Vince Marini, Jr. should have a MBA in buying print services. He has a degree in Print Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has worked for Rosenfeld, Sirowitz & Lawson Advertising, Newport Worldwide/Grupias, Digitas, Gillespie Advertising and most recently at RappCollins Worldwide. His responsibilities was to secure and manage print production. Vince also sold printing for a while. His primary clients were corporate offices and large ad agencies.

Below, Vince tells WhatTheyThink about remote proofing, web advertsing and how to have a solid relationship with a print vendor.

Vince, with all your experience, what most excites you about the print industry today?

I am thrilled with all the new prospects the digital era has brought to the printing industry. CTP (Computer to Plate) is an important advancement on how workflow is handled. Remote proofing is the other advancement that, when handled correctly, can put an agency ahead of the curve. Digital printing is ready to explode the entire concept of direct response advertising. The main obstacle is having a database that is usable. Sales representatives with this area of knowledge are they only type I work with.

In terms of selling to you, what should a print company know before trying to secure your business?

I can not work with sales reps that do not understand the product they are selling. There also seems to be a tendency for reps to give customers the “run around” when there is problems on press. I just want the truth‚ and don’t try and come up with excuses.

Give our subscribers the “big picture” of how you partner with your primary vendors.

While there are vendors that come and go due to job changes causing their services to not be needed, there is a core group of partners that have spent years with me. I need to have common traits with my sales reps. Many are senior level people within their organizations. Many times, I also have working relationships with the owners and managers of the companies. This comes about through partnership arrangements I try and acquire with my vendor-partners. Most gained the initial job because their type of service was needed. They continued to be a partner because they were pro-active with the project. They offered ideas, concerns and solutions without being pushed into a corner. Other then a loss of common needs with a vendor, I have had the situations where the vendor did not do the job. This, in many instances, does not mean they did not produce a quality piece, it is my job to ensure this happens, no matter what. Instead, to get to the final approved stage, I had to go through difficult times. Our industry tends to live on difficult times, but if the vendor is not “partnering” during those times, they are not visited again. If I need to struggle with their workflow, or corporate thinking then I will find a company whose philosophy is closer to mine.

You mentioned trends in digital printing earlier. What other patterns do you envision?

I do see a trend toward more digital products within the direct mail portion. Also,in-line finished products have become more popular with the upgrade of the quality of imaging available. In general advertising, it would appear the use of CTP by more publishers will force the advertising agency production teams to deliver products in a digital format more and more.

There seems to be a heavy push into ad agencies for web based collaboration. What is your take on the subject?

When they were first out, I examined the Noosh system. I even had my group send one or two RFQs in to them. The pricing was competitive. One of the skills I possess, which I enjoy using, is the ability to source. This is one reason I have, for the most part, strayed from using brokers. I don’t feel I need a middleman in my dealings with vendors. My work is not “price purchased” to begin with. Quality, in a large majority of my client experience, has been the main concern. You can always find a cheaper price, but at what cost?

You said remote proofing was attractive. What advancements need to take place in this space?

I have used this technology and like the opportunities it offers. I have not seen a product, which will allow for real-time, on screen, interactive corrections that I think solves all problems yet. My vendors use a number of different processes. Most show digital proofs, as they have adopted CTP within their workflow. I do not soft proof with printing. I have used it for the letter shop personalization portion of my work though. I still receive analog proofs from some vendors. Every project is proofed prior to being on a press.

Do agencies struggle with how to take advantage of web advertising versus print advertising?

I have always believed the web will only make my position more secure. Just because a site is launched, does not mean people will know it is there. You have to tell them about it. Many firms cannot afford television advertising. So, with direct response, we can let them know of the new site. Using intelligent database inquiries, we can find the correct audience for the sites product(s). Banner ads have not proven to be effective, but their cost makes them attractive. (Editor’s Note: Except for banner ads placed at WhatTheyThink : )

I believe there are a few agencies that understand the use of web-based advertising. But in most cases, they are part of a larger organization that offers traditional marketing also. I believe web based and print advertising both in-mail and ads can coexist. Banner ads will need to become much more compelling to be truly effective.

Describe SUPER PRINT PROVIDER, the firm that would have it all together. What would their characteristics be like?

They would have: web presses, forms presses, sheet-fed equipment, digital presses,
letter shop and personalization equipment, a knowledgeable personality-filled representative, offer high quality products at competitive pricing, be completely CTP,
and have ability to use a remote-proofing solution. I actually deal with companies that can offer most of those requests.

OH, and they would be located in warm weather.

Vince, we thank you for your time!