London, UK - Today Two Sides launches a multifaceted awareness campaign across the UK to promote the sustainability of print and paper as ‘Renewable, Recyclable and Powerful’. The Two Sides (www.twosides.info) initiative involves almost 100 companies and associations spanning the Graphic Communications Supply Chain whose goal is to promote the responsible production and use of print and paper.

Over the next 12 months more than 20,000 media specifiers and influencers will receive information about Print and Paper’s good environmental record and dispel many of the myths that people may have. Integrated communications management firm Lateral Group has collaborated with 300million on branding and design, RA Creative on web design and Haymarket Publications to develop and produce the promotional campaign.  It includes direct mail, a series of online and print advertisements in PrintWeek, Marketing, Campaign and Brand Republic, a competition to visit European forests and a fact-filled website.

“Our aim is to start to change perceptions about the production and use of print and paper”, explains Martyn Eustace, Two Sides Director. “We’re determined to see that print and paper remains an essential part of today’s media mix. The initiative is designed to wake people up to the fact that print and paper is a powerful and sustainable medium and encourage them to visit the Two Sides web site to discover even more so they can make informed decisions about the best medium for their communication programmes. We are starting in the UK and plans are already underway to spread the initiative across the rest of Europe.”                                                                               

Two Sides is targeting those who have the most influence in the choice of communications media including: agencies and designers, corporates, retailers, government, journalists, politicians and publishers.  The program of activity kicks off with a direct mail pack of six postcards (printed on Zen Pure White donated by GF Smith) that each highlight key myths and misunderstandings about paper and print, along with enlightening facts. Each card is illustrated by Tom Jennings, a former designer who has moved into illustration full-time. The style of Tom's pen and ink illustrations perfectly reflect the creative properties of paper. A different artist will be chosen for the next three direct mail packs issued over the next eight months.

Lateral Group is handling media planning and the data processing, printing and distribution of the direct mail items. The company has heavily supported the Two Sides’ initiative from its inception and has donated the services of a project manager to oversee the roll out. "Paper and print have for some time been the 'un-green' medium in the marketing world,” says Nick Dixon, Lateral Group CEO. “Two Sides demonstrates and accurately details that paper and print is still a powerful communication in today's world, as well being a sustainable resource, successfully dispelling any myths about its non-green credentials. At Lateral Group, we promote and champion our mantra of Integrated Communications Management. Only by knowing your audience can you know how to market to them. Print is still very much a part of today's complex and multi channel world".

Six different ads reflect and complement the direct mail campaign, delivering simple statements designed to surprise, educate and explain how the print and paper industry is producing sustainable and effective material.  Two Sides highlights facts such as:
-    Bread from wheat, milk from cows, paper from trees: What’s more natural than Print & Paper
-    1.5 million football pitches of new trees. Every year: More trees are planted every year than harvested and forests have grown by more than 30% since 1950
-    The original wireless communication: Producing a reading a traditional newspaper can consume 20% less energy than reading news online for more than 30 minutes
-    What a great sustainable idea: Half the UK’s energy requirement is predicted to be needed to drive PCs in the next 10 years. Print and Paper, based on natural and renewable material, can be the sustainable way to communicate.

Martin Lawless, creative director at 300million says: ‘Our approach from the start was to bring fairness to the complex emotions and issues that surround the use of paper and print. With balance comes a more rational, objective and improved understanding of what the best thing to do is when it comes to considering the commission of offline communications. This balance is expressed in the name as well as the measured yet forthright logo, brand identity and engaging messaging that get people  to reconsider and rethink print and paper.’

Finally, a competition launched today gives ten people the opportunity to see sustainable forestry and paper making in action at first hand in a choice of forests around Europe. To enter go to www.twosides.info.