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Over
15 years experience in the holographic industry
have helped me to identify a number of recurring
themes in potential customers' objections to using
holography. I have made it my goal to create a path
of lesser resistance, - to make holography "a solution
rather than a new set of problems" (comment made
by Doug Miller while president of Holographic Design).
The aim of this article is to outline what many
customers' perceive as obstacles to using holography,
and to describe at least one solution. That solution
lies in the customization of stock image embossed
holograms.
Due to its unparalleled visual impact, there
exists heavy marketplace interest in the use of
holography for promotion. For the most part, fully
custom embossed holography carries set up (origination
/ tooling) costs which are many thousands of dollars.
Making embossed holograms affordable in low production
runs (runs too short to amortize the tooling
costs associated with fully custom embossed holography)
is the key to tapping this marketplace. I have found
that the best solution to this problem is the use
of stock images.
Impact
is the word, in my mind, which best befits graphic
holography. It is the visual impact of the medium
which gives it such great power and generates so
much interest. Companies of all sizes are constantly
searching for means of promotion which will set
them apart from their competitors, and get them
noticed. Holography adds three distinct advantages
to any promotion:
- 1.
Impact: holograms are eye catching.
People will look at holograms for significantly
longer periods of time than other graphic
mediums. If a customer's name or slogan
is on the hologram, that information is
enforced!
- 2.Pass
around value: people are often impressed
with good holograms, and they are likely
to bring them to the attention of colleagues
and associates.
- 3.Retention:
people tend to keep holograms. We receive
new leads from potential customers who have
holograms on their desk which were created
more than 10 years ago!
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Given
these three factors, it may be hard to understand
why holography is not found in much wider use in
the promotional marketplace. I feel that it is largely
due to false perceptions about holography and its
costs. Unfortunately, in the minds of many, affordability
has never been a word associated with holography.
It would be impossible for me to count the times
that I have heard potential customers say "holography
is great but too expensive' or, "we can't afford
to use holography for our project" (can they really
afford to ignore the impact of holography?) or,
"holograms are only for large runs". These decisions
are made before a price quote has even been made!
Objections such as these are sometimes
based upon past experience; but more often than
not, they come from an incomplete or incorrect conception
of the holographic industry and what we have to
offer. Mainly, objections of this sort stem from
experiences in which an inappropriate solution was
applied to a project. For instance, a customer may
have been looking for 5,000 hologram labels to give
away at a trade show. Calling a company found in
the phone directory, they were told that there would
be a set up cost of $8,000; or, that the minimum
run had to be 50,000 pieces. This type of incomplete
information creates obstacles in customers' minds.
After such an experience, further exploration into
the use of holography would be limited due to the
customer's presumption that holography could not
be cost effective.
I have found that there are a
great number of projects which fall into the category
of 'not cost effective given the high set up costs
of fully custom holography'. One solution to this
problem exists in the utilization of stock image
holograms. Stock image holograms have just as
much impact as fully custom holograms, without the
high set up costs. Stock image embossed holograms
can, with great ease, add huge impact to most any
promotion. Direct mail can be enhanced with a stock
hologram label. Memorable premium and specialty
items such as magnets, calculators, and tee shirts
can be created from stock holograms. Powerful brochure
covers, pocket folders, annual reports, magazine
covers, advertisements, etc. can be produced with
the addition of a stock image embossed hologram.
Packaging can benefit from the draw and appeal of
a stock hologram. New life can, in fact, be breathed
into almost any promotion with a stock image hologram.
Many hologram production companies
have existing stock images. Sometimes images are
created 'on spec.' for projects which do not come
to fruition, and the originator retains the rights
of 'replication' (embossing the image). In other
circumstances, originators create holograms for
self promotion or for retail markets that can then
be utilized as stock images for advertising and
promotional projects. These images can often be
customized to suit individual customer's needs.
Customizing a stock image can take a number of forms.
A simple after printing stage adds a customer's
logo, ad copy, or slogan to a stock image, making
it (for all practical purposes) a custom image!
Stock images can also be die cut (cropped) to specific
shapes and/or sizes which give them a custom appearance.
Placing ad copy around the image on the literature
or product can further enhance the design and make
a stock image unique.
Generally, stock images are more
expensive per piece than custom images due to 'short
run costs' and/or royalties (paid to the owner of
the image) which are included in the price per piece.
This higher cost per piece is deceptive. Since no
custom tooling costs need to be amortized, the
total cost for the production run is low enough
to make the project viable where a fully custom
hologram would have been out of the question*.
Though the average 'total dollar value' of stock
image jobs are lower than those for fully custom
projects, the lack of high set up costs and the
availability of low minimum runs create a much greater
conversion rate, so there are more jobs. Just as
important, customers see the image before the project
begins, eliminating the long, potentially problematic
proof stages and chances for image rejection.
* Comparisons of stock vs. custom holograms
| size/type |
quantity |
origination** |
unit cost
|
cost for run |
total cost |
savings |
| 3"
Custom |
5,000
pieces |
$
5,000 |
$
0.20 |
$
1,000 |
$
6,000 |
|
| 3"
Stock |
5,000
pieces |
N/A |
$
0.50 |
$
2,500 |
$
2,500 |
$
3,500 (58%) |
| 2"
Custom |
10,000
pieces |
$
5,000 |
$
0.08 |
$
800 |
$
5,800 |
|
| 2"
Stock |
10,000
pieces |
N/A |
$
0.34 |
$
3,400 |
$
3,400 |
$
2,800 (41%) |
| 6"
Custom |
2,000
pieces |
$
5,000 |
$
0.70 |
$
1,400 |
$
6,400 |
|
| 6"
Stock |
2,000
pieces |
N/A |
$
1.25 |
$
2,500 |
$
2,500 |
$
3,900 (61%) |
** Origination is (conservatively) based upon a
fully 3D image including basic model, photoresist
master, electroforming, recombination, and die work.
Qualification of customers is often complicated
in fully custom holography. It can take a long conversation
and an expensive packet of samples just to determine
that a customer does not have the budget for a custom
image. Stock images offer an excellent back-up option.
If the budget does not allow for custom work, the
project may often be salvaged with a stock image
hologram. Furthermore, some of our sales reps have
found that offering an affordable alternative in
stock imagery can remove the obstacles in a customer's
mind. As the customer looks further into the project,
he or she finds that a custom piece is really more
attractive, and a budget is 'created' which includes
custom tooling!
In the photographic industry, stock images have
long been a well used alternative to custom photography.
Various collections of stock photos offer a dazzling
array of imagery, so images can be found to suit
even the most obscure project parameters. Holography
has not yet developed into such a serviceable industry
as photography. If you believe that a stock image
may work for your particular project, request a
list of available images from your favorite hologram
supplier; or, look to one of the recently developing
compilations of stock images. [NOTE: If you are
shopping for a stock embossed hologram, be sure
to see if it is available in the form you require
(i.e. - hot stamp foil vs. pressure sensitive, logo
add ons, custom cut sizing or cropping, roll vs.
sheet, etc.).]
A D 2000 INC. of New Haven, CT has created a stock
hologram collection named HoloBank®.
They have assembled a large selection of stock images
by licensing available images from many of the world's
finest origination facilities. This growing compendium
has over 400 stock images ranging in usable size
from 3/4" to 6" square, and customization is supported
in the form of add on printing as well as custom
die shapes, all for runs as low as 500 pieces.
You can also find limited parts of the HoloBank®
collection available in various forms from companies
including Applied Holographics, Astor Universal,
Bridgestone Technologies, and Light Impressions
Europe.
Smith and McKay Printing in San Jose, CA is one
of the countries leading hot stampers of holograms.
They have taken a unique approach to the sales of
stock image holograms. Purchasing large rolls of
stock images in hot stamp foil, and producing a
number of promotional products using these images
allow them to keep products on the shelf ready to
customize as required. Their line of business cards,
note cards, stationary, and presentation folders
are available in volumes as low as 100 pieces, and
can be customized through hot stamping.
American Banknote Holographics offers a large variety
of stock images ranging in size from under an inch
to post card size. Many of their images are available
in both hot stamp foil and pressure sensitive formats,
though custom die shapes and add on printing are
only available in larger runs.
Holographic marketing companies can benefit from
the stock image holograms. Pre cataloged assortments
of stock images allow easy use and access to a wide
variety of imagery. Besides easy access and low
minimum runs, a stock image project can run smoothly
on the side, leaving important man hours to be spent
on the larger and more pressing projects.
It is important to recognize that short runs and
low budgets are not restricted to small companies.
Many large corporations make use of short runs for
specific projects which have relatively small budgets
but are extremely important never the less. These
projects can be high profile; and, they can create
an 'in' because your company was there for them
on the smaller project. The customization of stock
images ultimately makes them custom images. The
majority of those viewing the images will never
know that they were not created specifically for
the company using them, particularly if holographic
diffraction imprinting is employed.
In summary, customized stock embossed holograms
add a powerful new dimension to the sales of holograms
and holographic products. Consider the benefits:
- The
visual impact of custom holography without the
high tooling costs.
- Affordability
in low production runs.
- Multiple
applications from print advertising to premium
items.
- Additional
sales to customers who are presently turned
away.
- Ease
of presentation and higher lead conversion.
All in
all, the best solution I have found to the question
of "how to make high impact embossed holography
affordable in low production runs" is the customization
of stock images. More and more customers are turning
to stock images to enhance their promotions. In
the future, the use of stock imagery will be wide
spread. Companies dedicated to the promotion of
stock holography will increase their image selection
continually, and begin targeting images to particular
industries. Eventually, stock image holography could
become as inexpensive and common a graphic element
as stock image photography is today. |
