Seems strange to me that some organisations still struggle with producing “personalised print”, although the truth is that a lot more do it under the heading of “variable data printing”.
At a basic level, variable data printing is the use of databases and desktop publishing software to combine static and dynamic elements on a page to create a customized printed piece.
The content can consist of text and images (including graphics and photographs) in electronic form.
VDP applications take content from the databases and integrate it into a document according to rules that specify which elements are used and where they are placed.
As a result, whether a print run is ten prints or 10,000, VDP can make each piece different by changing the
information on each print.
The value of variable data printing stems from its ability to support customized printing and make such printing efficient and economical. Customization increases the document’s attractiveness and improves the effectiveness of the message it contains.
Today’s VDP is much more powerful than it was even a few years ago. It can dynamically assemble four-color
images, graphics, text and other objects to create attractive, highly customized documents, and is easy to use
with Web-to-print applications and other cross-media marketing campaigns.
Variable data printing used with digital technology is capable of a seamless integration, in which the name and
address, images and content can be changed as though the document was printed expressly for each individual recipient. There are many different ways printers can use VDP to supply personalized communications.
TransPromo Communications is just one of these
The combination of transactional and promotional documents, or TransPromo communication, is becoming
increasingly popular. Transactional documents, such as utility bills and financial statements, contain variable
data from customers about personal transactions. In contrast, promotional documents contain a call to action or marketing message and rely on visual pizzazz rather than personal content to attract attention. Take, for example, the practice of enclosing generic colour promotional inserts with a monthly credit card statement.
The recipient always reads the credit card statement because it contains important personalized information — in this case, the amount of money that must be repaid. The insert, in contrast, is disposable.
Variable data printing offers the opportunity to embed highly relevant, colourful promotional material within the transactional statement and guarantee that its message will be noticed.
The addition of colour pie charts or other graphical representations of data can make information clearer and easier to understand.
For more information on variable data printing, or ‘personalisation’, get in touch, paul.stead@digitalprint.org.uk or call 07518 604611
- Information courtesy of EFI