Newsletter2

International print solutions company, PrintSoft, has appointed Through Creative as its European brand agency. The appointment follows the successful worldwide launch of PrintSoft’s hybrid mail service, DeskDirect Global, the brief for which was won by the Macclesfield agency in December 2007 after a three-way pitch.

PrintSoft is a business of Australia Post and has 13 offices throughout the world including Australia, France, Germany and the US. The company made its name developing document composition software and has been operating for over 20 years. PrintSoft’s software now drives the production of over one billion items of print per day, globally.

Through Creative is working closely with PrintSoft’s European marketing manager, Rob Fearn, and UK PR agency, Smith & Smith PR, to develop and implement a brand strategy across Europe.

Rob Fearn said: “Through Creative is an important partner for us in the future strategic development of our business. Following the vital work that they did in developing our DeskDirect Global brand we had no hesitation in appointing them as our European brand partner. They really do work with us like they are part of our team.”

Through Creative director, Ed Beattie, said: “Being selected to work with a prestigious name like PrintSoft is a great coup for any agency. For us it means that we continue to compete with the most respected agencies in the North West and work with some of the most innovative and ambitious companies.”

Maincolour re-brand is a bit of a puzzler

Thinking both inside and outside the box has never been a problem for complete print solutions specialist, Maincolour, as the Macclesfield company has proved in communicating a recent re-brand to its staff, customers and prospects across the country.

Maincolour’s marketing manager, Mike White, takes up the story: “While Maincolour has always had an excellent reputation, we took a step back and agreed that the brand would benefit from a treatment that would remind people of the quality of our offering whilst also communicating the increased range of services we provide.

“In working closely with the design team at Through Creative, we have come up with both a refreshing new corporate identity and an innovative way of communicating it to our numerous stakeholders.”

Having conducted a complete brand audit, the vibrant new identity was established before being communicated to the staff at the company’s headquarters. Mike continues: “A company’s employees are its biggest advocates and we recognised the need to get our people onboard before rolling the changes out externally.

“The response was tremendous with everybody understanding the reasons for the changes and appreciating that it is their professionalism that has provided us with the opportunity to promote our services in this way.”

Once the new identity had been established, an innovative mechanism for communicating the changes was required. Through Creative developed a boxed hardback puzzle book to accompany a series of colour-coded data-sheets explaining the various services offered. Mike continues: “We wanted to do something fun which demonstrated our creative approach and the quality of the material we produce as well as what we see as being our point of difference.

“Clients expect good quality print as standard but we recognise the need to go beyond that. Our extensive marketing experience enables us to offer a strategic approach to our corporate clients, which goes beyond that provided by the majority of print providers.

“We have had nothing but positive responses from everyone who has seen the concept. Everyone at Maincolour is confident that our clients now have a better understanding of our proposition and we’re looking forward to working further with them in the future.”

A fitting solution

Through Creative has developed and launched a new website for national vinyl application company VAS Vinyl.

VAS are vinyl application specialists based in the Northwest offering a contract fitting service for vehicle graphics from basic text and logos to full vehicle wraps for cars, vans, taxis, buses and trains.

The brief was to update the existing site and to develop an online presence that would not only help create a point of difference through the use of imaginative creative but also to showcase the work completed by the company.

“The brief has been achieved,” says VAS Vinyl director Ange Lawrence. “Just with the use of our van to ‘showcase’ the website content has made us look very different. The site is also very easy to navigate and the examples of our work are shown off to their very best. We have a professional online presence that helps to create a point of difference. We’re delighted with it.”

www.vasvinyl.co.uk

Marketing Mis-translation*

In a Japanese hotel:
"You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid."

In a Bangkok dry cleaner:
"Drop your trousers here for best results."

In an advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist:
"Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists."

In a Rome laundry:
"Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time."

Advertisement for donkey rides in Thailand:
"Would you like to ride on your own ass?"

In the office of a doctor in Rome:
"Specialist in women and other diseases."

In an Acapulco hotel:
"The manager has personally passed all the water served here."

In a cocktail lounge in Norway:
"Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar."

In an airline ticket office in Copenhagen:
"We take your bags and send them in all directions."

* Various resources