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Tag Archives: Dimensional Print

A Double Life: Meet the Flapper

Posted On: February 17, 2016Category: Custom Design & Printing, Dimensional Print Marketing, Direct Mail MarketingTag(s): advertising, design, Dimensional Print, direct mail, flapper, graphic design, marketing, Red Paper Plane, Structural GraphicsPosted By: Hillary

What do Hyundai, Asbury University and Gillette all have in common? They all understand the high impact the Flapper can have on an audience.

The Flapper, one of Structural Graphics’ exclusive patented designs, is kind of like a book you just can’t put down. Kids love it. Adults do, too. What makes it so unique is the way it folds continually into itself, revealing four separate layers of messaging ranging from text, photographs and even QR codes.

Even better? They’re incredibly versatile. Not only can they be distributed as a flat self-mailer, but they range in sizes, too. We’ve produced Flappers that were very small (3” x 3”) as well as ones that are about the size of a standard piece of paper (8” x 11”). Clients have used them as magazine inserts, designed them to look like tablets, and have even included scratch-offs and coupons inside. The possibilities are endless!

But how exactly do you use a Flapper?

Here are a few tips to get you started:

If you’re using our French Door style (i.e. the one with a vertical front opening)…

1. Starting on the front side of the Flapper, fold open until the left and right flaps are folded back to display the second message panel.
2. Continue following the natural folds of the paper until you get back to your original panel.

If you’re using our Dutch Door style (i.e. the one with a horizontal front opening)…

1. Starting on the front side of the Flapper, fold open until the top and bottom flaps are folded back to display the second message panel.
2. Continue following the natural folds of the paper until you get back to your original panel.

Click here to visit our Instagram feed and see the Flapper in action.

Ready to design yours? Take a look at our Flapper How To Guide then let us send you one to play with and inspire you!

An Apple A Day… [Healthcare in the Ad Industry]

Posted On: December 2, 2015Category: Events & Awards, Inside Structural Graphics, Marketing InsightsTag(s): advertising awards, Dimensional Print, healthcare advertising, healthcare print marketing, pharma advertising, pharma marketing, pharmaceutical marketingPosted By: Nick Loeser

You know, sometimes the last kid to be picked for the volley ball team isn’t always the worst.

And lately, a similar thing is being said about healthcare agencies at the ad industry’s top award shows. 4A’s Partner Award has pushed healthcare agencies into the spot light. We love you, healthcare agencies! (We even liked you before you became cool.)

As Marylyn Donahue, with PharmExec.com, goes into further detail on the subject:

“While not close enough to rub elbows with the Don Drapers and Peggy Olsons of the ad world, at least they’re being invited. This wasn’t always the case.

Even just in 2013, Advertising Age asked: “Are healthcare agencies and their clients the last group in the ad world not to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (arguably the Oscars of the industry)?”

But times change. And now (drum roll, please) the titular head of the industry itself — the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA or 4A’s), a 98-year old trade association has gone a step further. They’ve added a “Health & Wellness” category to their 2016 Partner Awards.

“And with this year’s Health & Wellness category we have the opportunity to honor the collaboration between agencies and organizations that promote health and wellness. Entries can include campaigns for corporate branding, education and awareness, and OTC, lifestyle, devices and pharmaceutical products.”

It’s a big market. In 2014, healthcare agencies garnered $4.3 billion in revenue up 10.3% from the year before.

Whoa.

Marylyn goes on, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and the rebounded agencies were more innovative and more diverse than ever before. In the interim many shops had changed the dynamics of their traditional deliverables, branching out into areas that emphasized collaboration.”

Essentially, healthcare agencies are the underdog.

All-told, it made for a perfect fit for the new 4As’ Partner Awards. The brainchild of the 4As’ Chief Marketing officer Alison Fahey, the Partner Awards were intended to be a reflection of the times. “We realize there are unique challenges that occur when individuals and companies with different personalities and cultures collaborate to achieve a common goal on behalf of a client,” said Fahey. “We wanted to salute those who put their egos aside for the greater good of creating meaningful work. As evidenced by the 4As Partner Awards 2015 winners, the very act of collaborating can elevate creativity to new levels. The jury did a great job of choosing the best creative collaborations in the marketing and communications industry.”

To read more, visit the full post.

Stated before, we love you pharma, and we’re going to share some of that love. Take a look at some of the work we’ve done in the pharmaceutical industry below, and click this link to download our pharmaceutical success stats (PDF).

To enter the 2016 4A’s Partner Awards submit entries by Dec. 18, 2015. Winners will be revealed at the 4A’s Transformation Conference, March 22, 2016, in Miami, FL. For further details, please visit http://partnerawards.aaaa.org/

All About That Baste [Turkey Day 2015]

Posted On: November 24, 2015Category: Ideas & InspirationTag(s): dimensional design, Dimensional Print, Holiday infograph, Holiday marketing, print marketing, Statistics, Thanksgiving, TurkeysPosted By: Nick Loeser

So, it’s that time of the year again… and even if you don’t love the chaos of the holiday season, there’s one thing we can all agree we love: food! In honor of the upcoming holiday, here are some juicy Thanksgiving food facts to chew on.

SOURCE: Writer Access

For dessert: a little bit of holiday humor…

Why is a turkey similar to a ghost?

Because it’s a-gobblin.

*ba-dum tsh*

Pop-Up Houses & Dimensional Buildings

Posted On: October 15, 2015Category: DesignTag(s): dimensional mail, dimensional marketing, Dimensional Print, greeting cards, holiday, pop-upPosted By: Nick Loeser

At Structural Graphics, we are well known for creating highly visually appealing, dimensional masterpieces out of paper. One of our most popular requests are dimensional houses and buildings, which can be great for making an announcement of a new location (restaurant, business, school, etc.), announcing a renovation, creating a cozy holiday scene – the possibilities are endless!

2_4505-537 — Boston Group, Captivate Network, Fully Dimensional Skyscraper

2_4506-1039C — Choice Hotel, Fully Dimensional

Pharmacia, Arthrotec. Fully Dimensional Restaurant.

A&E, The History Channel. Fully Dimensional.

Food Lion, Pop Up store. Fully dimensional with reference guide.

And with the holiday’s quickly approaching, consider the pop-up house format from Red Paper Plane.

And the winner is…

Posted On: September 16, 2015Category: Custom Design & Printing, Events & Awards, Inside Structural Graphics, Luxury & Specialty PackagingTag(s): Award, dimensional, Dimensional Print, Fibermark, Packaging, paper, Pizza, Pizza Party, Structural GraphicsPosted By: Nick Loeser

It’s no secret that when it comes to design and style with some extra POP, Structural Graphics takes the cake (or, in this case, the pizza). Some extra validation never hurt anyone, which is why we are so thankful to have been named winners of the Fibermark’s 21st Annual Specifier Best of Show Gold Award for our Bacardi Limited Dewar’s Influencer Kit.

The awards didn’t stop there, either! We were also recognized for excellent for our Samsung GS3 Mini Small Book Launch Kit, Samsung GS5 Gold VIP Launch Kit, Samsung Gear Fit VIP Launch Kit (see these at TheBoxSmiths.com). A special shout out goes to TracyLocke, the agency who we collaborated with on all of the Samsung projects.

And… also, we are very thankful for the pizza party brought to us by the Fibermark team themselves, yum!

This is the second award that our Dewar’s Influencer Kit has won this year, also winning a GDUSA American Package Design Award earlier this year.

Design Team — Structural Graphics design team with awards

So often, the response to Structural Graphics is “Oh, the people who do all the pop-up stuff?”

We live and breathe “pop-up stuff”, we practically invented it! Many people are surprised to hear that we are doing way more than that, and getting recognition for it, too.

So, whether you need some pop-up stuff or packaging, you can call on Structural Graphics – anything paper is possible!

Looking for packaging that’s a little more luxurious? Visit The BoxSmiths for luxury packaging that performs.

It All Began with A Pop-up Book

Posted On: September 9, 2015Category: Custom Design & Printing, Dimensional Print Marketing, Inside Structural GraphicsTag(s): Dimensional Print, Google, Google Photos, pop-up, pop-up book, print, print marketing, Structural GraphicsPosted By: Nick Loeser

Most likely, you’ve heard our spiel (and if you haven’t, you’re in luck): “Structural Graphics is the pioneer of the dimensional print marketing industry.”

“Okay,” you might be thinking, “that’s great. But who decided to take a pop-up and turn it into an ad?” Which is a reasonable question — it’s a pretty genius idea. Although it has been said that digital is taking over the marketing space, it’s undeniable that our work really POPS, gets attention and drives to digital.

Believe it or not, Structural Graphics did not start with an advertisement. It all started with a fascination of pop-up books and paper that led us to engineer a new medium for the world of advertising.

When asked about how the company got started, Ethan Goller, president of Structural Graphics, had this to say:

“Structural Graphics was the first company ever to introduce interactive print collateral for advertising and marketing on a commercial scale, and so can claim having “invented” the medium for use in that space.” he says.

“I’m often asked, ‘how did it all get started?’ Company founder, Chris Crowell, had a background in the graphic arts and advertising. He also had a passion for movable (“pop-up”) books, and the notion struck him:

‘If you could take the interactivity, engagement and whimsy of a pop-up book and apply it to advertising, it would perform better than traditional (“flat”) print collateral.’

That was in 1976! And as we prepare to celebrate our 40^th anniversary next year, stronger than ever in a business that has transformed dramatically to be relevant in a digital environment, we are proud to boast about our place in advertising history.”

Ethan sums it up perfectly. Times change. So does Structural Graphics. That’s why we were thrilled when Google came to us to produce a popup book for their new app, Google Photos. We can incorporate technology in print — videos, sound, web keys, NFC, you name it, or take it all the way back to our roots with our love for pop-up books.

A Brief History of Packaging

Posted On: August 21, 2015Category: Custom Design & Printing, Luxury & Specialty PackagingTag(s): Dimensional Print, dimensional print marketing, History, History of Packaging, Industrial Revolution, marketing, Packaging, print, Structural Graphics, TrendsPosted By: Nick Loeser

It all began with some twigs and leaves…

For most of us, shopping is an integral part of our daily lives — food for our fridge, supplies for our offices, a new pair of shoes. Chances are, whatever it is we may need will be wrapped up in a nice little bag or box.

Packaging is everywhere. But do you ever wonder where it all began?

Packaging as we know it today has been the result of a long development process.

Packaging is an industry that has been around since the beginning of man. In ancient times, packaging was used to transport, assist, store or protect items using natural materials such as leaves. In the Middle Age, wooden barrels were the most common way to store goods. In the 1900’s, paper and cardboard became more important packaging materials. As our world continued to evolve, so did packaging.

The Industrial Revolution sparked a tremendous change in the way that people lived their lives. Ultimately, hands were replaced with machines in the workforce, which lead to faster and higher levels of product production. This naturally created a higher demand for different types of packaging, such as:

1. Storage and transportation bins

2. Bags

3. Food packaging methods

4. Primary packaging materials

5. In-store packaging options

The Great Depression brought in the rise of the “self-service” culture where people began going to grocery stores more often. This new trend changed the way that items were packaged. The use of packaging turned into more of a sales tool, also known as the “silent salesman”, instead of a tool to simply hold items. After World War 2, new materials were explored, such as plastic and aluminum foil. This offered the convenience of single use and “throw away” packaging, which was highly attractive to the supermarket culture.

In the later half of the 20th century came the rise of digital technologies, and the producing world became more competitive. Businesses now had a way to differentiate themselves on the shelf. The marketplace became more competitive as mass producing allowed businesses to venture globally.

Today, packaging plays a primary role in consumers buying decision. It’s a marketing tool that directly impacts point-of-purchase. Packaging is an industry that continues to be sculpted and molded to fit current trends.

More of a visual person, or just can’t get enough of the history of packaging? Take a look at this infographic:

4 Marketing Trends on the Rise

Posted On: July 9, 2015Category: Marketing InsightsTag(s): advertising, dimensional marketing, Dimensional Print, direct mail, high impact direct marketing, marketing, Structural Graphics, technologyPosted By: Nick Loeser

Do you ever stop and wonder how our decisions are influenced?

I do, I’m a marketer after all. These days it seems like we’re being bombarded with trends trying to get us to buy or do something. We can’t browse our Facebook feed without being distracted by bizarre videos of the Brazilian “burning hair” treatment, the horrifying aftermath of the “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge,” or the most recent one sweeping Instagram, “Sunburn Art.” While we do not personally recommend any of these, we’re all about standing out.

How you market your product or idea directly impacts whether or not people will choose it. So, to help you out, we’ve done a little research, combed thru all the weird stuff on the Internet, and came up with 4 marketing trends that are on the rise.

1. More Personalization

We all know the saying that goes, sometimes through gritted teeth, “the customer is always right.” It’s certainly safe to say the customer is in charge. When asked to prioritize one capability that will be most important to marketing in the future, one-third of marketers answered: “personalization.” Nearly three-fourths (74%) of online consumers get frustrated with Web sites when content appears that has nothing to do with their interests (CMO, 2015). With all the different benefits technology can provide, personalization is more popular than ever. Targeting your products and ads directly to your customer’s specific needs is a strong marketing trend and it’s on the rise.

2. Multichannel Communications

Business icons flat vector illustration Communication

Print, direct mail, URLs, social sharing, email, mobile app push, SMS… really, the possibilities are endless. The world is your oyster when it comes to all of the ways you can communicate, and the statistics speak to its effectiveness.

60% of multichannel marketers reported increases of more than 10% in revenue that are attributed to marketing programs. – Forrester (May 2012) “The Multichannel Maturity Mandate.”
86% of marketing professionals agree that successfully integrating multiple channels under a single integrated marketing strategy is crucial to their long-term success. – Forrester (May 2012) “The Multichannel Maturity Mandate.”

Tip: Want to add some extra staying power to the print portion of your multichannel marketing? Use dimensional for your direct mailer.

3. Video

Unify Video Sales Aid, Structural Graphics

By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic, according to Cisco. A study done by a company named Eyevie discovered that using videos on landing pages increased response rates by 80%, but why just use them on a screen? At Structural Graphics, we can seamlessly incorporate a video into print for a multidimensional, multi-sensory experience. See it here.

4. Print

There are a lot of comebacks being made recently. Fanny packs, Doc Martens, and my personal favorite – jelly shoes.

But that’s not all. Get ready marketers, because even in this digital age, print is making a comeback – and with a vengeance. Anything can be added to print: lights, sound, video, the list goes on. Print isn’t just paper anymore. Also, who doesn’t love getting real, tangible, paper mail? Direct mail marketing yields, on average, a 13-1 return on investment ratio (DMR, 2015).

Rolling Stone Chuck TV Show Insert & Kiosk, Structural Graphics

There you have it, 4 marketing trends on the rise — and you know what they say about 2, 3 and 4: two’s company, three’s a crowd and four is a party. Get the party started at www.structuralgraphics.com.

The Flat-Cube: Popping up near you

Posted On: October 16, 2014Category: Custom Design & Printing, Dimensional Print Marketing, Direct Mail MarketingTag(s): 3D, Dimensional Print, direct marketing, flat cube mailer, paper, pop-upPosted By: Nick Loeser

More than 30 years ago, a fascination with pop-up books and paper led Structural Graphics to engineer a new advertising medium focused on dimensional print.

Now, we help the world’s leading brands differentiate themselves from the competition by thinking differently about paper and what it can do. Continue reading →

Design ideas for your holiday cards and promotions

Posted On: October 8, 2014Category: Custom Design & Printing, Dimensional Print Marketing, Direct Mail Marketing, Ideas & InspirationTag(s): advertising, Dimensional Print, direct mail, holiday, marketing, promotionsPosted By: Nick Loeser

When you’re a marketer, it’s never too soon to plan ahead. With the holidays coming up, now is a great time to begin planning something special for your audience.

We’ve curated some of our holiday designs to help you get inspired by 3D cards, gift holders and displays that connect businesses to people in delightful new ways. Continue reading →