Years ago we introduced a wonderful "little" technology to the CTP market called SQUAREspot - a 10,000 dpi thermal laser imaging system.

This uniquely high resolution enables clear differentiation between "exposed" and "unexposed" edges, producing dots on plate with greater consistency and measurably tighter production tolerances than coarser Gaussian laser imaging technologies.

SQUAREspot provides unparalleled quality, resolution, stability, latitude, and process control for making digital offset plates. This technology helped pave the way for thermal plates to become the dominant technology for CTP, especially in high-volume and high-quality printing markets worldwide.

The benefits of SQUAREspot for our customers were well recognized - both in terms of quality and cost efficiency.

Now that Kodak's Graphic Communications Group is made up from some of the best companies in the industry, with some of the most innovative technologies, even the SQUAREspot message no longer captures the total value that we can deliver to our customers!

What our customers need to ensure their long-term survival and profitability is pretty simple: stability and process control, right from the beginning of the software workflow, through to the last printed dot on press. With the drive towards automation throughout the printing process, Stability isn't just a nice thing to have - it's mission-critical.

The biggest challenges our customers face - saving costs,being more efficient, and cutting waste - are exactly the ones we help solve,with products that deliver higher quality more consistently, with less investment and less impact on our environment.

Rather than focusing on just one small part of the process like plate developer (like some of our competitors are doing), bigger opportunities can be found across four key areas of the Production Cycle: Imaging, Prepress, On-Press, and the Environment. For a more in-depth view, visit our micro-site for Kodak's Offset Stability Program at http://www.kodak.com/go/stability . We'll help you find ways to improve Stability throughout your production environment - whether you choose Kodak products in the end or not.

Sometimes we have the luxury of playing with technology just for the fun of it, but when it can have such a huge impact on your business' profitability - and even survival - it must be taken a lot more seriously. Look at the full opportunity for Stability improvement in your print shop, and Kodak will gladly help you find some great ways to achieve it.

Should the press "match" the proof? Or should the proof "match" the press? There is a great deal of confusion among print suppliers, buyers, consultants, and even some vendors on this important question.

The two main strategies

There are two main print production strategies the printer can adopt: targeting an industry defined specification for presswork and/or targeting a shop-specific specification. Either strategy will impact everyone in the print production process so it is critical that the decision is based on a complete understanding of the consequences. Once the business decision is made, presswork and proofing can be brought into alignment so that color expectations can be effectively set and communicated.

Strategy One: Targeting an Industry Defined Specification - the press aligns to the proof

Ideally, printers who do not control 100% of the digital files entering their pressroom would target an industry-defined specification as a way of bringing some degree of order to the various inputs that they may receive. In this case the proof is the target and the presswork is brought into alignment with it. This strategy is most appropriate in a distributed printing environment where prepress and scans from a variety of sources must conform to a common print characteristic. Examples are magazine and newspaper advertising or brochures that will be printed at a variety of locations.

This strategy enables prepress tradeshops and production graphic designers to prepare image scans and digital artwork appropriately even when they do not know which printer will be doing the final presswork.

Aligning the press to the proof is embodied in the traditional, analog film-based, laminate proofing systems with the most popular implementation for offset printing being SWOP. In this production workflow print purchasers produce one set of digital files and proofs, and send the set to the various print locations. The proofs, using current digital halftone as well as inkjet proofers, are made in a standardized manner according to the registered SWOP application data sheets (ADS) to ensure conformance to the SWOP specification. It is then the printer's responsibility to align their presswork, by whatever means are appropriate, to the supplied SWOP proof.

Strategy Two: Proofing to a Shop-Specific Presswork Target - the proof aligns to the press

With this strategy, the presswork color is the target and the proof is aligned to it. This strategy would most commonly be used in a non-distributed printing environment where prepress and scans are completely controlled by the printer or where the printer has a close relationship with the print specifier. Examples include brochures, collateral materials, annual reports, corporate brochures, art reproduction, and so on. This strategy is often used by printers wishing to differentiate their presswork from their competition. In this case print purchasers don't care about aligned color across presswork at multiple locations but instead are concerned that their particular project looks as good as possible in print. The presswork is unique — either to the individual print shop or even to a specific press in the shop. The printer may print with higher ink densities, higher contrast, finer halftone screens, or perhaps, custom ink sets, depending on their customer's specific needs. This strategy may also mean that prepress and separations are customized in order to take the unique press condition into account.

A Third Strategy Option: Multiple Targets

Just as one size does not fit all - one print characteristic may not suit all. In today's highly competitive print environment, it can make competitive sense for a print shop to leverage the flexibility of digital proofing and plating systems to offer multiple print characteristics to their print buying customers.

Effectively they would select/offer the color flow that is most appropriate for the needs of their customers - presswork aligned to an industry-defined specification proof for certain projects. Proofing aligned to a unique shop-specific print characteristic for others. This involves greater complexity in workflow, however, once set up can provide the printer with tremendous flexibility in differentiating themselves and better meeting their customer's expectations and needs in print.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) annual conference & exhibit opened in Las Vegas on Sunday, October 12 ( http://www.dma08.org ). I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that this will be one of the most important shows for marketers- both from the enterprise as well as marketing service and print service providers - this year. Especially now.

As enterprises and marketing agencies are evaluating their budgets for next year - those budget requests aren't just getting the usual scrutiny - they getting put under an electron microscope! Every penny of marketing spend has to be justified against expected ROI, and that level of scrutiny is going to favor measurable marketing efforts like direct mail.

The newest edition of BtoB-The Magazine for Marketing Strategists hit the stands and is loudly trumpeting that message with a special report: " Direct hit? How the downturn is driving more agency clients to direct marketing Global economic uncertainty "

David Warschawski's opinion column also grabbed my attention: " Great Marketing for Lousy Economic Times "

David's piece perfectly encapsulated the mood I've seen here: a mix of anxiety and cautious optimism that as marketing budgets are challenged to deliver higher returns, more personalized and relevant data-driven direct communications are one of the keys to success.

This year's DMA conference features speakers, panels, and educational sessions covering all of the usual topics - analytics, list strategies, the myriad of postal rate and technology changes - but there's a heightened sense of urgency and it's reflected in some of the sessions: Clarity in a World of Confusion: Fostering Growth In Turbulent Times, Online Survival Tools in an Uncertain Economy. The exhibits will showcase concepts, ideas, and products that are all geared towards helping execute measurable marketing campaigns faster, better, and more effectively.

Kodak will be at the DMA (come see us at booth 329!) showcasing how our innovations - from data management & mining, campaign management, full color variable digital printing for short-run and high-volume - add momentum to direct marketing communications. But even more important than the technology innovations, the Kodak booth is a place where some of the most passionate marketers from within Kodak and our partners will be sharing, showing, and brainstorming with attendees.

In the next few days I'll try to bring some of the excitement from Kodak and our partners here, but I'll also try to give you some "man on the street" reporting on what's generating buzz and gaining traction with the attendees. If you have any specifics you'd like to hear about, please email me at marc.johnson@kodak.com . Watch this space for more updates this week.