Variable print technology for African newspapers launched

© Andrys Stienstra via Pixabay

“This is the biggest news for print in a long time,” says Olav Westphal, sales director of Spark Media. “The Kodak Prosper S30 Imprinting System represents the first variable print technology on African newspapers. It’s a game changer for retailers and all advertisers.

“Newspapers have always been a mass media channel and, due to the technology involved, a single run will produce exactly the same content. This technology allows all printed Caxton products to create real interactive advertising in print form that is hyper targeted and hyper localised. Because the basis of the technology is digital, information (the advertised deals or promotions) can be updated in real time. Retailers will effectively be able to create direct one-to-one connections between ads and consumers, but in a print format.

“The imprinting system will be seamlessly added directly onto our current printing presses eliminating the need to disrupt the manufacturing process,” says Westphal.

Through the unique advert on every newspaper, additional opportunities include gaming and contests, interactive adverts, variable promotion by location and unique daily access codes to specialised online content. Each display advert is assigned a unique code, which opens the doors to a variety of creative campaigns, in-store promotions, discounts, website visits and lucky draws.

An example is a reader logging onto an online site and entering his or her distinctive code, completing an information form and automatically receiving a discount coupon or being automatically entered into a bigger competition.

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