerns among consumers — marketers have intensified their push to get ahead of the industry curve. This has led to a massive scramble to determine where the most significant industry trends for next year will emerge.

To help, Deliver Magazine sat down with experts from around the country to attempt to divine what was in store for direct marketing in 2010. While a number of potential trends were discussed, there were four key areas — targeting, measurement, channel integration and prospecting among baby boomers — that kept coming up as likely hot spots for growth and innovation.

As a result, we decided to take a closer look at these four fields and what possibilities they hold for marketers in the coming year.

1. Targeting
If there’s a one-word formula for marketing success next year, it’s “precision,” industry leaders say. Traditionally, of course, the trend has been toward amassing as much information as possible about prospect and customer groups, then bombarding them with offers. But that approach is no longer viable.

According to a recent Winterberry Group report, the organizations struggling hardest are those that have depended most heavily on “batch blast” style mailings — that is, using the mail as a saturation tool with little or no regard for rich personalization or the particular needs of the individual recipient.

Liz Miller, CMO Council vice president of programs and operations, sums up the trend: “We’re moving away from saying, ‘I want to connect with women who are 34 to 54’ to ‘I want to connect with that particular woman.’”

Such customized approaches are already possible, but to date, have typically included only recipients’ names and, in some cases, their locations. But, Miller says, continuing advancements in database management and variable data printing (VDP) have industry experts predicting more robust personalization techniques in 2010.

Backroads, an active- and adventure-travel company, is already learning the value of tightly focused personalization, especially for generating repeat business. The organization uses automated marketing engine technology from Nimblefish to mail thousands of postcards to past customers that contain not only personalized messages but also photos of regions recipients have traveled to in the past.

“The message might say, ‘Barbara, remember Yellowstone in May 2002? Have another memorable trip — and here are three options,’” says Massimo Prioreschi, vice president of sales and marketing for the Berkeley, California company.

Miller says these kinds of highly tailored mail pieces offer a good glimpse of the direction that targeting will continue to take in 2010. “That’s going beyond just putting one person’s name on a piece of paper,” she adds. “It’s saying, ‘We want to give you everything that’s relevant to you right now.’”

2. Measurement/Analysis
While the need to tally ROI has always been essential to marketers, they are more pressed to prove that their campaigns are impacting consumers and generating revenue.

Experts predict that, as measurement tools become more precise, how brands measure the return on their investment is likely to become more complicated. They will have to pay attention to a broader range of data, and companies will have to work even harder to make sure that other parts of the organization operate in conjunction with the marketing department.

The CMO Council’s Miller recommends organizations extend their ROI measurement to the entire marketing supply chain. “Don’t focus on the return at the expense of managing investment costs,” she says. “Map, track, measure and put a dollar amount on everything you do.”

She adds that marketers also will have to improve customer experience, mostly by learning to better mine data. Businesses like Harrah’s Entertainment — owners of 54 casino and hotel properties worldwide — know the value of the detailed data their programs generate.

The company’s mail-driven loyalty program, for instance, has allowed its marketers to collect and analyze data on how often program participants visit their properties, how much members contribute to overall gaming revenue and what games of chance they prefer, among other things.

In-depth analysis of members’ behavior lets Harrah’s construct more effective messages, says David Norton, senior vice president and CMO for Harrah’s. “If we know a player has been to past slot tournaments, we’ll make sure he or she gets invited to the next one,” he adds. “If they’ve never come to a mid-week event, we exclude them from mailings about mid-week events because, obviously, they’re not going to respond.”

3. Integration
In 2010, improved integration of channels, such as e-mail, direct mail, billboards and TV, will become more of a focal point for even the most reluctant marketers. “That’s always been a goal, but the economy has made it imperative,” CMO Council’s Miller says.

And even though the past two years brought plenty of dire speculation about — and even premature eulogies for — the future of print marketing, the people who keep an eye on these things insist that traditional channels like direct mail will continue to earn their place at the marketing table in 2010.

“The favorite thing to say in 2008 was that, in 2009, print would be dead because everybody was going to e-mail,” Miller recalls. “That didn’t happen. Actually, both modes of communication took a hit during the past year.”

For that reason, most marketers have found that online channels demonstrate greater value as a complement to direct mail applications, reinforcing the value of integrated programs, according to the Winterberry Group.

Backroads’ Prioreschi says that postcard mailers his company sends also drive recipients to a personalized Web site with several highly targeted offers. “If someone went to Yellowstone, Alaska and Glacier National Park, we know there’s a definite pattern there indicating he or she is a mountain wilderness person,” he adds. Thus, the personalized site might include offers for upcoming trips to the Canadian Rockies or Himalayas, complete with slideshows and videos.

Prioreschi says integration is working well. During one campaign, sales were 50 percent higher among people who received a postcard and clicked through to a personalized site than those who just visited the site on their own.

4. Prospecting
Since World War II, the 18 to 25 age range has been the sweet spot of American marketing. “There was a good reason for that,” says Dr. Ken Dychtwald, founder and CEO of Age Wave, a San Francisco research and consulting firm that specializes in helping companies market to older customers. “Young people historically represented an area of growth because of their willingness to try new things. They were still forming their brand preferences. The idea was that if you captured their hearts at that stage, you had them for life.”

And, of course, the postwar baby boom filled the sweet spot with tens of millions of potential young targets for marketers. Although the baby boomers have since aged, marketing experts say that, in many ways, they still represent a marketing sweet spot for industry innovators. Consequently, many in the industry are predicting a renewed focus on baby boomers in the coming year.

“People should be swooning over the baby boomers as they move out of youth and into middle age,” Dychtwald says. “This is an age group that has traditionally been sidelined, but we’re going to see growth in sectors catering to them.

“Reinvention is normal for this generation,” Dychtwald continues. “They change careers many more times than their moms and dads did. They’re willing to try new things. So if you think you can rest on your laurels — if you think you’ve got them for life — you’re wrong. Today, everybody at every stage of life is open to marketing.”

In courting boomers, he says, marketers also are reacting to another growing trend in marketing: the end of brand loyalty and the return to brand experimentation. People are more willing to try new brands than ever — and those over 50 years old are particularly open to these new messages, Dychtwald says. “They’re more likely than any other group to read and respond to catalogs and direct mail pieces,” he adds, citing research from the Direct Marketing Association. “They enjoy reading a good catalog and leafing through their mail looking for deals. Good pitches attract their attention. It’s a mistake not to take direct marketing seriously for mature populations — and the time to start is right now.”

Of course, the same could also be said about any of the other trends marketers are expecting to get bigger in 2010.
———
Copyright 2010 USPS Deliver Magazine. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this article may be reprinted by any means for any purpose without express written permission of the copyright holder. Reprinted here with permission.

Are these predictions for 2010 coming true? Tell us what you’ve been seeing and doing in direct mail marketing this year.

Let’s say you’re at a clothing store. You’ve finally found a pair of jeans to replace your favorite old pair – not too dark and not too tight. But before you put it in your cart, you scan the tag with your iPhone, and it connects you to a virtual world in 3D.

Like shopping with the best sales staff answering your every question, this tag activates a video presenting the product’s different styles, sizes, laundry care and carbon footprint, all animated in a clever and entertaining way.

The future is here
It’s called Augmented Reality and Alfredo Muccino predicts it will soon influence the way we shop and buy. Muccino is chief creative officer at Liquid Agency, and his expertise as a design and brand strategist makes him the go-to guy for predicting future design trends.

Muccino recently spoke in San Francisco at the annual Visual Media Alliance conference formerly known as PINC – the Printing Industries of Northern California. He explained that one problem with predictions is that today’s newest trends didn’t even exist 10 years ago.

As a designer who grew up producing brochures, logos and publications, Muccino says the new social media, such as Facebook, YouTube, Kindle, Wii and Twitter have totally changed the way he works. “If I didn’t figure out a way to adapt, I wouldn’t be around,” he said.

When he meets with a new client, they always want the latest and greatest thing and ask, “What are we going to do that’s going to break through the noise, connect with people and leverage technology?” Here are five design trends Muccino has named to lead us into the next decade:

Technoaddiction
The Technoaddict has the compulsive need to use the latest technology in order to connect with people who consume information in constantly more digital ways.

Augmented Reality (AR) is the newest technology being used commercially, which allows a more interesting connection between the print and the digital worlds. Like the tag on those jeans, Adidas has an AR campaign using a printed tag embedded in the tongue of its shoe. When scanned, it shows an explosion of Adidas’ footwear styles.

There’s no Web site. The tag is read through the iPhone or webcam connected to the computer, and it takes you right to that particular experience. “From a designer’s perspective,” Muccino said, “it’s an opportunity to play with a combination of design issues, motion graphic issues, spatial design issues, interaction and set design.”

You can mail it to yourself, mail it to a friend or launch a video without having to have the tech or equipment there. AR is here, but we don’t yet know the many ways it will grow or shape our experience.

Authenticraving
Authenticraving is an allergic reaction to the creation of design using digital tools and techniques. A desire to celebrate tangibles opposed to virtual artifacts.

The result of too much tech is an entirely new generation of people much more interested in doing things by hand. “From a social perspective, it’s a craving for authenticity — something that has meaning, that’s real, is built and exists,” he said. And it takes time.

“I’ve been watching a [TV] show called ‘Mad Men’ and I find it hilarious,” he said. The show is based on the world of 1960s Madison Avenue with its four-martini lunch. “Then [the ad men] go to the briefing, shake hands and say, ‘Great, we’ll have a presentation for you in three months.’ In three months, my client will be out of business!”

One anti-tech example from the New York design firm WSDIA (We Should Do It All) shows how they built sets and created handmade sculptural lettering just for a promotional ad. “Photoshop can do a million things, and in the process, there’s been a degradation of the craft of what we do as designers,” Muccino said. Authenticraving recognizes the need to take time and actually think things that are more tangible.

E-motionitists
This is the tendency to think that static imagery is less engaging than video motion graphics. The generation that was raised on TV and sat passively in front of the tube wants to be the next Spielberg.

Now our camera is turned on ourselves. People want to become the stars of their own lives, and they’re using motion graphics and video as a means to do that.

“I’ve done a gazillion logos in my life,” Muccino said. “Today, it’s got to be much smaller than it used to be. [The logo] is going to be living online and it’s got to be animated. And the same thing goes with presentations every time we launch a brand.”

Instead of creating a traditional training manual or data sheet for a tech company, Liquid Agency designed a storyboard for a video set up like a celebrity interview. It imparted the same information, but was more engaging and was produced by company employees.

The idea is to move things. “By training ourselves to think about e-motion to move things physically, then we move the viewer emotionally,” Muccino said.

Individual Expressionism
The era of mass production is giving away to the future of one-of-a-kind. Everyone wants to be a designer and have custom-made objects that fit their individual tastes (or lack of).

Major brands, such as Nike, Adidas and Levis have all created clothing options that allow consumers to choose the cut, style and fit of a product that’s custom made for them. “It’s frightening to some people in the design business to think that everybody’s going to be a designer. But we need to embrace that and figure out how to make it possible,” he said.

More and more designers will see platforms that allow recipients of consumer products, Web sites and marketing materials to participate in the way they’re manufactured and delivered.

EcoCentricity
Muccino’s last trend is a compulsion towards anything that makes one look like they care about natural resources. This condition used to be associated with kraft paper and is now exemplified by the overuse of the color green.

Companies are embracing the idea of environmentalism in a big way, but Muccino asks, “Where’s the differentiation? It’s definitely a part of our culture and something we need to address as designers, but there must be ways to do this other than just making something green.”

Pepsi is doing something different. With money originally intended for commercials broadcast during the Super Bowl, they invited people to submit ideas about helping society and gave them the money to invest in those communities.

Muccino challenges designers to communicate eco awareness in a way that is more compelling and more real whether it’s print, social media or motion graphics. A new world of possibilities is beyond our current expectations and, as the software developer Alan Kay said, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”

——
Ruth Hagopian is a regular contributor to PaperSpecs.com and Communication Arts and has written about art and design for Print and Online Design magazines.

Copyright 2010 PaperSpecs. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced or stored by any means for any purpose without express written consent.

Guest speaker Monika Patel, FSC Canada’s program officer served up answers to your biggest concerns about the new labeling standards and graphic formats. And while you may see some of those new labels (FSC-STD-50-001) in use today right along with the original format (FSC-STD-40-201), the updated labels are not required until January 1, 2011.

Big Change 1: New Standard Much Simpler
Under the new FSC Labeling standard (FSC-STD-50-001), the on-product labels are much more concise. The original seven included FSC Pure, FSC Mixed Sources 1, FSC Mixed Sources 2, FSC Mixed Sources 3, FSC Mixed Sources 4, FSC Mixed Sources 5 and FSC Recycled. Come January 2011, there will be just three:

FSC 100%: Products manufactured with 100 percent FSC-certified virgin fiber from FSC-certified forests.

FSC MIX: Products manufactured with a combination of FSC-certified virgin fiber (from FSC-certified forests), controlled sources and/or recycled wood or fiber. This label can include the Mobius loop.

FSC Recycled: Products manufactured with 100 percent recycled fiber of which at least 85 percent is postconsumer (PCW) recycled material.

Big Change 2: Pre-consumer Waste Included
Papers that contain a minimum of 85 percent postconsumer (PCW) waste (with the balance being pre-consumer waste) are eligible to use the new FSC “Recycled” label.

So the Recycled Label could also be used for paper with 90 percent PCW and 10 percent pre-consumer waste, or 95 percent PCW and five percent pre-consumer waste or 100 percent PCW … you get the idea. It has to total 100 percent recycled fiber with at least 85 percent being PCW.

This change recognizes the importance of pre-consumer waste to the recycling function. Using both pre-consumer and postconsumer waste in the production of paper is environmentally beneficial because doing so diverts paper waste from landfills and reduces our need for virgin wood fiber. Some would say pre-consumer waste is also needed as the demand for PCW far exceeds what is available.

“The old on-product labeling standard (FSC-STD-40-201) only included the amount of postconsumer waste in the Mobius loop (the recycled symbol). The new FSC on-product labeling standard (FSC-STD-50-001) now includes both pre- and postconsumer waste in the Mobius loop,” said Patel.

One Webinar attendee asked if it was permissible to change the percentage of PCW content when using the new “Recycled” label. The answer is NO. Products with the FSC Recycled label must contain at least 85 percent postconsumer waste and the remaining percentage pre-consumer waste. So while the inclusion of the Mobius Loop on the label itself is optional. The percentage displayed underneath it will always be 100%.

That brings us to the new “Mix” Label
As another attendee put it, “What’s with the mixed sources logo? I thought it couldn’t have anything but 100 percent in that recycled triangle.”

According to Patel, the old “Mixed Sources” logo has always represented papers made with a combination of FSC-certified virgin fiber mixed with controlled virgin fiber and/or recycled fiber. That original standard only included the amount of postconsumer waste in the Mobius loop.

The new “MIX” label, as it is called, can contain anywhere from zero up to 84 percent recycled fiber in combination with FSC-certified virgin fiber (from FSC-certified forests) and fiber from controlled sources. Again, the “recycled” fiber in this label standard allows for the possibility of both pre-consumer and postconsumer waste.

Now, on to Patel’s answers to the specific questions asked during the Webinar.

So if you want to show exactly what percentage of fiber is recycled, can you do that on the new MIX label?
According to the new labeling standard, if you wish to communicate the percentage of recycled fiber, it must appear directly beneath the Mobius loop.  The Mobius loop is optional for both the MIX and Recycled labels. (But on the Recycled Label, it will always say 100%)

Why is that?  There are many FSC-certified stocks that are not 100 percent PCW.
Any paper that does not contain 100 percent recycled fiber (pre- and postconsumer waste) would then use the “MIX” label.

Are there any FSC Pure (the new standard is called FSC 100%) papers?  It was our impression that the paper is either mixed sources or recycled.
You’re right. Currently, FSC-certified PURE papers do not exist in the North American marketplace. The FSC papers that do currently exist in the marketplace carry either the FSC Mixed Sources label or the FSC Recycled label.

What’s the difference between FSC-certified virgin fiber and controlled virgin fiber?
FSC Virgin fiber is that which comes from an FSC-certified forest.

What is controlled fiber?
In many cases, wood and paper products use wood from a variety of sources, some FSC certified and some not. In these cases, companies applying the FSC Mixed Sources label must ensure that the non-FSC-certified component of the product avoids the most controversial sources.

The FSC Controlled Wood standards help FSC Chain-of-Custody (COC) certified companies avoid the use of unacceptable sources of wood in products carrying the FSC Mixed Sources Label.  Unacceptable sources include:

a) illegally harvested wood;
b) wood harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights;
c) wood harvested in forests in which high conservation values are threatened by management activities;
d) wood harvested in forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use; and
e) wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted.

Is that some kind of new FSC number on the label?
This is the Trademark License Code. FSC is introducing the license code as part of the overall unification of trademark use authorization. Eventually all trademark users will have a code in this format. The new license code is shorter and better linked to FSC. The format for the license Code is FSC® C######. The Chain of Custody codes should be used on invoices and sales documents to indicate that the company and product are FSC-certified.

Can we omit the trademark license outside the logo?  We would like to print it below the logo.
The FSC Trademark License Code is a required element of the FSC label and cannot be altered.

Does the license code have to be on ship tickets from a distributor as well as the CoC number?
In accordance with the FSC Chain-of-Custody Standard (FSC-STD-40-004), invoices and shipping documents must include the Chain-of-Custody certificate code. The license code will be used on product labels and for promotional uses.

What Web site is the trademark license code on?
FSC Trademark license codes and Chain-of-Custody codes can be found on the FSC International database available at www.info.fsc.org.

How do we check someone’s certification if we no longer receive their CoC number on the artwork?
Both Trademark License Codes and Chain-of-Custody numbers are traceable on the FSC International database (URL listed in the question above).

As a designer, if I am designing a brochure for a company, who has to become FSC certified and provide the logo? Me, the company I am working for or the printer I am using to print the brochure?
The FSC Chain-of-Custody (CoC) certification connects consumers to healthy forests by tracking products from forest to shelf.

All companies that process, transform, manufacture, convert or distribute forest products must be CoC certified in order to put the FSC label on products.

In your specific example, it would be the printer that would need to be FSC certified in order to be able to sell the product as an FSC-certified product and to be able to place the label on the product.

What are the changes to label sizes?
The minimum label is smaller in the new FSC on-product labeling standard.

New Standard:
Minimum size of the portrait mini label is 11mm in width.
Minimum size of the landscape mini label is 8mm in height.

Please note that the minimum-sized labels do not include the Mobius loop for any of the FSC labels.

Can these “minimum labels” be used on anything and not just on small pieces?
The mini label may be used when there is not sufficient clear, unprinted space for the standard label in the area where the label is to be placed. Approval for the use of mini label shall be at the discretion of the certification body.

I have had requests to make the FSC logo as large as possible. Can you go over the max size you have specified?
Currently the FSC Standards do not specify a maximum size for the logo. Send in your document to the certification body for final approval.

Can you also review the standards for self-promotional use of logos like on a business card or printer’s promotional materials?
The trademark standards for certificate holders have been restructured into one document. “Requirements for use of the FSC trademarks by certificate holders” (FSC-STD-50-001) covers requirements for on-product labeling, promotional use of the trademarks and graphical requirements. For information on the new promotional logo requirements, please refer to the new standard.

Do we have to include borders on the labels?
Yes, the new FSC Labeling Standard (FSC-STD-50-001) (Click here to download PDF of the new FSC Labeling Graphics Snapshot.) states that the label border is always required. The border is an important feature as it keeps all label elements together and separates the label from any other information on the product.

In addition, there should be enough clear space, termed the exclusion zone, surrounding the label to ensure that the label remains uncluttered. The minimum space is calculated by using the height of the FSC initials of the logo. Here is an example of the exclusion zone on a FSC 100% label:

Is the certified printer the only person able to place a high-res label on the artwork?
In general, FSC-certified companies are provided with the ability place the final high-res image of the FSC label onto a document or product. However, there can be cases where the certified company and its certification body may allow designers access to the high-res images for placement purposes.

What about in-house creative teams who are printing digitally on smaller production machines and are purchasing FSC-approved papers?  How do we label our materials?
The in-house print shop would need to attain FSC certification to label or claim the documents/products as FSC-certified. To become FSC certified, visit http://fsccanada.org/becomecertified.htm.

How much does it cost to be FSC certified?
The cost of certification will depend on the location and size of the company. Part of the fee is paid to the certifier for the auditor’s time and the application process, and a small program fee (starting at $10/yr) is paid to FSC’s International Centre. Typically, certification for a medium-sized business will range from $3,000 to $4,000. There are also costs associated with the annual surveillance audit that all certified companies must undergo. To receive a quote, contact a certification body. They can be found at www.fsccanada.org/FSCCertifiers.htm.

Are approvals required for each printed piece and what is approval turnaround time?
Generally, certified companies should submit artwork of all new reproductions of the FSC trademarks to their certification body. However, provided that the certified company establishes a good record of correct trademark use, and with approval from the certification body, it is not necessary to re-submit labels for the same product type or with the same placement on the product, or for repeated use of promotional artwork. Generally, the turnaround time for FSC label approvals is between 24-48 hours.

Does the United States follow the same graphical requirements as Canada?
Yes. The FSC Chain-of-Custody and Labeling standards are developed at the international level by FSC International. Working with environmental, social and industry stakeholders, the standards apply to all companies of the supply chain between the forest and the final consumer.

Are designers limited to black, white and/or Pantone 626 inks?
The new FSC labels are available in positive and negative FSC green, black and white. Exceptions can be made if the print job uses a limited number of colors (e.g. corporate colors) with approval from the certification body.

FSC Green: Pantone C 626

CMYK Build:
100% Cyan
60% Magenta
100% Yellow
20% Black

RGB:
50 Red
80 Green
60 Blue

Is there any watchdog for the improper use of the logo?
Yes, FSC takes the use of the FSC Trademarks quite seriously and does monitor the marketplace for any misuse. FSC then follows up on each case to resolve the misuse. If you see any misuses of the trademark, please let us know. Send all misuses to: Monika Patel mpatel@fsccanada.org (Canada) or Emily Crumley Emily@fscus.org (USA).

Does a print broker need to be FSC certified in order to use the FSC logo on our print piece?
A print broker MUST be FSC certified if they purchase FSC-certified paper from the merchant directly and have it delivered to a printer and want the FSC label to be applied.

The broker is taking ownership of the FSC product and therefore considered within the chain of custody.  In this situation, it is the broker that places the FSC label (and their certification code) on the document. This also means that the broker can choose to work with any printer, certified or not, since they are verifying the paper’s authenticity and labeling it.

A print broker DOES NOT need to be FSC-certified if their printer is FSC-certified and the printer purchases the paper from the merchant directly.

The broker in this case is not taking ownership of the FSC product and therefore not within the chain of custody. In this situation, it is the printer that places the FSC label (and their certification code) on the document.

Will there be FPO labels available as before?
‘For Print Only’ or low-res image are available on the FSC Canada Web site: http://www.fsccanada.org/productlabel.htm#what.

Is there a package of ‘for placement only’ logos – on the link you sent in the presentation, it only shows Web images.
Currently such a ‘package’ does not exist. However, there are low-res images that can be copied and pasted from the FSC Canada Web site (URL shown in question above).

We are a book publisher and have been placing the FSC logo on the outside back cover of our books and also on the copyright page. Is this a correct procedure?
The FSC label can be placed in a variety of locations on a certified product as long as it is clearly visible. The placement of the FSC label is ultimately up to the approval of the certification body.

So do we need to toss products (e.g. notecards) because they have the old blue FSC logo?
No. All existing stocks may continue to be used and distributed.

Certified companies can transition to the new standard gradually, running some product lines with the new labels and some with the old label. Certificate holders do not need to transition to the new standard until January 2011. For more information, contact your certification body.

It seems that all a printer has to do to be certified is pay a bunch of money and pile their FSC papers in a separate area. What have you done to counteract this impression in the marketplace? Many printers still feel it’s a racket.
This may be a common misconception with non-certified companies. However, companies that are actually FSC certified are aware that there is more to certification than just that.

The FSC Chain-of-Custody process and audit aims to verify that FSC claims (e.g. labels) are made only on products that meet FSC’s rigorous standards.

To become FSC certified, companies are required to meet the Chain-of-Custody Standard:
1. Quality management: responsibilities, procedures and records
2. Product scope: definition of Product Group(s) and outsourcing agreements
3. Material sourcing: material specifications
4. Material receipt and storage: identification and segregation
5. Production control: control of quantities and determination of FSC Claims
6. Sales & Delivery: invoicing and transport documentation
7. Labeling: application of the FSC labels on product and labeling thresholds.

FSC North America provides learning resources and delivers training workshops to improve the understanding and implementation of FSC certification in North America. Resources are in the form of fact sheets, presentations and online information and can all be found in our Resources Centre.

It is also a matter of taking the initiative to communicate with your clients on the benefits of FSC and why choose it. Take a look at our top 12 reasons to choose FSC http://www.fsccanada.org/whyfsc.htm.

Can’t you make your life easy and have your printer (who is certified) get the certification for you?
Printers cannot attain certification for anyone. To become FSC-certified, companies are verified by third-party auditors to FSC’s rigorous standards. The certified company (e.g. the printer) should be the one to send in documents for approval to their certification body.

Is it standard for the printer to pass down the cost of using the FSC label to the designer?
Generally, designers do not purchase the paper so I’m not sure where they would be charged.

Do you see FSC-certified paper being sold at a higher price than non certified? I thought it was not supposed to be at a premium.  Do you see this?
When it comes to the pricing of FSC-certified products, in the past, most suppliers asked for a small premium for FSC-certified products. However, with the dramatic increase in types and variety of FSC-certified paper, there generally aren’t any premiums on types of paper.

What about printed materials that are converted to PDFs and are posted online and sent via e-mail? Should the FSC label be removed before the PDF is created?
The New FSC Labeling Standard does not address the use of labels on electronic documents. However, it is recommended that either the FSC label is removed before posting the file online or an additional statement is inserted under the label stating that “The original document was printed on FSC-certified paper.”

With a blanket approval for a continuing item, do we have to re-submit for approval with the new version?
Upon switching to the new FSC labeling standard, all major exceptions, special approvals etc. will be discussed between certification bodies and certified companies.

Generally, as long as the certified company has shown that they have established a record of correct label use, they only need approval for first use of a new label category (100%, MIX, Recycled) or label with new product type (e.g. paper, wood, etc).

Confused … Label approval by Certification Body or Web site?
All FSC-certified companies must submit label approvals to their certification bodies (CBs). The CB may have either a Web site or e-mail address indicating where the label approvals should be directed.

What does it mean a printer has switched to the new standard? Does it mean once a printer has started using the new label they cannot use the old one?
No. All existing stocks may continue to be used and distributed.

Certified companies can transition to the new standard gradually, running some product lines with the new labels and some with the old label. Certificate holders do not need to transition to the new standard until January 2011. For more information, contact your certification body.

New designs should be used with the new labeling standard requirements and the old designs should follow the old standard (FSC-STD-40-201) for on-product labeling and promotional uses.

I know you mentioned that an FSC-certified company should manage the placement of the FSC logo; however, as a broker we outsource the creative. Is it okay that we have our creative designers do this or the printer we are using at the time place it in for us?
In general, only FSC-certified companies are provided with the ability place the final high-res image of the FSC label onto a document or product. (Designers place a low-res “for position only” label on the artwork.)

However, there can be cases where the certified company and their certification body may allow designers access to the high-res images for placement purposes. Contact your certification body for approval.

On the FSC site, is there a resource to prepare for a Chain of Custody Audit?
FSC Canada does have an overview document of the Chain of Custody requirements.

I was under the impression that converters could get outsourced printers to sign an Outsourced Agreement, which indicates that they would not necessarily need to be FSC certified.
FSC-certified companies can send jobs to non-certified printers to complete as long as the certified company retains legal possession of the products; it is part of the scope of their certification; they have an Outsourcing Agreement in place; a procedure for outsourcing; and all with the approval of their Certification Body. The certified company would still be able to place the FSC label on the document with their Trademark License code.

Will the claim also be required on invoices and orders? Or just the FSC COC number?
The Chain-of-Custody Standard requires that invoices should have the chain-of-custody number. However, if you are using the promotional logo on the invoice document, you will need to include the license code. See the chart below on when to use License codes and Chain-of-Custody certificate numbers.

Does FSC certify paper merchants that distribute paper? Is there a list of merchants that are FSC certified?
All companies that process, transform, manufacture, convert or distribute forest products must be FSC Chain of Custody certified in order to put the FSC label on products. For a list of FSC-certified merchants in the US, visit www.fscus.org/images/documents/FSC%20certified%20paper%20merchants.pdf. For a list of FSC-certified merchants in Canada, visit www.fsccanada.org/papermerchants.htm. You can also search the FSC International database for a certified company at www.info.fsc.org.

Wanted to be sure I understood process. Does every new publication printed need to be certified? Or is the printer/vendor certified once and then jobs printed for printer’s customers can apply FSC certification?
To clarify, companies that process, transform, manufacture, convert or distribute forest products must be Chain-of-Custody (CoC) certified in order to put the label on products.

The CoC certified companies verify that the paper they purchase comes from an FSC-certified source, which is then verified by their certification company. Upon doing so, they are able to place the FSC label onto the document as a ‘stamp’ of authenticity. Each document/product needs to be approved by the certified companies’ certification body.

Is data available on what constitutes recycled fiber as many alternate fibers now exist. Which are or are not included?
FSC only certifies wood-based products. Tree-free fibers may indeed be included in the recycled fiber, but we do not have statistics on that.

Is there a FSC Webinar that reviews the recordkeeping requirements, or an  Excel spreadsheet with all the column headings?
Currently neither a Webinar nor an excel spreadsheet exist. However, FSC Canada does have an overview document of the Chain of Custody requirements at http://www.fsccanada.org/docs/fsccertification_chainofcustody_explained.pdf.

I work for a large printer, and we are triple certified. I have been the person who has been handling the logo approvals by sending to our Bureau. Can our company get a blanket approval of the logo usage instead of having to send an e-mail on each job for approval on logo handling?
Generally, certified companies should submit artwork of all new reproductions of the FSC trademarks to their certification body. However, provided that the certified company establishes a good record of correct trademark use, and with approval from the certification body, it is not necessary to re-submit labels for the same product type or with the same placement on the product, or for repeated use of promotional artwork.