During the second annual Media Day before PRINTING United Expo, journalists were given the opportunity to chat with top industry exhibitors in one-on-one meetings. Andrew Gunn, head of product marketing and sales enablement for FUJIFILM Canada, chatted with Wide-format Impressions about Print On-demand and Fujifilm’s newly launched Aspire program.
WFI: What is the goal of the Aspire (Inspire) Program?
AG: The Aspire program was created to make CMYK+ embellishment technology accessible to everyone—from beginners to experienced designers and printers. The idea was to “democratize” CMYK+ by removing the intimidation factor and giving users the confidence, tools, and knowledge to start designing and printing with specialty colors and effects.
WFI: Why was the program developed?
AG: Customers consistently said they loved the technology but didn’t know how to afford it, how to design for it, or how to sell it. Aspire was designed to address those obstacles by providing education, assets, pricing guidance, and hands-on training. It helps users move from “I want to do that” to “I can do that.”
Q: What does the Aspire program actually provide?
AG:
- Design education: Teaching designers how to create for CMYK+ applications—something very few people currently know how to do.
- Downloadable assets: Gold, silver, pink, and other specialty-color assets that users can co-brand and use freely, without trademark limitations.
- Pricing tools: Resources that help printers understand the cost impact of adding embellishments and how to price their work.
- Sales training: Through a partnership with Tactile, customers receive support on how to sell embellishments effectively.
- Support from creation to production: From initial design, to operations, to on-press execution, users get guidance at every step.
Read this full article on Wide-Format Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
