January / February 2023 23 2022 was a tough year for supply chain and I expect to see this continue for much of 2023. What this has meant for the customer is the need to be flexible and adaptable to last minute estimating and planning changes due to supply constraints or allocations. Often changes are happening right up to the last minute in production, moving from device to device, due to these constraints. In addition, the inflation and energy challenges have impacted the later half of 2022, making the ability to mitigate and offset costs through technology and business continuity processes critical as we move into 2023. The next wave of digital or digital 2.0 is here. 20 years ago we saw digital start to impact our industry but we are seeing the second wave, with higher speed, higher quality roll-to-roll inkjet not simply being an alternative for short run or when variable data is needed, but in many cases a true replacement for digital capacity with all the benefits. This is impacting everything in workflow, from estimating, order acquisition, planning, and production. For many, it is a total rethink of how they produce. Macro-level influences will always have an impact on all marketing channels and providers, but agility is key. There are increasing levels of uncertainty around mail due to the inconsistency of paper price pressures and delivery costs. The speed at which they are happening and the notice that we as providers are given makes it a challenge to react in a timely way. We’re now at a point where agility is a necessity, and we’re extremely lucky that, and continue to work hard to ensure that, Go Inspire remains highly agile. I expect the number of jobs we see come through our factories will remain similar to last year, but that batch volumes will decrease. Targeted and personalised communications will become a necessity to get cut through, and the data strategies that sit behind communications will become even more important than they already are to facilitate this. Sustainability: One of the biggest challenges we face as an industry is greenwashing that comes as a result of poor education around print as a media channel and how sustainable it is. We need to educate brands, marketers, and the future generations of marketers so that we can stop the misconceptions around print and its eco creds. Innovation: We need to start doing more innovative print, not just commenting on ‘cool’ designs. To quote Thomas Edison, “the value of an idea lies in the using of it”. So, let’s not keep fantasising about innovative print, let’s start doing it. So, for the printers reading this, we (media agencies, brands, creative agencies), need more innovation from you, not just the typical response of “how much budget have you got?” We need you to educate us in the ‘what’s possible’. Phygitisation: The world is becoming more digitally focused as consumers require faster and easier ways of doing things. Note that I haven’t said moving to tech-first because it’s ‘cool’…well, it is, but much like innovation, combining print and digital technology isn’t done just for the sake of being cool, but because it’s a necessity to enable and enhance the customer experience. Take our ‘button pack’ for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). Cool, yes. Innovative, yes. A world first...yes. BUT, the reason it was done? To make the customer journey for booking test drives seamless for the time poor, cash rich JLR audience. That is the power in combining the physical and digital worlds in print. To make campaigns more effective; to make it easier for consumers; or to drive more response. I would say that the main two trends will be a continued drive for sustainability and a further drive for more creativity in store. With the cost-of-living increases, there will be even more competition than ever to win people’s money, and so marketing and standing out in store will play a huge part in this. Big and bold ideas will help to cut through the noise and beat the competition on shelves for retailers and brands alike. Sustainability is so key to our future that I can’t foresee focus lessening on this. The challenge will be allowing retailers and brands to achieve their necessary sustainability targets, whilst helping not to increase their cost base too much. And I would also expect to see a further reduction in retail stores, with more closures and so printers will receive more requests for shorter production but with a higher focus on recyclability and carbon footprint. Nick Benkovich, VP Global Portfolio and Product Management at ePS and member of the Strategic Mail Partnership Danny Cook, managing director, Go Inspire Solutions – part of the Go Inspire Group, a Xerox Company and member of the Strategic Mail Partnership Ben Briggs, managing partner at Join the Dots and member of the Strategic Mailing Partnership Ashley Moscrop, managing director of Dufaylite
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