Original Impressions — Marketing, Miami Style

MIAMI IS a well-known area for models, but not just the ones found on the catwalk or sunbathing by the ocean on South Beach. Commercial printers seeking to become full-service communications providers should focus on Original Impressions. For the past two decades, OI, as it is often referred to, has cultivated a reputation for partnering with its clients and supporting their marketing efforts—while becoming a model example of the commercial printer of the future.

Original Impressions, based in Miami, is a full-service, multimedia communications provider founded in 1982 as a minority-owned enterprise by President and CEO Roland Garcia, who first cut his teeth in the printing industry running a small press at the in-plant facility for Burger King Corp. (BKC).

He learned how to operate the press and started promoting printing services to all internal departments at the company. He proved the work could be done in-house with the same or with better quality.

Garcia worked his way to become a Certified Graphics Communicator, and was named president of the In-Plant Printing Management Association. Soon after, Garcia was elevated to director of graphic communications at BKC, the youngest director in the history of the company at the time. He was only 26 years old.

Starts Own Company

By 1982, Garcia had built the BKC shop into the second largest in-plant in the state of Florida with 54 employees offering creative, printing and distribution services. But later that year, BKC decided to close its graphics department. So Garcia started Original Impressions with 12 employees. Twenty-four years later, Garcia’s company—now part of Nationwide Graphics—employs 154 people, with an average service time of 81⁄2 years per employee. (Garcia sold the company in 1999, and repurchased it in partnership with Nationwide in 2002.)

Though its roots are in offset printing, much of the company’s success has come from the diversity of its services. Original Impressions has evolved over the years, enabling it to develop e-business, creative, printing, mailing and fulfillment solutions to clients in a broad range of industries. It provides high-end brand development services to small- and medium-size companies, as well as cost-effective graphic solutions for large corporations.

“Original Impressions’ goal is to simplify the sophisticated marketing needs of its clients,” explains Frank Irias, marketing and creative director, of the variety of Original Impressions’ customer base. “For some companies we act as a design firm; for others we serve as marketing consultants; for others we may be their Web house; and for all we are a print provider.”

Original Impressions’ clients include household names like Burger King, KOS Pharmaceuticals, PETCO, Office Depot, Bacardi, Ocean Reef Club and Pollo Tropical, plus smaller institutions including law firms, schools, private banks and not-for-profit organizations.

At its 68,000-square-foot production facility, it offers 18 turnkey services grouped into four divisions: Creative, E-Business, Print and Mail/Fulfillment. The company employs a skilled and dedicated team of industry professionals, including creative directors, designers, programmers, IT architects, mailing specialists, distribution managers and customer service representatives.

As a result, Original Impressions’ clients are not only saving time and money, but are also acquiring a marketing communications partner that acts as a consultant.

“Say you are a small- or medium- sized company that needs branding, high-end graphic design, Web solutions, marketing assistance and printing—who do you go to?,” Garcia asks. “Traditionally, only multiple vendors could satisfy this diversity of needs, and often times required expensive retainer fees in addition to placing unnecessary labor demands on the client. Not any more.”

It is hard not to quickly realize that Original Impressions’ strategy to partner with its clientele is at the core of its success.

“We see our clients as business partners—the closer we get to their business the more we can help, and the happier they are,” Garcia says.

While non-traditional printing services set Original Impressions apart from its competitors, it still has an impressive equipment lineup. The pressroom boasts seven primarily 40˝ Heidelberg sheetfed presses, ranging from a six-color machine with coater to a one-color letterpress. Three two-color Hamada presses call Original Impressions home, as well. Three digital presses are also in use: a four-color NexPress 2500 and a pair of one-color Digimaster 9110s.

The company’s equipment list is also filled with prepress, scanning, imaging, mailing, bindery and fulfillment gear. Original Impressions offers online ordering systems for large corporations, implementing online management systems that help clients manage their marketing materials, image library and training materials.

For example, it provides Burger King franchisees with the capability to personalize coupons online and automatically generate a purchase order with quantities, shipping details and all other pertinent information. It also has Website design capabilities, including shopping carts and many other online bells and whistles. “I see the future of printing and technology taking a new face, one that goes well beyond the machines that put ink on paper,” says Sean Karshis, CTO of Original Impressions.

“The future is truly looking bright for us because Original Impressions is so unique,” Henry Herrera, vice president of operations, points out. “We have developed the perfect blend of creative, marketing, e-commerce, printing, fulfillment and mailing services. In South Florida, there’s just no company like us, and it will take several years before others can implement what we have.”

Garcia is proud of what his company has achieved so far. And he has a right to be, after receiving hundreds of letters from satisfied customers, some of which are displayed in the company’s lobby.

“This is what the new printer has to be—we have become a marketing communications support partner,” Garcia asserts. “We take many forms and offer multiple solutions. Those clients that have gotten to know us appreciate our added value, and those that don’t know us yet are wishing for a company like us. We expect they’ll hear about us soon.” PI