CASE STUDY: Saving Bond $200,000 in 30 months

Peter Castleton of Plantagenet Consulting was Director, Corporate Communications at Bond University from 1999 to 2005. His task included among many things, the directive to produce enhanced print items across the University while reigning in costs. This is his take on the talents and abilities of John Wright, Print Auditor for Ultimate Print Auditing.
	Peter Castleton, Director, Plantagenet Consulting

"One of the hardest business costs to justify in dollar terms but, conversely, something most successful businesses cannot do with out is that essential marketing tool, the ‘glossy’ product and/or service brochure.  Virtually without exception this is the line item that is queried at budget time each year. 

“Cut the design and printing budget by 50% or more!” 

However, you must “maintain the standard and quality of what we use every day” in our businesses.  “We cannot do without our essential props”; they illustrate, underpin and confirm” the work the marketing/sales or external relations teams perform.

Little is understood by CEOs and CFOs about the complexity, variety of expertise and attention to detail needed to produce a quality brochure, corporate magazine or service statement with a reasonable shelf life and impact – they expect their marketing or corporate affairs sections to work miracles with a ‘widow’s mite’ budget.

Then John Wright came into my equation – as Corporate Affairs Director of a major and private Australian University, the inherited budget for design and printing was minimal.  Expectations however, of what would be produced to attract and recruit students to the university were very high – in fact they were unrealistic at times.  However, a university cannot survive without a steady and growing stream of students.  

The outcomes achieved with John were outstanding:

• a suite of quality integrated student recruitment brochures;

• generic marketing material presented in a loose leaf format in a presentation folder so  information could be ‘mixed and matched’ to the purpose;

• award winning annual reports;

• a quarterly ‘glossy’ magazine distributes world wide to alumni and supporters; and

• a variety of purpose designed, area  specific information leaflets and brochures.

All of the above were unique productions subtly incorporated into the overall marketing theme of the University through the clever use of colour, creative design and cost effectiveness.

That is what John achieved for me and my team.

John is a talented design and print professional who combines the experience of running a regional newspaper with a creative flair for design and an intrinsic understanding of the complex world of printing.  He is a ‘people’ person who can present complex concepts with simplicity and thoroughness building trust and confidence in his clients – something of great value in today’s cut throat corporate world.

He knows, and can advise cogently, what is possible to achieve with the dollars available.  More importantly, he can raise corporate sights to aim for the next level of quality through his professional approach and enthusiasm.  John uses relevant examples and good design to create and build a themed concept – in short he can inspire confidence in the client that his or her investment in print will produce an exceptional result. 

These are rare qualities indeed today, qualities that, combined with his dual Federal Ticketed qualifications mean he truly can supervise all the printing processes and outcomes.

John provides a unique solution to one of the most nagging problems in the world of marketing, sales and public relations today – quality, impact and value-for- money.