In this edition:

Ink on paper has an intrinsic connection with its audience.

Did you know our brains process paper-based and digital marketing in different ways? A study by Millward Brown (Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail) strongly suggests that physical marketing materials, such as print publications, corporate collateral and direct mail, cause more emotional processing than virtual materials, leaving a deeper imprint on the brain resulting in greater recall and brand associations.

A printed piece is unique … it has a personality. It can be touched, folded, dropped, crumpled, and shared.

The tactile nature of paper is one reason why print is so effective in building brand awareness and driving purchase intent. As companies continue to refine their marketing mix, the fact remains that print drives results and is the cornerstone of any successful multichannel strategy.

Verso and PaperSpecs will be giving away a Verso Paper Selector and special gift to 25 lucky PaperSpecs readers. Please send an email with your name, company name, email and physical address by midnight, Monday, May 21, 2012; Winners will be randomly selected and then notified by email.

Read the complete profile.

The folks at MagneCote want to draw you in with the possibilities of this magnetic paper offering.

And they do a great job of that in the MagneCote Mini Swatchbok, a 100mm x 200mm (in inches that’s 3.9 x 7.8 give or take) piece containing six inserts intended to inspire the kind of marketing magnetism you can design.

The paper has a proprietary magnetic coating. This allows you to create a magnet while also being able to print and finish your projects like you do with traditional paper.

MagneCote can be saddle stitched, perfect bound, foil stamped, embossed, diecut, scored, folded, or perforated. It’s also FSC and SFI certified and as of March 15, 2012, has complete Indigo Certification.

And no swatchbook would be complete without vital stats like brightness, gloss, basis weight, opacity, and size availability. You find that in this mini swatch as well.

There are so many tech advancements today, that we sometimes yawn and give it a “That’s cool.” But if you’re in to printing, then Landa Corporation’s invention of Nanography and the presses rolled out at drupa, should get more than a passing mention.

Landa unveiled a complete family of sheetfed and web presses at drupa. The announcements of licensing partnerships with Komori, Heidelberg and Manroland quickly followed.

So why is this something you need to know?

Read the complete news item.

I bet you’re wondering what a Perks Page is. Well, it’s the place where PaperSpecs Pro members go to get special offers and valuable discounts from some of their favorite names in paper and design.

What would make a PaperSpecs Pro happy? A 10 percent discount on Pinhole Press photo products … free credits at Bigstock … 25 percent discount on paper purchases through Neenah’s website? Oh yeah! There are a lot of happy members right now.

And this is just the beginning! As we add new perks, we’ll be sure to let you know. More discounts and specials are coming sooner than you think. Just look for reminders and announcements in the new weekly section below (appropriately called PaperSpecs Pro Perks).

If you’re a PaperSpecs Pro member, get full details and discount codes at the Perks Page.

The Giving Back with Design webinar really struck a chord. But that doesn’t surprise me.

At the end of each PaperSpecs Gallery Inspiration video, I repeat the sentiment, “Go out and make this world a better place through great design and outstanding paper choices.”

Our special webinar speaker, Michael Osborne, showed us just how that’s done. In the case of Joey’s Corner, through pro bono design work.

From the attendance and the reaction we had to this event, the subject of giving back with design has been on your minds as well. Our special thanks goes out to Sappi for sponsoring the webinar. Here are Michael’s answers to your questions about giving back with design.

Read the complete Paper Tip.