on branding may take focus away from the ‘nitty gritty’ of the work being carried out on the ground, especially when working with limited resources. However, as Robinson asserts, this kind of coherent branding that establishes a unique character is of vital importance if you wish to stand out from the crowd, especially in the modern online world. Robinson describes specific examples where this was demonstrated, saying: “I happened to reconnect with someone I first met at The Print Show last September. At first, he didn’t recognise me – but the moment I mentioned Print.com and the event, he lit up: “Oh yes, of course Fiona… Stroopwafels!” That small, sweet detail sparked the memory. He not only pointed me toward some valuable contacts I’d been searching for but also gave us a shoutout on social media. “We also recently discovered that in-market search advertising in Google didn’t result in the expected ROI in one of the newest countries we were active in. We immediately shifted our budget to top funnel advertising meta, where we’re purely focused on branding. No promos, just plain storytelling. We’re still in the first month, but our ROI almost doubled.” These elements can be fun and playful, as with the stroopwafels, but they must always align with the character and goals of the business. “It’s the voice you use, the personality you project, and ultimately, the way your company is perceived which shapes how your audience experiences and remembers you,” Robinson points out. “At its core,” she continues, “a strong brand identity is rooted in a clear mission and well-defined values. These values should be deeply embedded in your team culture, reflected in every piece of communication, and serve as the foundation for how your brand presents itself to the world.” This approach would seem to be paying off, with the company expanding to now have regional offices and production hubs in nine European countries, including the UK last year, having only launched in the Netherlands in 2018. It plans to expand further, with countries such as Sweden firmly set in the company’s sights. Marco Aarnik, founder and chief executive officer (aka Captain) of Print.com sums up this alignment of brand identity and company goals with an appropriately airline-themed message, saying: “Just like embarking on a flight, we embrace the thrill of new journeys and the opportunity to empower stories that need to be told and shared. Our mission is to make the journey effortless and convenient, inspiring customers to elevate their brands.” Clear Communications For Nathalia Tolesano, account director at AD Communications, the approach should differ from company to company. However, the key to impactful marketing is to employ consistent messaging across channels. “Print service providers (PSPs), at heart, are creative people,” she says, “and with anything creative, seeing really is believing. So, from a marketing point of view, what you produce (your output) is your biggest marketing opportunity. “You need to get that in-front of prospects so they can see things like the vibrancy of colour, the effects that are possible, the size and scale of what you can produce, the substrates that can be printed on, and the finishing options that are available.” AD Communications is a specialist marketing agency that has been active in the print industry for 40 years. In that time, as Tolesano comments: “We’ve seen countless examples of clients’ businesses positively impacted by integrated marketing and communications strategies, including through advertising and event support." ◄ Fiona Robinson, UK country captain for Print.com It’s the way your company is perceived which shapes how your audience experiences and remembers you 69 www.printmonthly.co.uk July / August 2025 - Issue 355 A report by Forbes from 2024 calculated that 73% of SMEs aren’t confident that their marketing strategy is contributing to their business goals Factoid ►Nathalia Tolesano, account director at AD Communications MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
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