Gold Ink Awards Entry: Printer Highlights Logo Redesign With a Sophisticated Folder

Print Craft created this folder that contains six components as a self-Promotional piece to highlight the company's capabilities. Displayed here is the front of the folder.

Displayed here are the six components in the folder — a business card, notepad, notebook, pen, card, and an envelope that displays the company's name and logo.

On the back of the folder, embossing was applied.

PHILADELPHIA — April 15, 2016 — This 2016 Gold Ink Awards entry was submitted by Print Craft, a custom commercial printing and packaging company in New Brighton, Minn., and entered into the Folders category. The self-promotional piece features a box that, when opened, contains six components — a business card, notepad, notebook, pen, card and an envelope that displays the company's name and logo. According to Nancee Ronning, president of Print Craft, the folder was part of the printer's rebrand and brand collateral. "Our goal was to present a folder that reflects our company tag line, 'we print inside and outside the box,' and showcase our full internal production capabilities." The result was a very clean and sophisticated sample folder.

A press run of 1,500 folders was produced on Print Craft's six-color, 40" Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 with aqueous coater, and then finished with a Bobst SP102 for diecutting and embossing. Neenah Natural Evolution White was the paper selected for this project.

When opened, the folder neatly reveals the components, drawing attention to Print Craft's Blue and Gold logo and enclosed marketing collateral.

According to Ronning, Neenah Natural Evolution paper, with its unique toothy texture and starchy coating, enabled the use of aqueous coating to seal the sheet. For the closure spot, the company used a a 3M Duo-Lock coin — which provides a great sounding "Snap!" when closed — instead of Velcro.

Multiple colors were also used for this project, including PMS 2945 Blue and PMS 871 Metallic Gold, and a Satin Aqueous coating. The back cover of the promotional piece features blind embossing to show another capability without making the folder look garish (and to show another use of the logo pattern).

"We wanted the piece to be clean in its design," explains Ronning. "It was important to craft a folder that not only serves its purpose to hold samples, but is also a representation of Print Craft's capabilities."

Do you think you can beat this Gold Ink Awards entry? If so, let’s see your best work! Click here to choose from a complete list of categories and to learn more about why you should enter the printing industry’s most prestigious competition. Return your entries by the June 17, 2016!

All of the top winners will be recognized on the Gold Ink Website, through our social media platforms, and in Printing Impressions. Additionally, we will be regularly selecting a “Best Entry” that will be promoted across our multi-channel platforms.