Creative agencies and their choice of paper

Unfolding a four cornered competitive edge

“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.”― Dorothy Parker

The creative agency which may be a production house or even a fashion design firm walks a tightrope, balancing precariously to perform and to be judged. Clients’ briefs can be notoriously hard to crack and it isn’t helped when assessments are subjective. It is not unoften that the client says: we know what we want when we see it.

To help clients see, there is one timeless tool, one critical aspect of creative expressions — paper.

Ho Wei Siong who co-founded Animagine, PixelOak and 7 Steps Productions, is involved with promoting creativity in the area of animation. While his work is rendered primarily on computer workstations, the beginning of an idea is described as “something in the head, discussed between collaborators, sketched on paper, before being digitised”. An idea landing on paper is often a turning point, where decisions are made on how it may be modified, and whether it would go further, or come to a stop.  

In its raw form, all creativity needs to come to life is contact between paper and pencil. No power supply is needed. What’s in mind can go on paper quickly, shared, and improved on. These are the very qualities that promote creativity.

That so much of the creative process and delivery relies on paper means the quality paper matters in at least four aspects.

First, the volume of paper involved is about cost. This can be reduced if the paper technology enables just enough ink to make the necessary impression on the paper. Ink saved is cost reduced. ProDigi™ HD Print Technology saves up to 18% ink use.

Second, related to the first, good paper allows the ink to impress on it with clarity. Ink-bleed is reduced and black is denser. ProDigi™ HD Print Technology reduces ink-bleed by 23% and produces 17% denser blacks.

Third, smudge is a real damper. A creative proposal would suffer unnecessarily if the ink rushes and the print is undermined. ProDigi™ HD Print Technology ensures faster ink dry-time, resulting in clean, sharp printouts during handling.

William TK Phua, who runs creative agency JAB Design explains, “there is no room for second best in a boxing ring. There is only one winner. While the choice of paper cannot win a game, it can lose one. Paper may not be thought of as a big deal, but the difference can be real. We craft and print—to showcase and to win.”

Finally, vibrant colors show the true colors of a good idea. When imagination comes to life, the print has to match the idea. When competition is about persuasion, the quality of print can be the game point that decides who wins. ProDigi™ HD Print Technology enhances color vibrancy by 34%.

From idea to product or outcome, paper plays an important role. The quality of paper affects the cost and quality of print. These would in turn impact the competitiveness of the creative unit. The voice of creativity has to be heard clearly and persuasively and the choice of paper should not be left to chance. 

Find out more about PaperOne™ with ProDigi™ HD Print Technology here