Variable Data Project

 

This project was different than any other project that I have ever done strictly because of the way that I had to design this piece. Let me explain myself a little bit. Variable Data, in design terms, is the means of substituting data from a database into specified fields to create a custom piece that can be sent to whomever it may be addressed to. This allows for a much more specialized target, and allows for a higher rate of hit, simply meaning; people will stop to look at things that are specialized to their liking, rather than getting a piece that will contain the same thing to every recipient.

In designing this piece I started with the concept that I wanted to create a direct mail piece for a dentist office. The piece would be targeting two groups; male and female. With the two target audiences, I then designed two different looking pieces, one that contains imagery and colors for the male target audience and one with imagery and colors for the female target audience. The specialization did not just stop there, I decided to add more fields of changing data. I included two instances where the targets first name would be used, as well as an instance where a particular service would be given free that was specific to the consumer.

I enjoyed this assignment because it allowed me to learn a part of the industry that will be very crucial I feel, to the future. With a basic knowledge of Variable Data printing, and how it works, I think that it would be something that I will try and explain and push with clients in the future, while explaining, in the long run, it will only help business.

Four States Regional Technology Conference

I recently attended a session on Social Media at the Four States Regional Technology Conference (FSRTC), and I honestly felt like I walked into the wrong session. The session was being presented by Wells Hall, and it was honestly more of a history lesson as opposed to what I was hoping it would be; a explanation and breakdown of how to promote and utilize social medias and apply them to a business.

After sitting in the session for a few minutes, I realized that I was completely bored with the lecture and where it was going, but despite this, there were a few things that caught my attention. Did you know that there are so many videos on YouTube.com that it would take a person 1,000 years to watch all the footage, if there were no more videos uploaded. Also briefly touched on was how people are being noticed for talents on YouTube.com. The example used was for a British lady by the name of Susan Boyle. Susan was a contestant on Britain's Got Talent, and wow'ed the panel and audience with her voice, she then became viral on YouTube, and her video became and instant hit by landing more than a million hits in a very short amount of time. By this, she landed a contract and by the new year, she had the number one selling album in the world that year.

Coincidence? I think not. The power of social media is mind boggling, to say the least. The contact that social media has is very vast. Virtually EVERYONE in a form of social media is connected, whether it be through friends on Facebook, or videos suggested, or friends telling you about videos on YouTube, you can bet that somehow, you are conected with someone, who is connected to another, and another... and along the line, you will be connected to someone on the complete opposite side of the world. This is the technology we live in today. This is the new word of mouth. This is Social Media!!