More Than Print, Chapter 9: Bringing It All Together
How finishing, craftsmanship and coordination turn printed pieces into finished experiences.
What Happens After the Press?
There is a moment in almost every print project when the printing stops, but that doesn't necessarily mean the project is finished. A printed sheet might still need to be cut, folded, scored, die cut, bound, mounted, assembled or packaged. Several individually produced pieces may need to come together as one.
What happens after the press can have just as much influence on the finished experience as the printing itself. That's especially true when the goal isn't simply to produce a printed piece. It's to create an experience.
When the Presentation Is Part of the Product
A recent project for Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems is a great example.
Stevens Aerospace wanted to create a premium presentation package for customers considering aircraft remodeling projects.
The challenge was interesting because they weren't simply presenting information. Customers needed to see photo renderings and aircraft schematics, but they also needed to experience physical samples of materials that could eventually become part of their aircraft. The presentation itself needed to communicate the same quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail associated with the transformation Stevens Aerospace was proposing. That meant a brochure alone wasn't going to tell the whole story. The presentation needed to become an experience.
One Experience. Many Pieces.
The final Stevens Aerospace package included:
A branded shipping box
A flip-top presentation box with magnetic closure
Presentation folders with custom-cut inserts
Fabric tags and labels
Branded satin ribbon
Branded packing tape
Branded tissue paper
Embossed logo stickers
Every component had its own purpose, but visually, they couldn't feel like eight unrelated products. Each piece needed to contribute to one consistent brand experience.
Custom cutting can transform a standard printed sheet into something designed around a specific purpose. That's why equipment like our Rollem Insignia 7 Die Cutter matters.
Some Finishing Still Happens by Hand
For Stevens Aerospace, handwork and bindery were important parts of bringing the presentation package together. Individual components eventually had to become a complete package, followed by a final quality review to make sure everything worked together visually and functionally.
That's where craftsmanship becomes part of the process.
A machine might produce the component.
A person still has to make sure the experience is right.
When you're planning your next project, don't stop the creative conversation at: What should we print?
Consider: What should someone experience?
Should they open it? Unfold it? Interact with it?
Keep it? Share it?
Discover something inside?
Should several individual pieces come together to tell a larger story?
Once those questions become part of the conversation, finishing isn't something that happens at the end. It becomes part of the idea from the beginning.
Have an idea that doesn't fit neatly into a standard format?
