Dischromatics Launch Variable Data Printing

One of Sony DADC's UK partners has just launched full Variable Data Printing (VDP, also known as variable information printing -VIP or VI) to its portfolio of products and digital printing options.
Dischromatics has employed this form of on-demand printing, in which elements such as text, graphics and images may be changed from one printed piece to the next, without stopping or slowing down the printing process using information from a database or external file.
Dischromatics can now print personalised letters and also leaflets, brochures, booklets, postcards or even CD & DVD Digipaks, each with the same basic layout, but which can be printed with a different image graphic, name, address or even bar code on each. Variable data printing can be used for direct marketing, customer relationship management, advertising and brochures or postcard campaigns. The success rate from sending digitally printed personalised marketing literature has proven to increase the success rate from 2% or 3% to 10% or even 15%.
There are several levels of variable printing. The most basic level involves just changing the salutation or name on each copy.
However, more complicated variable data printing uses 'versioning', where there may be differing amounts of customisation or personalisation for different markets, with text and images changing for groups of addresses based upon which segment of the market is being addressed. Finally there is full variability printing, where the text and images can be altered for each individual address. All three types of variable data printing begin with a basic design that indicates which sections can be altered and a database of information that fills in the changeable fields.
Variable data printing enables the mass customisation of documents digital print technology, as opposed to the 'mass-production' of a single document using offset lithography. Instead of producing 10,000 copies of a single document, delivering a single message to 10,000 customers, variable data printing can print 100 to 10,000 unique documents with customised messages for each customer. This allows customers to target specific individuals with separate data.
For more information visit: www.dischromatics.co.uk
(BMcN/KMcA)