The red-flocked invitation tied with a gold ribbon arrived on my desk and the pearlescent paper inside hinted at something special. "Roll out the red carpet..." it said. I was invited to the unveiling of K/P Corporation's new 125,000 square foot fulfillment, print, and direct mail facility in Renton, Washington.
Off we went!
Battling Seattle rush hour traffic to arrive at K/P's new plant was well worth the trip. And those of you from Puget Sound understand what a trip that had to be!!
More than 250 guests attended the grand opening and celebrated "A New Marketing Space All in One Place."
We pulled up to the velvet ropes and valets in crisp white shirts opened the car doors and handed us over to K/P staff to get us checked in.
Wait, you say, I thought this was a grand opening of a printing plant? Ah, yes, but you didn't take into consideration the influence of Susan Kelly, President/CEO and marketer extraordinaire!
Who else do you know that would invent a "signature" drink for an event like this? The Kosmori/Perfected - a special Cosmo - complete with pomegranate juice for a luscious rosy color - greeted each guest at the door.
And, who else would have the side panels of a Komori 6-color, 40-inch press custom painted? Custom painted ... red?
Seated next to me for the evening's special event was Stephan Carter, President of Komori America, and I asked him if custom painted panels were going to become an option on all Komori equipment.
The answer: "No, not likely. But perhaps there is an opportunity for an ‘after market' business custom painting them." Candy apple red, anyone?
The highlight of the evening, after hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and a wine tasting, was a special surprise - a fashion show. A fashion show, you ask? Indeed!
Local fashion designers - Katharine Andrews, Emilia Bess Karr, and Margaret Chin - all graduates of Seattle Central Community College Apparel Design Program, were instructed to translate "direct marketing" into garments representing technologies that support marketers as they contact, communicate, and do business with their prospects and customers.
Seated along a 50-foot runway, we were treated first to an appreciation toast. Until you've seen glasses and a shaker of "Kosmoris" delivered on a silver tray poised on the forks of a huge forklift, you haven't lived!
The finale was an amazing gown incorporating years of samples from Nordstrom - from the flagship store, Nordstrom Rack, trade shows, designer previews, holiday events, and rewards programs. The designer created a dress whose skirt showcased years of successful marketing campaigns with every piece individually sewn to an underskirt to allow for flow and movement.
To get the full flavor of the evening, explore the event archive of photos and videos.
And, should you sometime think of printing as a dry, conservative manufacturing business, just take a look at what can be accomplished with enthusiasm, a little creativity, and a lot of red!
Thanks, Susan and your K/P team, for a very special evening!
Discussion
By John Foley on Nov 07, 2008
K/P Corporation is a true leader in data-driven marketing solutions. It is a privilege to partner with K/P to help them provide their customers with strategic marketing solutions. We congratulate them on their new facility and their continued innovation.
By Terry A. Tevis on Nov 13, 2008
Susan Kelly and her imprint on K/P Corporation demonstrates the value of merging a visionary leader with an ability to maximize print as a viable media channel. My congratulations to her and the continued success of K/P Corporation in this difficult economic climate. Susan remains one of the very best in print and providing a company with great values and even better execution.