Exclusive Interview with Jason Cromack

20 September 2011

1. You have had an impressive career so far in the print management sector but what initially attracted you to working in this sector?

I actually began my career in the marketing services sector as an Account Manager on some pretty high profile brands like Kellogg's, Classic FM and UCI Cinemas. I was having a bad day on the golf course, when my father-in-law who ran a print broking business suggested I join the 'firm', which I joined as Sales and Marketing Director in 1997.
When I joined, the market at that time was very focused on making print cost effective and I quicky realised that the future wasn't just about buying and selling print. The future was about print management and offering the total solution - this is why I set up my own print management business in 1998. This enable me to combine two of my major passions, delivery against the customer objective and new technologies to help me do it. I have always been keen to move towards a more integrated approach - this is why Lateral Group has been such a great company to join - we offer an integrated, data-driven, insight led service and are ahead of the market in terms of integration. It has been predicted that integrated communications management will not become mainstream in the industry for another 10 years.

2. What has been your biggest challenge that you have faced since joining Lateral Group last January?

I think that main challenge has been ensuring that we stay ahead of the game. Marketing services sector is developing at an incredible pace and integration is a hot topic.
We are constantly monitoring for new technologies and trends to ensure that we remain innovative and at the forefront of the market. If anything, a large challenge has been perfecting our messaging to ensure that existing and prospective customers understand what we are trying to do and how it can help them sell more products and services to their customers.

3. Your presentation at the conference focuses on delivering effective cross channel communication strategies and without giving too much away, which channels work best with print?

It's difficult to say, as there are no definitive channel combinations that guarantee success for every cross-channel strategy. Communication channels work differently according to the market and sector in which they are applied, the product or service they are marketing and, most importantly, how well targeted they are!
However, it has been proved that those strategies that combine print with other channels deliver higher levels of return on investment (ROI) than those that include no print at all. I will be giving further examples in my presentation, explaining how and why integrating marketing communications across several channels can deliver very effective campaigns.

4. How do you see the print industry changing in the next 5 years?

I predict that there will be a huge convergence of technologies, with the traditional litho becoming more and more integrated with digital print. I can see print evolving to be as dynamic as digital web pages, with each document tailored completely to the individual that receives it. This is not just limited to marketing materials and direct mail, but will also include newspapers, and magazines.
Slowly the print industry is understanding the importance of data. Data is by far the most important tool in a marketer's tool kit and the industry needs to be able to provide solutions that enhances this valuable resource.

5. What are you most looking forward to at the Executive Print Retreat?

I'm looking forward to the opportunity to meet and network with likeminded individuals that have an equal passion for print and technology. I'm particularly looking forward to the presentation on global economic drivers, focusing on how print will shape our world and the emerging technologies that will help us to bring integration to the forefront of the market.

Hear more from Jason at this year's Executive Print Retreat, 6-7 October, Antibes, Nice, France.

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