This year, among several other awards of recognition, Finlay was awarded the 2011 Best of Category: Flyers (4 Colors of More) from the Premier Print Awards for the Stanley Hero Card we produced.

Please be sure to ask your Finlay rep to see the flyer. It’s pretty cool, and incorporates Brilliance foil into the artwork.

When TLP needed to produce The 2011 Gatorade Occupational Sales Kit fast, and with the highest quality, they turned to Finlay to get the job done right.

The unique kit features a pocket folder, a four-tabbed collated brochure affixed with screw posts, informational CD, and an attractive strike through varnish technique that makes the product and featured colors really stand out.

Beyond the attractive and successful design of the piece, the speed of production was notably impressive. Finlay was given files for the printed kit on a Wednesday night and was able to color correct, approve, print, and assemble the first shipment for the following Monday.

These kits are distributed by Gatorade representatives to Occupational Accounts, providing vital information regarding the features and benefits of choosing Gatorade as their hydration source.  Be sure to ask your Finlay representative to see the final result of this Sales Kit.

This past weekend, Finlay attended Dscoop6 in Miami Florida.

Dscoop, the Digital Solutions Cooperative, is a community that drives productivity and profitability for all HP Graphic Arts users. Each year, they host a conference where like minded Graphic Artists can gather, network, and share information.

The 2011, Dscoop6 show was a great success, with even more educational sessions and networking events than past conferences. One exhibitor, Finch Paper, had a great display of printed samples available for attendees. Finch had a huge turnout for company attendance, and certainly showed their commitment to the Dscoop community.

Pictured above is Finlay’s Mike Blanco – our own digital print expert! – with Beth of Finch Paper in the Finch Booth.

When asked about his overall experience at the Dscoop6 event, Mike said:

It was well worth the trip. The networking opportunities alone help grow my resources for the future.

Here’s a funny YouTube video provided by Sappi that we think printers and designers alike can appreciate!

Check out this great article. The creative brief: 10 things it MUST include, featured on Felt and Wire.

It provides some great insight and information regarding the relationship between designers and their clients.

For the upcoming 2011 football season, The Atlanta Falcons Football Club decided to once again incorporate Brilliance® Foil by Finlay in the brochure component of their season ticket renewal package. Using foil to enhance the visual impact of the team colors, copy, and images of the brochure was a strategic decision make by Falcon’s Creative Services Manager, Michael Benford.

Michael stated, “We really wanted to give the fans something unique, something that they may hold onto as opposed to read and just throw away.” The incredible design and unique integration of foil into the Falcon’s team colors truly makes this piece a keepsake. In fact, Benford had the printed brochure framed and hung in his office.

When Finlay’s own Dan Shea asked the Creative Services Manager why he chose to go with Brilliance for a second time in the printing of their brochure, he simply stated, “We wanted something with a big wow factor, and with Brilliance we were able to accomplish that.”

Be sure to ask your Finlay representative to see this incredible Falcons brochure the next time you see them!

Check out this great article featured on Digital Nirvana.

It discusses seven “musts” for direct marketers in today’s economy:

1. Get to the point immediately.

2. Trickery? Don’t even try it.

3. Back up what you say.

4.  Make it visual.

5. Make it instant.

6. Get smart.

7. Be nimble, be quick.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to check out Foldfactory.com’s 60 Second Fold of the Week videos, we highly recommend you take a peek!

Unique and interesting folds can take a printed piece from ordinary to extraordinary. The Fold Factory Archives feature one fold each week that showcases a new folding idea which you can apply to your upcoming projects. Stand out this year, try something new.

Be sure to check out the two Finlay pieces featured on Fold of the Week:

June 30 2010 – Inverted Broadside Gatefold

September 8 2010 – Wrapped Stepped Accordian – Vertical Format

Want to test out a new folding idea on an upcoming project? We have the experts and equipment to help you get started.

It seems that over the past year, QR Codes have been popping up everywhere. From billboards, to marketing materials, to instructional manuals, to business cards, QR Codes are an exciting tool that are rapidly growing in popularity.

What exactly is a QR Code? A QR Code, or “Quick Response Code,” is a specific two-dimensional code, read by barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

But what can they DO for us? Specifically in marketing, QR Codes are being used as an effective way to measure ROI on individual campaigns. The ability to track traffic and response rates to each code makes QR Codes extremely valuable. Knowing exactly where hits on your website, campaign pages, and the like, came from give great insight into the success of the campaign.

In addition, QR Codes provide a fast and efficient way to exchange contact information. Including a QR Code on your business card allows people you meet to easily scan your information to their mobile phone. Many people are now including QR Codes on their badges and banners at trade shows and conferences as an easy way to share their contact information.

As a quick example of their usability, scan the QR Code featured above. Each time you do, we’ll know you’ve read this article and then visited the Finlay website. Many people are joining in the trend to include QR Codes on their websites that provide their contact information to all the “scanners” who visit their site.

Here are some cool links featuring QR Codes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7pNsWNR5CU

http://www.fastcompany.com/1585822/business-card-just-scan-my-qr-code

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd5yzgELGy4

For More information and Facts about QR Codes, visit:

http://www.denso-wave.com/qrcode/index-e.html