Montage Graphics Marketing tools for agencies, large corporations, and small businesses ParticleLogic Personalized marketing ParticleDirect ParticleZap ParticleClick Products Digital printing Variable-data printing Large format printing Flippy books High-resolutions scans News Press Releases Montage in the news Events Seminars Round tables Resources Downloads Library Company Contact About Montage Awards

If you'd like to ask a question, please send an e-mail to questions@montagedigital.com. We'll e-mail a response and also add it to the website if appropriate.

Montage Graphics

Question: Is Montage Graphics a printer, an agency, or what?
Answer: Montage Graphics is not a brand agency, and we don't compete with our many agency partners. But we're also not a conventional printer. Instead, Montage specializes in bringing lead-edge tools, products, and services to our customers, which include agencies and businesses.

Question: Who's Chuck Black?
Answer: Chuck is our General Manager, and he's been running Montage for over twenty-five years. Our clients know him as the guy who always goes the extra ten miles. Chuck is also a skilled artist, which explains his critical eye.

Question: What file formats do you accept?
Answer: Pretty much everything! This includes all of the components of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat), QuarkXpress, Adobe Pagemaker, and most flavors of PDF. We also offer limited support Microsoft products including Office, Publisher, and PowerPoint.

Question: Do you guarantee your products?
Answer: If you're not happy, we're not happy. If you ever have any questions or issues, please let us know immediately.


ParticleLogic personalized marketing

Question: What is ParticleLogic?
Answer: ParticleLogic is a trademark that applies to Montage Graphics' suite of personalized marketing strategies and tools. ParticleDirect is the print-based component, ParticleZap is the e-mail component, and ParticleClick is the web component.

Question: What's behind the "ParticleLogic" brand name?
Answer: A particle is a very small unit, much like an individual. Managing data and variable objects requires logic. So, ParticleLogic seems like a particularly logical name for personalized marketing tools.

Question: Isn't one-to-one marketing expensive?
Answer: Sometimes. But it is more effective, which results in a superior ROI. We always review projects with cost per response in mind. While there are certainly less expensive mailers out there (small black-only postcards, for example), they generally get very few responses. ParticleDirect mailers, on the other hand, are more expensive, but they get a much higher response rates which increases campaign ROI.

Question: Where does the data for personalized marketing come from?
Answer: Data can be mined from existing records, purchased from list brokers, collected online, gathered at events, etc. We can help you make the most from different sources, and even combine multiple sources.

Question: How can I learn more about personalized marketing, in a sales-free environment?
Answer: Attend one of our round tables. Every round table seminar is composed of business leaders from non-competing businesses, so there's never any danger of revealing marketing concepts to your competition. In fact, the cross-pollination that occurs from learning about the marketing approach deployed by other industries is often a valued reason for attending.

Question: What's the difference between segmentation and one-to-one marketing?
Answer: Segmentation refers to the process of categorizing customers into similar groups. One-to-one marketing does away with groups, and speaks to each customer individually. Combining both methods is possible and often desirable.

Question: Does one-to-one marketing always succeed?
Answer: No. There are instances where one-to-one marketing becomes unnecessarily limiting, and can end up limiting a consumer's ability to express his personality. The goal is to prioritize information, not necessarily limit a consumer's desire to experience variety.

Question: Which design applications can be used create a one-to-one project?
Answer: Templates can be created with Quark or InDesign. Variable objects can be built in any application that exports common pre-press file formats, such as EPS, TIFF, JPEG, and PDF.


ParticleClick personalized URLs

Question: How do I get customers and prospects to visit a ParticleClick web page?
Answer: Personalized URLs printed on ParticleDirect mailers are a terrific way to drive people to a personalized website. Once there, you can collect more data, promote specific products, etc.

Question: Does Montage host ParticleClick web pages?
Answer: Yes. And we can integrate them with your website by using frames, links, etc.


ParticleLogic variable content

Question: What data formats do you accept?
Answer: We haven't been stumped yet. Delimited text, Excel, Access, XML, are all fine.

Question: How much data is publicly available?
Answer: More than most people ever imagined. We work with list brokers, primary data collection services, etc. Whether you need to buy or list or build a data-collection methodology, we can help.

Question: Isn't some data mining an invasion of privacy?
Answer: Montage Graphics is always careful to use data in appropriate, legal, and ethical ways. In most instances, gray areas can be avoided with a little planning and forethought.


ParticleLogic mapping

Question: How accurate are your maps?
Answer: Our map-generation technology is built on NavTeq data. While you wouldn't necessary want an ambulance driver depending on NavTeq to get you to the hospital, you can trust a Garmin Street Pilot (which uses NavTeq data) to get you around.

Question: Are distances based on zipcode proximity.
Answer: No. We calculate precise driving mileage, based on the shortest actual drivable route—much like MapQuest does.

Question: Can you use imagery from Google Earth?
Answer: Not yet. But let us know if you need us to!


ParticleDirect

Question: Does Montage offer mailing services?
Answer: Yes and no. Yes, we drop all ParticleDirect mailings. No, we don't inkjet existing static mailers.

Question: Can Montage print PURLs?
Answer: A different company owns the trademark for the name "PURL." But we can print personalized URLs. We can even help with customized landing pages.


ParticleZap

Question: Is ParticleZap spam?
Answer: No. We only send e-mail to people who have unconditionally opted-in to receiving it.

Question: Can Montage include personalized URLs in ParticleZap e-mail?
Answer: Yes! A personalized URL can lead directly to a ParticleClick personalized web page.


ParticleLogic photo marketing

Question: Can photo marketing be used to acquire data for variable-data marketing?
Answer: The photograph is really a trojan horse. Before event attendees can see their pictures online, they need to answer a few campaign-specific questions. The more data collected, the better the marketing piece.

Question: Can any camera be used to capture images for photo marketing?
Answer: Our event cameras have special built-in barcode readers and software that associate the right people to the right photographs. This would be darn tricky without automation!

Question: Can photographs be e-mailed, printed, and displayed online?
Answer: Yes. Images are captured with high-resolution cameras, making them well suited for nearly any medium.


ParticleLogic PhotoText

Question: What kinds of images can be used to build PhotoText scenes?
Answer: Almost any image will work. Throw us an idea, and we'll see if it's feasible.

Question: Can the same PhotoText image be used with ParticleDirect, ParticleClick, and ParticleZap?
Answer: Yes. The images are simple re-sized for the appropriate application. This is a great way to build a theme around a campaign.


Digital printing

Question: Is all digital printing the same?
Answer: No. There are four common printing processes that are commonly referred to as "digital printing."
1. Dry-toner based devices are really just fast copiers—with copier-looking quality to match.
2. Direct-Imaging devices use conventional inks, but the printing plate is imaged on the press. DI machines have great quality, but they can't print variable content.
3. Inkjet devices. Currently, inkjet is slow, but the quality is superb. Our large-format devices use inkjet technology.
4. Digital wet ink devices. Our HP Indigo Digital Press uses this technology. It looks like conventional ink, but is capable of printing variable content. The best of all worlds!

Question: Is Montage's digital press an actual press, or is it a laser printer?
Answer: Laser printers use dry toner, which looks and feels like a color copy. Conventional presses use wet ink, which looks terrific. We use wet digital ink, which has the quality of conventional ink, but is far more versatile.

Question: Can Montage print on plastic?
Answer: Yes, our press does a great job on many synthetic substrates. We can also print on labels (both plastic and paper), waterproof paper, etc.

Question: Is digital printing less expensive?
Answer: For many copies of the same piece, conventional printing is less expensive. For shorter runs, digital printing is less expensive. We'll guide you to the most cost-effective process.


Large-format printing

Question: How long do large-format prints last before the colors fade?
Answer: Depending on the ink and paper combination, we can print posters that will last 100+ years. Let us know how long you need a piece to last, and we'll find the correct solution.

Question: Can large-format posters be displayed in full sunlight?
Answer: Display longevity depends on several environmental conditions, the type of inks, the substrate, etc. We do have UV resistant inks, which hold up very well. Let us know where you intend to display a piece, and we'll find the correct solution.

Question: What resolution should TIFFs be for large-format prints?
Answer: 100 PPI is usually more than sufficient. Ultimately, the viewing distance is the determining factor—the closer the eye, the greater the required resolution.

Question: Can Montage add pull-pockets, grommets, etc.?
Answer: Yes! Printing a display is only half the picture. We can mount large-format posters to foam core panels, assemble them into display units, etc. Call and ask for Chuck—he's a master of all sorts of creative ideas.


Flippy books

Question: Can I turn any video into a flippy book?
Answer: Yes. We can convert most formats, including QuickTime, Windows Media, MPEG, etc. Even hand-drawn animations can be converted into flippy books.

Question: Can flippy books be personalized?
Answer: Yes. We can put PhotoText personalized images on the covers, and even customize the content of each book.

Question: Do you have an existing library of videos that can be used?
Answer: Yes. There are also a number of stock footage companies that have suitable videos. Check out artbeats.com


High-resolution scans

Question: What's better: an RGB scan or a CMYK scan?
Answer: That really depends on what the image is going to be used for (web, print, cross-media) and your level of expertise. If the scan will only be printed on a conventional press, we recommend that you choose CMYK scans. If you prefer to make your own color separations, we can supply you with AdobeRGB files. We can pretty much give them to you any way you like.

Question: What's the difference between a "color-corrected" scan and a "raw" scan?
Answer: Raw scans are delivered directly from the scanner, without any manipulation or enhancement. Raw scans are less expensive, but may require you to do a little of your own tweaking. Color-corrected scans come optimized and enhanced according to your specifications.

Question: What's Montage's "default" CMYK color space? How about for RGB?
Answer: Unless we're instructed to do otherwise, we use SWOP for CMYK images and AdobeRGB for RGB images. If you're placing the scans on the Internet, we can provide sRGB scans as well.


Events

Question: Who presents at your seminars?
Answer: Past speakers have included Adobe's Lisa Forrester and Montage's Toby Gadd.

Question: How much do Montage's events cost?
Answer: Most are free, and some cost a nominal fee to offset the rental of a presentation facility.

Question: Can I present at one of Montage's events?
Answer: Maybe. If you have a good idea, please contact Toby Gadd at toby.gadd@montagedigital.com.