EFI – Pacprint 2005
Situation
Since 1970, the PacPrint exhibition has been showcasing the world's latest and most innovative printing and graphic communications technologies. PacPrint 2005, marketed as the ultimate printing, technology and graphic communication experience, brought industry leaders and customers together at Melbourne’s Exhibition Centre.
For long-standing JGW client, EFI, 2005 was the first year it exhibited at Pacprint ‘in its own right’. Its presence prior to 2005 had been via OEM partners. For 2005 EFI required Just Go Write to manage its exhibition stand, and all marketing and PR prior to, during and after the show.
Objectives
• To drive visitors to the stand.
• To generate leads for EFI Fiery, MIS, Proofing and Digital Store Front solutions.
• To raise local awareness of EFI MIS solutions. EFI is a global leader in MIS, and needed to promote the presence of a new local MIS division.
Campaign
JGW devised an integrated campaign that drew upon advertising, direct mail (both hard copy and email) and publicity generated via PR and media outreach. It included:
Advertising - promoting EFI at Pacprint , along with stand information, in target audience publications including Proprint, Print 21, the Pacprint Exhibition Catalogue (inside front cover opposite the prime minister’s message).
Direct Mail (DM) – again with show information, the DM landed with people four weeks prior to the start of the exhibition and included a call to action to gauge penetration. By using postage paid and a return address, we helped EFI not only save money on the distribution, but any returns allowed EFI to clean its database. The direct mail also promoted their booklet “The ABC’s of personalised printing”, which people were invited to register for prior to the show and pick up at the stand.
Electronic Direct Mail (EDM) – repeating the style of the advert and the DM, an EDM was distributed two weeks prior to the exhibition to the Graphic Arts Services Association of Australia (GASAA) database. A call to action that encouraged recipients to book an appointment on the stand also helped EFI grow their database.
PR - EFI had a number of news angles for Pacprint that PR was able to exploit. These included:
• EFI stand showcasing new MIS solutions to the Australian market.
• Frank Mallozzi VP of Worldwide Sales for EFI attending the show from the US head office.
• Kathy Wilson, expat Aussie and member of the US product team was also supporting the show. JGW arranged for her to speak at expo workshops on PODi and the ABC’s of variable data printing.
Just Go Write managed all PR activities including media releases prior to the show generating ‘lead-up’ coverage about technology on the stand, organising a press breakfast and briefings during the show, and setting up 1:1 interviews for the representatives from the US.
Results
Although the overall show numbers were lower than expected by exhibition organisers, EFI attracted the majority of the major printing companies to its stand, thanks to pre-show promotions. It enabled EFI to demonstrate its solutions and generate warm leads, particularly for the Digital Store Front and MIS solutions.
Public Relations
Targeted Tier one publications all sent representatives to the media briefing during the exhibition, which, combined with the pre-show publicity JGW co-ordinated, resulted in a high level of media coverage:
• Print 21 Online 31 March 05 - EFI expat returns home for PacPrint (source: media release).
• Proprint April 05 - MIS: another string to EFI's Australian bow (source: interview/exclusive story).
• i-grafix.com.au 19 April 05 - EFI to Buy VUTEk (source: media release).
• Print 21 Online 21 April 05 - EFI snatches up VUTEk for $281m (source: media release).
• Print 21 April 05 - PacPrint preview article (source: media release).
• On Demand Autumn 05 - EFI to showcase powerful end-to-end solutions (source: media release).
• Print 21 May 05 - EFI spreads its wings (source: contributed article).
• Proprint May 05 - EFI to Acquire VUTEk (source: media release).
• Proprint PacPrint Preview - EFI to unveil end-to-end solutions + stand directory (source: media release).
• Australian Printer May 05 - EFI to Buy VUTEk (source: US pre-acquisition announcement).
• i-grafix 23 May 05 - EFI takeover of VUTEk complete (source: media release).
• i-grafix 24 May 05 - EFI to blitz PacPrint with MIS (source: pre-event questionnaire).
• Australian Printer June 05 - First Time EFI is On It's Own (source: media release).
• Print 21 Online 2 June 05 - EFI buddies up with Quickcut (source: media release).
• Print 21 Online 9 June 05 - EFI and Kodak takeovers get the nod (source: media release).
• Proprint June 05 - PacPrint/MIS feature (source: media briefing and press pack).
• On Demand Winter 05 - Quickcut and EFI - new proofing and verification system (source: media release and media briefing).
• On Demand Winter 05 - EFI expands int MIS (source: media briefing and press pack).
• On Demand Winter 05 - EFI acquires VUTEk (source: media release).
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