Printers around Victoria are being urged to search for a hidden ‘pot of gold’ by taking a fresh look at the competition categories and entering work which they may not have considered.

For a start, says PICA Victoria Chairman, Trevor Hone, there’s a new category in the 2010 competition – Category 35 – which has been established to recognise the importance that design plays in the success of a printed job.

“Each year, we see some spectacular jobs which, because the print quality doesn’t quite meet the exacting standards required for a Gold in the print categories, fail to achieve medals,” he explains, “yet we know that, in the market, these are likely to be highly effective pieces of printed communications.

“By adding this new category, which will be judged separately by an expert judge appointed specifically for this task, we hope to recognise excellence in design in print, just as we recognise innovation in other areas.”

Another relatively new category, and one which is judged on more than purely print quality, is that of ‘Direct Mail Campaign’, which is open to campaigns comprising one or more pieces.  Hone says Direct Mail is an important part of the industry and the PICA competition is keen to recognise it separately.

“Innovative direct mail can have an enormous impact, either as a ‘stand alone’ campaign or, increasingly, as part of sophisticated multi-channel communications designed to engage the consumer in a very personal and direct way,” he says.

“Judging this category on print quality alone would fall short in many ways of assessing the true effectiveness of a piece, so we have broadened the criteria to include not only print quality, but concept and creative.”

To assist with the judging, PICA will not only be recruiting design know-how but PICA patron Australia Post will also step in to provide specialist judging expertise.

These, however, are not the only categories where there is plenty of opportunity for printers to win gold. Categories such as Packaging (17 and 18). Security or Special Printing (21), Postcards and Greeting Cards (10), Stationery (9) and Calendars (8) are traditionally undersubscribed, often with too few entries to justify the awarding of a Gold medal.

“Some of these categories are simply not as popular as they should be, given the quality of the work produced around the industry,” says Hone. “For those looking to improve their chances of winning gold, these categories provide plenty of untapped potential for quality entries, so we’d encourage people to take another look at their year’s work and see where the ‘pot of gold’ might lie!”

Printing Industries Association of Australia
www.picavic.com.au