Time is at a premium for everyone. Those working in the creative industry have to balance the pressure of their deadlines with coming up with bright new ideas for their clients. For their suppliers, this presents an opportunity that perhaps hasn’t always been best exploited. Creatives want to know about new technologies, techniques and processes that will help them bring their ideas to life but physically don’t have the capacity to stay abreast of every new development. Rich Ward, co-founder of the design firm RAW Unlimited, with specialises in brand communications and environments, told Image Reports’ sister website Think Bigger that what is important to them is hearing about a new technique or tool in the “quickest possible way”. While that may be by getting a sample delivered ASAP, he says increasingly it’s also about suppliers making more use of “little videos, blogs or anything that communicates directly to us in a short-blast”, he says. “We’ll scan the internet for new ideas and follow organisations that look like they are dong interesting things.”
And it seems the quirkier the approach taken to demonstrate a new development, the more chance it has of engaging the creative. “It’s also about getting into the designer’s mind, arousing curiosity and being a bit playful,” says Ward. Not only does this present an opportunity for wide-format printers to get themselves noticed but also increases their chances of involvement much earlier in the creative process. “We like it when we all become one big team to get the job done and it’s also fun and enjoyable,” says Ward. “We want to learn from our suppliers and we want them to learn from us.”
Sue Weekes, Think Bigger blogger