HP introduced a breakthrough printing technology, new web-based printing services, an expanded portfolio of printers and imaging products, and a host of alliances and relationships that serve the growing markets outlined in the company’s Print 2.0 strategy.
In conjunction with the announcements, the company unveiled a $300 million global marketing campaign, called “What do you have to say?,” that enables users to mash up their content with free, exclusive content from singer/fashion designer Gwen Stefani, Burton Snowboards founder Jake Burton and celebrated graphic designer Paula Scher.
HP’s Print 2.0 strategy focuses on three areas: delivering a next-generation digital printing platform that increases print speeds and lowers the cost of printing for high-volume commercial markets; making it easier to print from the web; and extending HP’s digital content creation and publishing platforms across all customer segments.
HP is executing Print 2.0 while continuing to drive innovation across its core printing business – an overall strategy designed to accelerate the company’s ability to capture a more significant portion of the 53 trillion pages expected to be printed by 2010.
“Today we’re igniting growth across every single part of our business and introducing market-leading imaging and printing solutions for consumers, small and medium businesses, the graphic arts community and enterprise customers,” said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “With Print 2.0, we’re leveraging the power of the web as a gateway for our customers to communicate, collaborate and publish their content in ways they could not before.”
Powering Print 2.0 – “What do you have to say?”
To engage customers with Print 2.0, HP launched its largest, global interactive marketing campaign to date. The “What do you have to say?” campaign helps customers express themselves with online tools to easily mash, create and publish digital content in new, exciting ways.
The campaign opened with three web-based “achiever” experiences designed to inspire and empower customers with exclusive printable content. At hp.com/gwen, people can combine their personal content with free designs inspired by Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers line and print greeting cards, CD labels, fun paper dolls and more. Leveraging HP’s Tabblo technology, fans also can mash up their photos and text into a book of exclusive pictures from Stefani’s current Sweet Escape tour.
Small to medium-size businesses will find tools to build their brand at hp.com/burton and also free customizable templates to print business cards, letterhead and brochures based on Paula Scher’s unique designs at hp.com/paula. For each site, people can easily print customized content at home, at work and eventually via a network of print service providers.
As an extension of the achiever experiences, HP also established two print communities for consumers (http://expressioncenter.wetpaint.com) and small businesses (http://expressioncentersmb.wetpaint.com) – a first for the company. These wikis enable customers to collaborate on print projects across the globe, share ideas and access tips and “how-to” information in subjects ranging from printing, crafts and digital photography to small business marketing and branding.
In October, the company plans to add the HP Print Studio to its portfolio of web experiences. This site will feature free, evergreen templates and designs for making greeting cards, letterhead, business cards, invitations and more.
These robust web-to-print experiences serve as the hub of the marketing campaign with a mix of traditional, out-of-home, online and viral marketing elements driving people to the sites. The first television spots will debut Sept. 6.
More information about “What do you have to say?” is available at www.hp.com/go/2007/powerofprint.
Next-generation digital printing platform
HP introduced HP Scitex X2 printhead technology, the company’s first piezoelectric printhead, which increases print speeds and lowers the cost of printing for high-volume commercial markets.
This new technology will deliver unmatched quality for commercial and industrial printers and enable these customers to offer new printing services to grow their businesses. HP leveraged its thermal inkjet expertise and manufacturing to design and produce the technology, which will first debut on the HP Scitex XL2200 Industrial Wide-Format Printer.
Enabling easier web printing
With Print 2.0, HP is embedding print services in popular websites, making it easier for people to print usable pages. To this end, HP has formed alliances with Flickr, Windows Live Spaces and Yahoo!. Highlights include:
Leveraging the web as a premier publishing platform
HP introduced several web-based services in an effort to extend its digital content and creation publishing platform across multiple customer segments. Highlights include:
Greater flexibility with HP Halo
With HP Halo Collaboration Studios, HP continues to deliver the most robust business collaboration and social connection experience for its users, now boasting more than 120 studios in operation or being installed worldwide. New studio configurations and enhancements to the Halo managed service include:
Driving innovation across the core printing portfolio
HP introduced a range of new products for consumers, small and medium-size businesses and the graphic arts community. For the back-to-school and holiday season, HP unveiled a series of new consumer printers – counting the industry’s first touchscreen on a compact photo printer – and a variety of unique photo books.
HP also expanded its portfolio of office printers for small and medium-size businesses, introducing the world’s fastest mobile printer(1) and HP’s smallest, most compact LaserJet printer.
Additionally, the company unveiled the HP Designjet T1100 MFP for graphic arts technical professionals and announced the new HP Graphic Arts Capture Business Development program, an expanded offering of business development tools, training and services to help customers grow digital page volume.
