Over a Decade of Collaboration with Communication Arts

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced the relaunch of its suite of global creative services under a new name: Alchemy by RRD℠. This relaunch aims to reinforce RRD’s commitment to elevating brand experiences through its creative augmentation and customized brand activation services. As one of three pillars that make up RRD GO Creative℠, Alchemy by RRD is a global creative studio and branding partner that can provide localized, personalized content and design across all touchpoints. The remaining pillars that form RRD GO Creative are Smart Work Solutions (AI-enabled solutions to digitize business processes) and The_Loft@RRD (a collaborative, data-driven innovation hub to advance long-term strategies). The creative solutions and services that make up Alchemy by RRD include: Branding execution and adaptation; Video and motion graphics; Strategic content development and editorial services; Web and microsite design and development; Digital marketing and marketing automation; Immersive and interactive experiences; E-learning services; Accessibility

Direct mail has been on a wild ride the past few years. First, there was the COVID-19 pandemic that seemingly led to every brand and customer pulling back on every conceivable marketing vehicle as we all struggled to figure out what was going on and where we would fit into it. Then as that waned, in 2022 we saw a massive surge in volumes, with brands rushing to get back in front of their customers as consumer spending skyrocketed, leading to record years for many direct mail printers. And then there was 2023, which saw severe inflation leading to a pullback in spending across the board, coupled with aggressive moves by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to raise rates. It’s enough to make you dizzy. But as we peel back some of those trends and what is driving them, we can get a good idea of what to expect for 2024 — and where you should plan to invest your capital expenditure dollars to capture as much growth and new direct mail business as possible.

For the eighth consecutive year, Midland recently participated as a Sponsor of the thINK 2022 Inkjet Printing Conference. This exclusive industry event took place in Boca Raton, FL and is one of the largest invitation-only summits designed for printing executives who want to understand how Canon Solutions America’s production inkjet printing technology, software and solutions can help them grow their business now and in the future. At thINK 2022, Midland’s booth exhibit saw a steady stream of leading printers from across the country asking for Midland’s guidance on how they can navigate the turbulent waters of a market fraught with supply chain and paper mill allocation challenges. Discussions were centered on “positioning for the future supply chain” for various paper categories including coated, uncoated, inkjet treated, inkjet coated, specialty inkjet media and more. “We are honored and excited to once again participate as a founding partner of this incredibly important independent user group and industry event. Our goal at Midland is to help Canon customers across the country address their most challenging inkjet media needs with new products and solid solutions”, said David Field, Midland’s General Manager, Specialty Paper & Film Division.