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Building a brand
ALTHOUGH RETAILERS are tightening their belts, it is still in their interests to entice customers to spend what spare money they have: which is good news for the point of sale (POS) market.
Corporate communications director for Fespa, Marcus Timson, agrees that there is still a budget out there for POS. He says: "Despite the gloomy predictions about the British economy, I think the forward-thinking printer will survive and some will even thrive. Without question, it is certainly getting tougher out there for printers, but even with this market pressure, the modern brand will not stop marketing their goods, as the pressure to win the hearts and minds of the consumer continues unabated.
"In a tougher environment, innovation, ROI and measurability will become increasingly important, especially with regard to POS marketing. Seventy-four per cent of all consumers make their final buying decisions in the shop. This compelling fact will still apply, regardless of the economic climate and this is where print is well placed to win.
"Oddly, against all the hype about LCD screen advertising, I think print will continue to outperform its technological rival. Retailers may shy away from the capital investment required for digital signage, refocusing their attention on the proven performance, reliability and relative affordability of print. But we will also have to invest in our own marketing to survive and come out the other side, fit, healthy and profitable.
"The challenging economic climate is also a great opportunity to maximise efficiency and focus on innovation. Printers who can do this, will be the success stories of the future.
"Marks & Spencer's main man, Stuart Rose, estimates that it will be two years before the markets recover. And two years will go by very quickly. There will be some big success stories especially with regard to planet-friendly printing. With many retailers going green by 2010, this poses a challenge to image makers to deliver innovation for the green retailer.
"So, the immediate future presents us with a challenge and only the fittest will thrive. Perhaps this kind of challenge is exactly what the industry needs to prime our resources to compete with other, arguably more sophisticated and measurable, media.
"Lastly, remember that according to Fespa's Wide Survey, the European wide format digital market place is predicted to grow at 7.5 per cent so clearly, it is not all doom and gloom."
Getting noticed
The fact remains that in the retail sector it is all about getting noticed and building a brand that will weather the storm, despite what happens in the economy. Retailers cannot afford to withdraw their marketing spend and cut back on promotions because if they do they run the risk of taking a back seat to their competitors.
This is where POS material comes into its own because this is the only way that retailers can promote their products at the moment the buying decision is made by the customer and continue to build a brand which is recognised.
The same applies to shopping centres as well as individual retailers because they too have to build a brand which will draw in the general public and this is exactly what Cabot Circus in Bristol came up against.
This new city centre retail development features more than 120 stores, but as with any new shopping centre, not all the retail outlets are ready on opening day. A solution was needed to promote the brand of the shopping centre while looking professional enough to detract from the spaces which were still empty.
Joining the circus
The job fell to West Midlands display specialist, Monster Digital, who produced both temporary and permanent displays now being used within the shopping area.
These graphics have played a huge part in bringing recognition to the new development, from its giant mesh structure and lamp banners which are viewed on approaching the centre through to the individual display elements which help to make up the circus theme.
As is common with this type of contract, time was at a premium. Using a mix of materials to suit various locations within the Cabot Circus site, Monster Digital was able to output more than 3000m2 of durable print within a tight 10 day deadline. Many of the displays at Cabot Circus will only be in place for a short time as they are used to cover spaces which have yet to be let or for stores that haven't yet moved into their new location. The choice of materials, along with the print processes involved, depended on the overall life expectancy of each print and the area being covered. For example, where high durability was required, such as at the entrance to the retail centre's car park, the company printed directly onto Dibond to provide a tough, rigid series of displays suitable for use at street level where dirt and grime is a factor.
Within the centre, unoccupied spaces have been covered with a graphic depicting the circus theme. Monster Digital worked closely with the creative team to meet the practical and aesthetic requirements of each site.
The company used a range of HP Scitex roll-fed and flatbed wide format digital printing machines. Areas greater than 5m can be welded to produce larger, visually seamless prints, while meshes and vinyls can be stitched and finished with eyelets and grommets to suit application and location requirements. The company has also recently purchased an EFI Vutek QS3200 UV-curable flatbed printer which will help increase output quality on rigid substrates.
Making the point
Whichever way you choose to look at the economy, it is the optimistic among us who will undoubtedly come out on top. Retailers need to make the most of the space they have available to entice customers to spend and therefore the POS market is likely to remain buoyant. Taking that one step further, shopping centres like Cabot Circus also need to bring in the customers.
The digital printing industry is in a prime position to service all these markets providing a cost effective solution to any marketing budget and while there is money in the pot it is still yours for the taking.
http://www.monsterdigital.co.uk/
