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What Is a Beacon?

Posted On: March 10, 2016Category: Marketing Insights, TechnologyTag(s): beacon, digital marketing and technology, ibeacon, marketing, retail, retail marketing, technology, technology in printPosted By: Nick Loeser

Simply put, beacons are yet another tool marketers can use to reach consumers via mobile. But it doesn’t stop with marketing. Businesses in industries of all likes are employing beacon technology to work for them. Here are 6 quick applications of beacon technology before we dive deeper:

1. In retail, they can be used to share discounts or coupons with you when you enter the store.

2. They can be used in museums to alert and inform you of the closest display.

3. They can be used by airlines in airports to pull up your mobile boarding pass when you get closer to the gate.

4. Hotels can use them to replace hotel room keys.

5. Stadiums can use them to reach out to their audience and offer them seat upgrades.

6. And in the B2B world, you can expect to see these popping up at trade shows and conferences.

But… what are they?

Beacons, or iBeacon (termed by Apple), simply put, are a class of Bluetooth low energy devices.

Huh?

A Bluetooth low energy is a wireless personal area network technology that is comparative to Bluetooth Classic, except for that it provides a reduced power consumption and cost, while maintaining a similar communication range.

Basically, Beacon’s are the enabling technology that will alert an app when you enter a specific, Beacon-activated location.

Many industries can benefit from implementing beacons – however, let’s use retail as an example. In the fall of 2014, Macy’s implemented the retail industry’s largest beacon installation, which allows them to communicate with the shopper via mobile as they enter the store, with personalized department-level deals, discounts, recommendations and rewards.

Alright, what do these things look like?

The beacons themselves are small, Bluetooth transmitters. Apps that are installed on your iPhone listen for the signal sent out by these beacons, and respond when the phone comes into range.

Here’s an infographic, courtesy of Gigaom, to help break it down even MORE:

The possibilities are endless. We can make it easy. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you implement beacon technology into your next project!

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!

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.

Whirlpool’s Marketing Gets the Right People Talking

Posted On: June 23, 2015Category: Branding, Design, Dimensional Print Marketing, Direct Mail Marketing, Luxury & Specialty PackagingTag(s): #ItsAllCare, 360 marketing, direct mail, launch kit, Lunchbox Dad, marketing, multichannel, retail, sales aids, WhirlpoolPosted By: Nick Loeser

Whirlpool’s 360-degree approach to marketing, incorporating web, TV and print, has made it’s brand presence more relevant and attractive to consumers in the home appliance marketplace.
Continue reading →

Packaging Trends: What Your Consumers Love

Posted On: June 17, 2015Category: Branding, Design, Ideas & Inspiration, Luxury & Specialty Packaging, Marketing InsightsTag(s): branding, Deborah Ginsburg, design, marketing, package design, Strategia DesignPosted By: Nick Loeser

“The details are not the details. They make the design.” – Charles Eames, American graphic designer

Structural Graphics takes a special interest in what retail consumers want to see on product packaging, so when we came across Deborah Ginsburg’s article, “Top Packaging Design Trends for 2015” we perked up, eager to see what insights the founder and CEO of Strategia Design had to offer. Turns out, we couldn’t agree more. Continue reading →

‘One Channel Never Enough’: Q&A With Margie Dana

Posted On: June 8, 2015Category: Branding, Custom Design & Printing, Design, Ideas & Inspiration, Marketing Insights, Print ProductionTag(s): Margie Dana, marketing, print, Print Buyers International, print industryPosted By: Nick Loeser

Author & print industry expert Margie Dana

Margie Dana — author of three books on printing and print buying and an industry veteran with more than 15 years of experience — recently chatted with Structural Graphics to help inform our audience about different ways marketers can extend their brand’s influence through integrated print campaigns. Continue reading →

Give Your Audience More to Be Happy About

Posted On: May 27, 2015Category: Custom Design & Printing, Design, Dimensional Print Marketing, Direct Mail Marketing, Ideas & InspirationTag(s): branding, Cambridge BioMarketing, Capital One, direct mail, Extendo, Georgia State University, Glen Ellen Wine, Lincoln MKS, marketing, print marketingPosted By: Nick Loeser

Sometimes your audience just needs a little more. Meet the Extendo. Like its name suggests, it gives brands extra room for messaging and graphics and adds a level of participant interaction that rivals digital. Continue reading →

5 Real-Life Uses of Slide-Pop Marketing

Posted On: May 11, 2015Category: Custom Design & Printing, Design, Dimensional Print Marketing, Direct Mail Marketing, Ideas & InspirationTag(s): brochures, design, direct mail, marketing, retail display, slide-pop mechanism, specialty packagingPosted By: Nick Loeser

Sometimes all it takes is a simple conversation with our sales team — the eyes and ears of our clients — and before you know it our paper engineers are ideating creative pop-up formats that bring brand marketing to new levels. Continue reading →

PICS: 3D Mechanized Paper Display for Altoids

Expanding upon a carnival-themed campaign that Altoids was using at the time, Structural Graphics created this counter-top exploratory piece for the breath mint maker. Continue reading PICS: 3D Mechanized Paper Display for Altoids →