Does converter creativity go untapped?

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As printers we’re more than just big fans of fancy paper, ink finishes and a lovely product. We’re a wealth of creativity that often goes untapped. But at Label Apeel we’re championing the design and branding bods to reconnect with printers and give them a fair kick of the creative to see what we can do for your clients or products bottom line.

All too often, the printer is seen as the end of the line for the creative process. Even in some cases as a point of conflict. There’s always someone who has a story where the wants of the client and creative team were sacrificed at the altar of productivity and efficiency by the printer.

But it shouldn’t be like this. The printer needs to be considered at the very start of the design process and moved up the creative pecking order to sit nicely alongside the  designer. They need to be round the table when the design of a product or packaging is discussed to offer a fresh angle.

Even designers get stuck in a place where they can’t see a way of giving a label better shelf presence. Bring in the printer and their eye for detail and you could see a shiny award winging its way to your desk.

Tougher economic times require brands that are going to flourish to have greater originality and impact. This is why it is important that brand managers work with printers who are open to and embrace the creative process.

Label Apeel has close working relationships with a handful of award-winning design, marketing agencies and brand managers who we work with regularly on initial concept to creation of the packaging. Together we’re proving to be a formidable team. Recently a brewery who we work with saw a 400 percent increase in its sales throughout spring 2012 and a Leicestershire company has just won a major industry award for their cheese. Something magical about the labels helped in both these cases.

Agencies and brand managers don’t have to search too hard to find printers like Label Apeel who are looking to forge relationships. They just need to look for printers who see time on press with marketing professionals and designers as an invaluable learning experience and not lost productivity. Printers who are eager to play around with new ideas and concepts want to be viewed as an extra creative resource to tap into.

Any printers worth their weight should be prepared to work hard creatively to make what brands think is unachievable, achievable.

Stuart Kellock, MD of Label Apeel