The Big Picture - August 2014 - (Page 4)

insight by Robin Donovan www.bigpicture.net EDITORIAL Robin Donovan Editor-in-Chief robin.donovan@stmediagroup.com Adrienne Palmer Associate Editor adrienne.palmer@stmediagroup.com Look in the Mirror Abigail Doyle "You - yes you - are Time's person of the year." In December 2006, this headline made history. Time editors decided that their annual awardee was not a lofty politician or grimy go-getter, but its readers themselves. The choice stuck, generating a whirlwind of controversy. Yet, even now, I remember that choice not as a terrible cop-out, as critics claimed, but a bold, brilliant move. As The Big Picture's new editor-in-chief, I have big expectations for this brand and, more importantly, for you. The most vital work I'll do isn't upholding the legacy of a decades-old publication but finding ways to bring together our expertise and yours to build an industry that is forward-looking and, of course, more profitable than ever. You've heard it before: It's no longer enough for print shops to rely on word-of-mouth and solid values to propel business. You have to find some way to bring your brand to life because efficient, friendly service won't mean much if customers can't find it. It's not a gloomy proposition. Do you work hard? Respect customers? Take care of the details? Then the foundation of your "personal brand" is already set. It's the essence of you, from how you deal with irate clients to the way you drive on the way home. It's those little bits and pieces that can't be faked. The 21st Century challenge is finding a comfortable way to project that brand on a larger scale, whether it's in the pages of The Big Picture, on our website or social media pages, or presented during an educational conference. You might successfully navigate new techniques, software, substrates, and dayto-day strategy with a search engine and a beer, but taking the risk of sharing your success alongside your shortcomings is what creates leaders and experts. And your expertise is needed. Not only by me, but by your colleagues, mentors, and friends, who are looking not only for new clients, but better ways to work with them. So, when you finish a cool project, share your results - and the ups and downs along the way. Don't be afraid to pitch your work to The Big Picture or use your connections to self-promote. In the months to come, you'll see a few subtle shifts that will make the magazine more pleasing to hold, more informative to read, and, best of all, an efficient way to stay ahead of the competition. But I hope that the bigger change is your involvement in this industry. Whether that means plugging your projects, trekking through a tradeshow, or finally setting aside time for a social media strategy (yes, a necessity), this is still the year of you. Thanks for letting me be a part of it. Art Director kathy.dezarn@stmediagroup.com Editorial Intern abbie.doyle@stmediagroup.com Kathleen DeZarn Marty McGhie, Craig Miller, Beth Osborne, Jared Smith Columnists Rick Bachelder, Kathy Boydstun, Terry Corman, Scott Crosby, Brandon Gabriel, Michael Garcia, Kirk Green, Robert Kissel, Tina McLaughlin, Craig Miller, Carmen Rad, Greg Root, Jared Smith, Mark Taylor Editorial Advisory Board SALES Murray Kasmenn senior VP/group Publisher 770/578-2577 murray.kasmenn@stmediagroup.com Lou Arneberg Business Development Manager East and Midwest us, E Canada 800/654-5169 lou.arneberg@stmediagroup.com Ben Stauss Business Development Manager West and south us, W Canada, Europe, Asia 513/263-9363 ben.stauss@stmediagroup.com Linda Volz Production supervisor linda.volz@stmediagroup.com Tedd Swormstedt President Steve Duccilli senior VP of Content Christine Baloga Audience Development Director Kari Freudenberger Director, Online Media Subscription Services tHE BIg PICtuRE (IssN 1082-9660) is published 9 times annually (Jan/Feb, March, April, May, June/July, August, september, October, Nov/Dec) by st Media group International Inc., 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242-1812. telephone: (513) 421-2050, Fax: (513) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to non-qualified individuals in the u.s.A.: $46 usD. Annual rate for subscriptions in Canada: $77 usD (includes gst & postage); all other countries: $101 (Int'l mail) payable in u.s. funds. Printed in the u.s.A. Copyright 2014, by st Media group International Inc. All rights reserved. the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. the publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Cincinnati, OH and at additional mailing offices. POstMAstER: send address changes to: the Big Picture, P.O. Box 1060, skokie, IL 60076. Change of address: send old address label along with new address to the Big Picture, P.O. Box 1060, skokie, IL 60076. 4 THE BIG PICTURE August 2014 (847) 763-4938 tbp@halldata.com bigpicture.net/subscribe bigpicture.net/renew 11262 Cornell Park Drive Cincinnati, OH 45242 tel (513) 421-2050 http://www.bigpicture.net http://www.bigpicture.net/subscribe http://www.bigpicture.net/renew

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Big Picture - August 2014

The Big Picture - August 2014
Contents
InSight
Wide Angle
UpFront
Inside Output
Dynamic Signage
Pack It Up
Media Mayhem
Step-by-Step: Float On
R+D
Explorer

The Big Picture - August 2014