While it is true that digital technologies have taken some work away from printers, there is plenty of evidence to show that advancements in this sector are presenting print service providers (PSPs) with new and exciting opportunities. Whether you are starting simple by adding QR codes to packaging for consumers to scan and access additional content or integrating moving and talking digital technology into printed work, the scope for collaboration between the two industries is varied and far-reaching. Here, Print Monthly takes a look at recent advancements in crossmedia and picks out some of the more innovative and eye-catching collaborations that should offer plenty of food for thought to PSPs looking for new opportunities. Standing Out Without crossing over into the digital world too much, PSPs can combine traditional print with electronics to create something unusual and eye-catching. An expert in this area is Talking Print, which, for a number of years, has been helping PSPs and brands in their quest to make products stand out. Managing director, David Hyams, breaks this down as bringing print to life with sound and vision. He says: “We add video, audio, lights, and other technology to print. Every job we do is different, and it gives printers a way of adding different things to their printed work. “At Talking Print, what we do is offer printers an extra feature for their portfolio. Clients these days are not looking for long runs; they are looking to add and offer different things than what the competitors do. Successful printers do provide different offerings such as additional finishes and specialist papers, and we are just part of that, giving clients different solutions for their own services.” Talking Print is perhaps best known for its video books, where a simple screen and audio modules are added to printed books to help bring the piece to life. Alongside this, Talking Print works with clients on pieces such as audio cards, such as novelty cards popular at Christmas and birthdays, as well as innovative packaging that features lights and audio. “I love people to throw me curveballs,” Hyams says, adding: “I can do short and long runs. I did one run of two million not too long ago. We can do that as we have a good network and contacts in China. I don’t own a printing press and instead A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN? Once regarded as a major challenge for the industry, digital technologies are now being used in combination with printed media to produce a host of creative applications. Here, we pay tribute to crossmedia work 51 CROSSMEDIA AND INTERACTIVE PRINT January / February 2024 - Issue 346 www.printmonthly.co.uk ◄ Talking Print says there has been an increase in demand for pieces such as audio cards
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