(Editor's note: In today's publishing industry, innovation is defined broadly, but it is defined somewhat narrowly. Companies use many tools for self-definition, profitability, and branding. They use new technologies, system integration , a broad product portfolio, exemplary customer service, and much more.
The company described below is one of the six innovators in printing in 2022 and has been named an outstanding company by a group of experts and consultants from the printing industry. (The summary below explains what makes it creative, fun, and unique.)
When it comes to creativity, Dave Funske, vice president of Funske Media, says it's a lonely ride. "It's a lonely journey; that's what it means most of the time. If you want to create something new, you're trying to do something completely different, and really, sometimes it takes you far and only takes a few days," Fensk said. .
But fear of staying on this lonely path hasn't stopped Fast City, South Dakota-based print and digital marketing solutions from going digital.
In the year Founded in 1957 as a commercial publisher, Fenske Media today operates in the digital environment and provides information services through diverse and relevant media channels, actively working to redefine the next generation of digital content with the interactive video platform iVX.
The iVX platform offers adaptive content from third party data based on data triggers displayed in interactive videos. Triggers can dynamically generate new content, create third-party web events and scheduled tasks, or generate SMS or email notifications in real time.
“We wanted to create our own technology, and if you look at what we do with dynamic data printing and how much information we put on paper to make it useful to the customer, we do the same thing. Video presentation,” says Fenske. "It also gives us a digital connection that we can measure at the same time, so we can build it into the business model. We're going to get a scalable messaging segment as well as a scalable digital communications segment."
Fensk, who has worked in the printing industry for most of his career, says he has seen what printing can do for his customers and what it can bring to their business. But Fenske Media, a pioneer in one-to-one marketing communications and now using high-speed Kodak Prosper 6000C inkjet printers, wants to take video publishing one step further.
"If we're lucky, print to mailbox is a great form of direct mail. We want to take the same data that's on paper and make it interactive or digital. It's a model for maintaining and expanding this channel of communication," says Fenske. .
Of course, this platform did not appear overnight; It has been improved in the last eight years and there have been no problems. Fensk's biggest problem isn't Funkse Media, it's its customers. Because for them, the experience is truly rewarding, he said. But once they take a leap of faith, Fensk says, customers have an "aha" moment.
"Of course, digital technologies are disruptive, so sometimes the customer doesn't want to go further, take this technology and try it," says Fenske. "It's hard because they don't want to go ahead and break their flow. I mean, if you have an environment where everyone is a shareholder, we have to be very careful not to disrupt their business. But they have to be ready to meet the challenges that this technology will help them."
Interactive video is not the only innovation from Fenske Media. The company is actively developing its corporate culture. Just over a year ago, Funske Media was a family business.
Now, with the acquisition of publisher and third-generation industry veteran Alan Creel, a leading marketing analytics and brand awareness firm that has expanded, Fensk says it is giving young workers the "keys to the kingdom" and allowing them to function. Growing as the future of the industry.
“We have been a close-knit family business for a long time and the recent move to Alan Creel and his team has allowed us to continue and retain our experienced and confident young staff,” says Fensk. "He (Alan Creel) has allowed us to expand our business opportunities and opened many new doors for us with great understanding and care."
The Funske Media Institute is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, also known as the gateway to Mount Rushmore.
Adriana Harrison, Director of Human Relations Consulting at Printing United Alliance, reiterates why Fenske Media SOC 2 Type II certification is a 2022 Innovator: "In the printing industry, Fenske Media was one of the first to apply the design thinking to solve problems It has positioned the company as a global, multi-channel marketing organization It was an innovative approach that helped anticipate Fenske management realized that collecting and integrating data could help attract consumers to through various mediums and create relationships between your customers and your customers.
