This is a post I wrote last year for another blog and while I am not usually a recycler in this area, the message is still relevant (and it is 10/10 after all), so I thought I would share it here…
The Number 42…
Today is 10/10/10, and in binary code 101010 represents the number 42. Why is that important? Well, if you are also a fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (HGG) you may recall that 42 is the answer to “life, the Universe, and everything!” So on this day, which serves as a numerological alignment between a printed book and its digital significant other, I take it as a sign to post about this relationship and fit in some HGG references since this may be my only chance.
So long, and thanks for all the Fish…
Let’s start with Print isn’t going anywhere. What we print, and how much we print may fluctuate with the times, but Printing has been around since Mesopotamia 3000 BC. In the Mid-15th century the printing press came along and made things easier for everyone, and has continued to evolve into and beyond the present day. That’s a pretty long run to be simply wiped off the earth with the advent and purchase of some iPads and Kindles.
Mostly Harmless…
Having used my Point of View Gun, we hopefully agree that Print is part of our lives and here to stay, I now turn your direction to technology… and the “D” word. For every road that closes in the universe, a hyperspace bypass opens. Sure, some things must be torn down to make way for the improvements, but it doesn’t change the base concept that things move from one place to another. We are in the transfer information business. You can take the slow lane, the fast lane, or combine your effort to cover the most ground and still have time to stop at the Restaurant at the End of Universe for lunch. Whether you call it Cross-Channel or Multi-Channel, its time to stick out your thumb and take the ride.
Knowing where your towel is…
In HGG, somebody who can stay in control of virtually any situation is somebody who is said to know where his or her towel is. We are masters of Marketing, and that includes marketing our businesses and ourselves. Digital Media provides so many opportunities that it surprises me how many Printers have not reached for their towels. You already have my Print work, why not expand and offer the Digital services to complete my needs? Create Apps, e-books and FaceBook pages. Develop Digital Asset Management platforms and Cloud based services for your clients. You have Pre-Press departments that are perfect places to hire Production Artists who can also create basic websites for the non-Advertising Agency crowd. Become Multi-Channel resources in the Multi-Channel world. And the same goes for Production Managers and Creatives. Integration for us started years ago and yet there are still some who cannot manage or create a Digital project. Your current position may not require it but believe me if that changes you will really need your towel to use as a security blanket.
Don’t Panic…
Ok, I admit I got a bit fire and brimstone in that last paragraph but as HGG teaches us, the most important lesson is Don’t Panic. Digital media is enveloping so much of our world that it’s actually becoming easier to use. Two years ago you couldn’t have a website without a programmer or some pretty good HTML skills, but now with WordPress you can have a site in 10 mins that you can manage yourself for FREE. Yes it’s basic, but you’re present and searchable and with the proper care and effort to create content you can push that out into the SocialMediaVerse and establish yourself or your business on another Marketing level. As business picks up, you can revisit your site and upgrade and get the Pro’s involved. Production Managers and Creatives have even more options, especially if you work at an Advertising Agency that already covers these projects. Some will offer classes; others will pay a percentage of continuing education. Get a group together and ask a Digital or Integrated Project manager to run through the process and give them a nice gift card or make it part of a dinner party. Show your artwork or copy to your Digital counterparts and ask them for a critique on what works and what doesn’t for different platforms and devices. If you don’t have access to any internal resource, you have the Internet, which is the greatest resource of all. Join groups on LinkedIn or other professional communities. Read the relevant blogs and articles and keep up on current Multi-Channel trends. Learn the terms, understand the goals, be able to have a conversation about QR codes, TransPromo and Augmented Reality and the rest will follow.
Total Perspective Vortex…
In HGG, the Total Perspective Vortex is the most horrific torture device imaginable as it gives the one who enters a momentary glimpse of the infinite universe, and how everything is connected and affected by every other piece. Eventually it leads to a small microscopic dot that says, “You are Here” resulting in a sense of proportion. Having just exited the Vortex, I acknowledge my thoughts above may not be new ideas, but perhaps presented in this way we can all get from here to there with our towels and a different perspective on the role Digital Media plays in our lives. If not, we can always engage the Infinite Improbability Drive and take a ride.
