DataGraphic Wins Big with its NFL Friday Night Party Mask

by Melissa DeDonder, PostPress

When a special invitation was needed for the team owners of the National Football League (NFL) – who would be hosting a themed Friday night party prior to Super Bowl Sunday – DataGraphic in Hempstead, New York, was chosen to create the Gold Leaf Award-winning NFL Friday Night Party Mask.

New Orleans was the host city of Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013, so the party was going to be a Mardi Gras celebration. The invitation’s design concept was to create a reveal by diecutting a window in the shape of a Mardi Gras mask. Once the invite was inserted into the sleeve, the elaborately embellished 4-color image was visible through the diecut mask.

Production consisted of two parts. The first part featured a sleeve that was made of two sheets pasted together. The outside stock was Black Curious Skin Cover and the inside was Curious Gold Metallic. After the sheets were pasted together, DataGraphic foil stamped two colors, and certain parts of the gold foil stamping were embossed. The sleeve then was diecut and glued using Kleen-Stick® pressure-sensitive tape.

The second part – the rigid invitation – was made from a stiff black board center core pasted with the Black Curious Skin Cover on the back, which also was foil stamped. The face of the invite featured Curious Metallic Gold stock, which had been litho printed in eight colors and also foil stamped.

Four hits of white base were offset printed, then the 4-color process image was overprinted on top of the white base. Foil stamping then was added to complete the effect. All of the finishing work was completed on DataGraphic’s Kluge and Intaglio die stamping presses.

Needless to say, the elaborate project created some challenges. “The art director wanted the tiny holes in the mask to be steel rule diecut or laser diecut; however, due to the tight time frame, we were not able to achieve those very small diecuts,” said Glenn Schuster, founder and president of DataGraphic. “We improvised by changing those small holes into circular graphics and foil stamping them in an additional metallic purple foil.”

Another production challenge was the sleeve itself. “The Black Curious Skin Cover was too stiff to run through the folder-gluer, and it presented a scuffing challenge as well, so we taped and assembled the sleeve by hand,” Schuster said.

He said the client also had originally specified to print the 4-color image directly on the metallic gold surface of the Curious Paper; however, the company was not able to achieve that desired look. “We suggested printing a white base as an alternative, and the results were exactly what the client imagined.” Schuster said the client was thrilled with the outcome, and they achieved success mainly because the client was open to suggestions, allowed for the processes test runs and provided quick feedback.

The NFL Friday Night Party Mask invitation won a bronze award in the Decorative Diecutting with Foil/Embossing category in the 2013 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards competition. In addition, the company won a bronze award in the Self Promotion: Best Use of Foil/Embossing category for its Bubbly Puzzle project celebrating the company’s 86 years in business.

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Reindl Bindery Flawlessly Navigates Perfect Binding in Non-Traditional Sizes

by Melissa DeDonder, PostPress

For Reindl Bindery Co., Inc., in Germantown, Wisconsin, full-service means navigating a trend for perfect bound books that are non-traditional in size or thickness. The company managed this challenge with ease when La Mer, a high-end cosmetics brand, needed a small, multiple language product and usage booklet to fit inside the packaging of a 1.7 oz. sized product.

The resulting PUR perfect bound book featured a 75x75mm trim size. The production process involved folding the signatures on Stahl folders, binding the books 4-up on Kolbus binders, splitting them from 4-up to 2-up and then trimming them on flat Polar cutters.

David Reindl, president, said the project’s biggest challenge was the final trim size, which was well below machine specifications and required some ingenuity. “We worked closely with our customer to ensure the components would be large enough to feed on our folders and binders. Then, our operators and managers spent some time with our in-house maintenance department to develop a “bolt on” clamp for our flat cutter, which allowed us to trim down to the final size,” Reindl said.

The customer was so pleased with the first production run that the company placed four additional orders over the next six months. In addition, the customer designed some new books with smaller trim sizes that Reindl Bindery will be tackling later this year.

Reindl said the project opened doors for the company to produce other cosmetics-related books. “We’ve run several other perfect bound titles, but none of them have been as challenging as the LaMer books. I assume the whole reason we were awarded the other titles is because we didn’t say “No” to the challenges the LaMer project presented,” Reindl said.

Reindl Bindery strives to keep up with the latest trends, and in doing so the company reports binding books as thin as 1/16″, as well as completing a successful test drive for an 8-page perfect bound book featuring a 100# cover and 80# coated text interior pages.

“I never know where the industry will lead, but I’m thrilled to be working with people both internally and externally who are up for navigating the challenges and trends,” Reindl said.

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Bert-Co Towers Over the Holidays

by Brittany Willes, PostPress

For more than 30 years, Bert-Co has challenged itself to create a uniquely structured holiday card for its clients. In years past, the design team has created innovative pop-up cards, mobiles and cards that are actual boxes, always striving for a “wow” factor. For instance, the 2013 holiday card consisted of a hinged box promoting edge-to-edge deep embossing and an illuminated APET pop-up dome. The black “quilted” box was designed to promote texture, something the company believes all luxury packaging brand owners should consider.

While the card’s structure changes from year to year, the overarching message promoting peace and joy remains the same. With the basic theme already in place, the design team set out to create a thoroughly unique structure to rival the previous years while also mimicking Bert-Co’s growth in 2014; namely, a move by the Los Angeles plant into a new, larger facility and an expansion at the Tennessee plant to add automated rigid box capabilities. As a backdrop to the main theme of peace and joy, it was decided the 2014 card also should send a message about becoming larger and better. The final result was a folding carton that started out small, as just a cube, before surprising the receiver as it opened into a telescoping tower with a removable flat card decorated with an original poem for the sender to sign. A final surprise of a snowflake dangling in the bottom completes the card.

Production was fairly straightforward. All sections of the card were combined on one print form. The design team used an 18pt paperboard laminated on one side with metalized polyester, which then was printed on two sides. The white uncoated side provided a “quiet” feeling in order to contrast the inside and make it appear all the more dramatic. Next, the “Happy Holidays” greeting and image of a dove were foil stamped in red on the uncoated side. White ink and 4-color process were used to make a gradation in the background and to better showcase the white type. The removable flat card was printed with high rise silk screen UV snowflakes on a Sakurai press for added tactile detail. All of the processes were done in-house. The base of the card was an auto-bottom style that was automatically glued, while the rest of the structure was hand glued.

Customers who have received the holiday card in the past readily will recognize the foil stamped dove, which helps to further reinforce the card’s traditional themes. While the 2014 card places the foil stamped dove prominently on top of the tower structure, in years past the dove’s placement has not always been as obvious. According to Suzan Kerston, executive vice president, “Some years we hide the dove a little. Our long-time customers know when they receive that year’s creation, it’s a little bit like playing ‘Where’s Waldo?’ to find the dove.”

Not surprisingly, Bert-Co’s holiday cards have proven to be quite popular with its customers and sometimes spark packaging ideas for their own products. “Often, someone wants to buy a structure very similar to what we’ve produced,” said Kerston. “For instance, the 2014 card could house a small fragrance bottle or something like it where the snowflake currently dangles.” Past designs have seen similar repurposing by clients. The 2012 card structure was adopted by one of the company’s beauty customers as a limited edition package. The structure was a rigid box that folded in such a way that the images on the outside completely changed to form a new image. “Those are the best experiences,” stated Kerston. “It confirms that we’re producing the kind of work that brand owners want in order to help give them great retail shelf presence.”

by Trish Witkowski, foldfactory.com

I’ve been studying mail for quite a while now, and I’ve learned some neat tricks that I wish I had known back in my studio days. Yes, for those who don’t know, I’m a designer – a designer with a master’s degree in printing. So, my blood runs cmyk, but my soul is all flowy and creative. I was a creative director at a design firm back when making a living off of folding and mail strategy was a dream and a decade away. At the time, sending mail was just something we did: think up an idea, send it out, sell something, turn that marketing brochure into a mail piece…

Mail, to me, was a drag – risky, annoying in its requirements and completely uncreative. Now that I study mail, I realize how little I understood about it. So, I’m writing the article I wish I could have read back in those days.

Fun with the envelope flap

Did you know that if you’re ordering custom envelopes, the shape of the flap can be changed to create interest? For instance, a pull tab can be added or the angle could be altered – or a curve even could be added. People are so used to seeing the same sizes and shapes that small details can catch the eye and send a message that something interesting is inside.

One thing to note: if the envelope contents will be auto-inserted by machine, ask the printer before modifying the flap. There are strict tolerances required for the process to work, and the flap size and shape have a lot to do with it.

A design also can be printed on the envelope flap, since First-Class Mail doesn’t require a return address. The USPS does recommend that a return address is included so it can return any undeliverable mail, but the placement can be on the front or back. So, why not make the back flap interesting? There’s also a lot of nice space below the flap, so why not put color or imagery there, too?

The back of the envelope is grossly underutilized, in my opinion. I’ve actually been noticing a trend over the past few months, and I call it “party on the back.” These envelope mailers are plain white window envelopes on the front, with full color designs on the back. Since you don’t know which way the recipient will pick up the piece, and since the non-address side with the envelope flap is the side the recipient needs to open, it’s clever to print a message, a pop of color or a pattern on the back.

Think outside the clear zones

Don’t send a plain envelope. If you want to put imagery or a message on the face of the envelope and it will be mailed at First-Class Mail rates, you have creative flexibility. Flexibility also can be found in the flats category, because there are far fewer regulations and the size is larger, which gives designers more area in which to be creative.

In general, the biggest thing to be concerned about is clear zones. Space must be left for the address, the postage and the barcode clear zone, which pretty much takes up the entire right side of the envelope.

But, once space has been allocated for these items, the rest is yours to play with – within reason. To be safe, don’t push too close to any of the clear zones, but have some fun. As you get into other classes of mail, the regulations get tighter, so ask the printer for guidance.

Add a repositionable note

Sticky notes, called repositionable notes (or RPN) by the USPS, are a fun, personal-looking and mail-friendly addition to an envelope. A print service provider can print a sticky note and apply it by machine with standard labeling equipment. Common practice is to print a message on the note that looks like it’s a handwritten personal message. By the way, if you need handwritten graphics, try copydoodles.com.

Sticky notes can be applied to the outside of envelopes for letters or flats, and there are different guidelines for each type of mail. And, if you’re on a particularly tight budget but love the sticky note idea, an image of a sticky note can be printed on an envelope for a similar effect.

Custom windows

Windows on an envelope most commonly are used to show the address and the return address; however, windows can be a creative tool, too. Did you know a custom window envelope can be ordered? A custom window design can create something unique that gets a lot of attention – a unique shape, a larger view of the contents or a compelling fragment of an image. A trend right now is what I call the keyhole window. It’s a tiny little window that shows just a peek of what’s inside. Curiosity does wonders for increasing the opening rate on a mail piece.

Creative opening mechanisms

How many ways can you get into an envelope or a folded self mailer? More ways than you think. By adding a clever opening device, some intrigue and a little bit of fun can be added to opening the mail. Add a zip strip, a string pull, a snap off end or a pull tab. Ask the printer for help with the placement of the opening mechanism, because there often are production details to deal with to make it work, but these can be really fun.

Related to this, I’ve noticed a trend for using engaging pulls and zip strips to reveal messages, instead of as opening mechanisms. For example, a zip strip across the back of an envelope can reveal a message or the answer to a question. It doesn’t get the reader into the envelope, but it adds interest in the content by giving the reader something fun to discover.

Creative postage and address strategy

There also are some neat things that can be done with the postage and the address. These include custom stamps and limited edition stamps that catch the eye, precanceled stamps, multiple-stamp strategies, mailer’s postmarks, creative addressing techniques and more. You’d be surprised at what you can do to make your mailpiece look important and personal. Ask the printer or mailhouse for options.

Flaps on FSM

I like using flaps on folded self-mailers – flaps make for fun opening mechanisms and add interest. A flap is created when an extended portion of the address side panel is folded over to the non-address side for the closure of a mail piece. The edges must be sealed with tabs or glue to USPS specification for mailability/machinability, and there are requirements for length and height based on whether they’re off the top or side, so pay attention to those.

My favorite thing to do is to add a diecut shape to a flap. Shaped flaps require a continuous glue line along the edge, but you can do some really eye-catching things with a short flap that has a fun shape to it.

Postage-friendly creative mail formats

The format options for direct mail only are limited by your creativity, budget and the mail service level that is chosen. I could write for days about the different things that can be done, from simple to complex to dimensional and more.

One thing that tends to happen with creative mail formats is that people get excited about the design possibilities, but forget all about postage costs. Very commonly, the final product is in the shape of a square. I know designers love square-format design projects – I love them, too. And, hey, if money is no object, make a square, send it out and enjoy every minute of it. I think all designers have project-envy over those types of fortunate scenarios, but that’s not usually the case. Clients typically want to save money, so don’t pay the non-machinable letter surcharge if you don’t have to.

The Fall 2014 issue of The Binding Edge contained an article I wrote about the need to find ways to cut costs on postage so you can splurge on the format, while not compromising on the “wow factor.” The basic concept is something I call a Splurge/Save strategy. A Splurge/Save strategy involves converting a specialty format into a mail-friendly (i.e., machinable) size and shape. As a result, the customer gets a specialty format, but it can be mailed at normal, machinable or even bulk rates. In my opinion, it changes everything.

The Iron Cross fold is a great example. It’s a popular fold and commonly is designed in a square format. I think it’s the only proportion most people have seen it in, so by force of habit (or the chance to produce something square), the designer makes it square. However, the classic Iron Cross easily translates into a machinable, self-mailing rectangular format.

This is an excellent reminder to look at specialty formats differently and approach them with the intention of making them more mail-friendly.

Have fun (within reason)

Mail doesn’t have to be a drag. Yes, the regulations are daunting, but if you know what the options are and how to manipulate the medium of mail, great things can be created that sail through the mail stream and get the attention they deserve.

Trish Witkowski is chief folding fanatic at foldfactory.com. An educator, author, speaker and award-winning designer, Witkowski specializes in creative solutions for mail and marketing. She hosts the online video series “60-Second Super-Cool Fold of the Week.” Witkowski has an MS in printing and a BFA in graphic design from RIT. For more information, visit www.foldfactory.com.