Campaign: “Print Is ...”

Goal: Demonstrate the power of print in transforming people's lives

Duration of campaign: June 2007 to present

Integrated elements: Print, online, direct, events, collateral

Results: Won best in division at the BMA Pro-Comm Awards for total communications program over $200,000; increased top-of-mind awareness by three points; helped generate more than 10,000 qualified leads at Drupa trade show

Budget: Undisclosed

Agency: Eric Mower & Associates, Syracuse, N.Y.

Eastman Kodak Co.'s Graphic Communications Group developed an integrated campaign last year featuring a variety of businesspeople and their unique aspirations to demonstrate the power of print in transforming people's lives.

The campaign, “Print Is ...,” was created by Eric Mower & Associates, Syracuse, N.Y. It includes print, online, direct, events and collateral.

“We wanted to position Kodak as the biggest ambassador of print since [Johannes] Gutenberg [inventor of the printing press], and elevate the role of print in the media mix,” said Chris Steenstra, senior partner at Eric Mower & Associates Group B2B.

“Online advertising is really hot, but print is still a very viable medium and is still the largest area of the marketing spend. Print has unique qualities that can't necessarily be matched with electronic media.”

The campaign is aimed at the commercial printing, publishing, packaging and data printing industries. It uses print and online ads showing people in a variety of situations, holding up life-size posters representing their dreams and aspirations.

The campaign is designed to show the unique qualities of print in reaching people of diverse interests with compelling, powerful and personal communications. For example, one ad shows a woman in a business suit holding up a large poster of herself in a biker outfit, representing her passion for motorcycles.

The theme of the ad is “Print is transporting,” with copy reading, “It's portable and personal. It reflects you ... It lets you dream, create, indulge.”

“The message is about the unique targetability of print,” Steenstra said. “It gets down to understanding what someone's very specific interests are.”

Another ad, “Print Is Personal,” shows a pair of male and female business executives holding up large posters of themselves in scuba gear. The copy reads, “It knows you by name. It understands where you're coming from. And where you're going. It might even help you get there.”

Other ads in the campaign include “Print Is Transforming,” showing a woman in everyday clothing holding up a poster of an evening dress; “Print Is Compelling,” featuring an executive driving a sports car; and “Print Is Powerful,” showing a businessman shopping for items that reflect his individual personality.

The print ads are running in such publications as American Printer, Graphic Arts Monthly, Packaging Digest and Printing Impressions. The campaign also included online ads, which have appeared on the companion sites of those publications, featuring similar images and messaging.

The print and online ads drive users to a landing page at www.kodak.com/go/printis, where they can learn more about Kodak printing solutions for the targeted industries, as well as narrower segments within those categories. Visitors can read about custom applications, sign up for e-newsletters, contact a sales rep, download white papers and get more specific information for their printing needs.

Another big push with the “Print Is ...” campaign was driving traffic to Kodak's booth at Drupa, the printing industry's largest event, held in Dusseldorf, Germany, every four years. This year, Drupa ran from May 29 to June 11 and attracted nearly 400,000 printing professionals.

Prior to the show, the Graphic Communications Group unveiled a new brand campaign, “Print Is Powerful,” with an ad showing a fictitious city skyline incorporating images from different cities around the world. The ad features the word “here” translated into different languages, representing different global regions.

The ad provided the centerpiece of Kodak's booth at the show, and the campaign helped to generate more than 10,000 qualified leads at the show.

“Kodak is a global company, and our goal with every brand campaign is to develop a single creative platform—theme line and imagery—that will be enthusiastically embraced by each and every global region,” said Donna Preston, director of worldwide advertising and branding for the Graphic Communications Group. “Our "Print is ...' theme line and ad imagery were an immediate hit. That's why we filled out the campaign with new ad executions late last year and then continued with a major new "Print Is Powerful'' brand ad campaign this year.”

The new brand campaign includes print and online ads, direct mail, Web site graphics, a screen saver and trade show support.

Eric Mower & Associates conducted a survey six months after the “Print Is ...” campaign began, looking at key brand metrics before and after the launch.

“There was a measurable increase in those metrics that relate to Kodak's perception as an innovator and leader in the industry,” Steenstra said, noting an increase of three percentage points in top-of-mind awareness. The study was based on a survey of readers of publications used in the campaign.

Kodak has rolled out the “Print Is ...” campaign in global regions including North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Australia.