“Ad agencies influence over $102 billion in print buying in the U.S.,” said Romano. “Eighty percent of creative agencies are involved in print buying decisions and almost all of them play either a primary role or collaborative role in campaign development and direction.” According to Romano, a study by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Printing Industry Center found that creative agencies play a critical role in the printing industry eco-system. This survey of 250 agencies revealed that creative agencies, and especially the Production Managesr within those agencies, are involved in print buying decisions and account for an average purchase of $1.5 million annually and a median of $400,000. “It is well known that digital color printing's short runs and personalization capabilities improve targeting, response rates, and overall effectiveness of integrated communications programs,” said Randy Davidson, President, WhatTheyThink. “Printers who can support these programs and help agencies use new media to better track performance against their clients' goals will have an advantage in landing agency business. We are pleased to be able to bring this ‘how-to’ session to industry executives.”