The Art Of Cutting Paper

Check out this incredible Ted video from artist Béatrice Coron who's creations are made totally from cut paper. She started her works of art from paper because in her words: "Paper is cheap, light and you can use it in a lot of different ways."

With an exacto and a roll of paper, she creates intricate worlds, cities and countries, heavens and hells. Striding onstage in a glorious cape cut from Tyvek, she describes her creative process and the way her stories develop from snips and slices.

Talk about having a vision with just a blank sheet of paper. Hers is an interesting concept, instead of adding her vision to the paper with ink, marker or pencil, she removes what isn't part of the story by cutting it away. Truly visionary.

Paper is..........Inspiring.

It Only Makes Sense

You don't have to convince us that direct mail works. There are plenty of numbers out their to prove direct mail marketing's effectiveness, especially when tailoring your message to the right audience.

Most of us are getting less mail in our mailboxes, so not only do those messages that are relevant get noticed, they also get read. Add in some sensory marketing to your piece; a little scent here, a little taste strip there, some moving images or a little noise, and you've got yourself a stand out!

Check out the excerpt below from the USPS' Deliver Magazine about last spring's Scented Campaign from TruGreen. Can you smell the fresh cut grass?

Sensory Mail Grabs Hold of the Target

October 10, 2011
by Lekan Oguntoyinbo

An Appeal to the Senses

Spring came early this year in many of the nation’s colder regions, courtesy of lawn care giant TruGreen. In February, oversized postcards with a picture of a lush lawn in the foreground and a family in the background began showing up in mailboxes of 1 million prospective customers of the lawn care company. “Say hello to Spring,” the card read in big white letters.

On the lower left side of the postcard an invitation beckoned: For the smell of a healthy spring lawn, peel here.

The scent of fresh-cut grass filled the nostrils of potential customers who accepted the invitation.

The scented postcard, a key component of TruGreen’s integrated marketing campaign this year, is the Memphis-based company’s first foray into sensory marketing.

“As a company we wanted to change the conversation from killing weeds to lawn enjoyment,” says Amy Simpson, director of brand communications for TruGreen.

While it’s too early to release any definitive data on this new campaign, the evidence so far suggests the use of the scented postcards was well received, says Simpson: “We have anecdotal comments from customers. They say it evoked an emotional appeal, and they liked the smell. It made them want to be outside.”

Read the full article with more examples of other effective sensory marketing campaigns here.

Familiar Faces, New Places

We have some people on the move...and thought it was about time we shared the good news!

Danielle Parker, Outside Sales

Danielle Parker, formerly of our sample and inside sales departments, is now hitting the streets to help spread the word about CMP and the products we carry. In this age of  "non traditional customers" owning and operating digital printing equipment, and having a need for paper, there is no shortage of places for her to visit. We certainly will miss her knowledge and smiling face in the sample department, but are happy more of you will have the opportunity to interact with her. Good luck, Danielle.

Steve Blackport: Inside Sales & Sample Department

And stepping over part time into Danielle's shoes, from his inside sales position, is Steve Blackport. He will "hold down the fort" for Rachel on the days she is not in the office, and when time allows, will work with her to keep things moving. Steve's always been a handy guy, but we are putting him to the test as he learns to make dummies, envelopes, pocket folders and whatever else is needed. You may notice from the picture above, that he always comes prepared!

Looking ahead, and to keep things a bit more consistent, we have added a samples@cmpaper.com email address which will be checked by whomever is manning the sample department. Please switch over to using the new email address. Responses will come from Sample Dept at CMP and the person handling your request will add their name at the bottom, in case you need to reach someone via the phone.

We are lucky to be a small company with a huge pool of talent to draw from. We'd like to think that makes using CMP for all your paper needs a win/win situation for everyone.

Way to keep it fresh by mixing things up CMP.

Choose Print.Org /A Win Win For All

Some CMP folks are in Chicago at GraphExpo this week. Besides having a little fun, they are gathering lots of new information about paper and printing. They ran across Choose Print, an organization working diligently to get the word out about the value and power of print.

Their mission statement reads: The Choose Print campaign provides research-based facts and tools needed to get more print into clients’ marketing mixes – and improve the bottom line in the process.

Check them out on Facebook and on follow them on Twitter at @ChoosePrint!

Here is one of their videos:

The Only Thing Missing Was The Paparazzi/ My Trip With Brian French

It's okay to be a little envious of me.

I recently made calls with Brian French in beautiful Traverse City.

Not only did I get to walk around downtown T.C., but I was with Brian French.

He's famous. People ask for his autograph. They really do. (They did the day I was with him).

For those of you not aware of who he is, Brian is 6th generation French. Son of Jerry, Grandson of Ed, of the French Paper Company fame.

Who doesn't love French Paper? Especially around here. After all they are located in Niles, Michigan. That makes them family owned, "local", Michigan based, and American made.

I experienced the "Brian phenomenon" with my own eyes.

Everyone wants to see him. It just so happens he is the fresh face of a 140 year old super cool company. An instant "in" around these parts. Funny thing is, he's just a regular guy. Brian's been known to answer the phone at French Paper Company when the receptionist is busy, he periodically has to clean out the basement at the mill, and when traveling for work he even sleeps on the floor at a friend's cottage to save money on hotel fees.

Told you he was just a regular guy.

Adding to his coolness factor, is the fact that he brought along French Swag on our trip, including the new French envelope promotion.

Have you seen it yet?

The New French Paper Envelope Promotion.

Although the info is not yet on their website:

French is now stocking  9 x 12 catalog

 envelopes in 8 different colors!

Yiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeee. Bring on the color choices, no more white only.

The 9 x 12's come in Kraft Speckletone and 7 PopTone colors, including (Berrylicious, Black Licorice, Gumdrop Green, Hot Fudge, Orange Fizz, Razzleberry, Sour Apple).

And, it gets even better!

They are also stocking 6 x 6 Square envelopes in all colors of Construction, Poptone and Speckletone.

Yes, you heard me right.

You can get envelopes in super small quantities off the French website or, in boxes of 500 (for the catalogs) and 250 (for the squares) from CMP. Keep in mind they are not on our warehouse floor so there may be a  1-2 day wait for them.

Since I hadn't quite grasped another little tidbit, until my trip wth Brian, I thought I'd pass it along in case you missed it, too.

French stocks 4-Bars (aka A-1's) /3.62 x 5.12 in all colors. That is the smallest size envelope mailable without extra postage required, and it fits quite nicely into an A-6 as a reply card.

Ask for your French Envelope Promo today! Because French is not able to sample their envelopes, it gives you a great working tool with examples of the real thing.

FUN FACT:  Brian calls legendary designer Charles Spencer Anderson, Uncle Chuck.

P.S. If I would have been on my game, I'd have taken a picture of him myself.

I'm A Paper Lover, Are you?

   Terri's thoughts on paper.

          

Photos were taken at a Play With Paper event at Gilda's Club earlier this year.

As a kid I spent many hours "practicing" my handwriting and making thank you notes for my mom and dad's friends. We had a cabin up north, on a river, in the woods. We spent almost every weekend of my growing up years there. It was remote and a bit isolated.  There were no "neighbors" to hang out with, most of the time I had my little sisters and my own creative mind to play with.

Crafting was a natural thing to do there. Playing with paper, especially the really special paper that came in a "pad" of colors, was part of the weekend entertainment. I made thank you notes for every cocktail party, dinner get together, or day at the beach my family was invited to.

The paper I used was so special to me that I kept it in the linen closet, tucked away under the sheets so no one else could find it. I was afraid that if I left it out, my little sisters would get their hands on it and "waste" it.

Imagine my excitement  nearly 15 years later when I got my first job in paper and walked into the sample department.

All that paper. All those colors and textures. I was definitely in paper heaven.

And truthfully, I still am.

I continue to love paper. I love the way it feels and the "thunk" it makes, the sound of scissors attacking it, the smell of markers decorating it. I love playing with paper and getting my hands on it. Typing on a keyboard, drawing on a monitor, reading on a screen just don't do it for me.

I have been lucky to have seen so many cool pieces designed on my papers over the years, to have been a part of the process of creating with paper.

As a kid I used to be afraid to put my pen to paper, for fear I would mess up and waste that beautiful paper. Working at a paper company, I've totally gotten over that. It helps me to know that using paper actually helps grow forests, which leads to more paper.

Paper is ... so many things to so many people. One thing I hope it never becomes, is extinct.

Help keep paper in the mix, via identities, notecards, folders, brochures, direct mail, in whatever way possible, "think paper" as a component of your next project.

And hey, if you need any crafting ideas....I've still got a few I can pull out and dust off from my younger days.

Get Clipping! Boise Adds Box Tops For Education Labels To X-9 Multipurpose Ream Wraps

A pretty cool announcement was made back in May that slipped right past without the fanfare it deserved.....one of our suppliers, Boise®, joined up with Box Tops for Education!

Such a great idea.

Quite by accident one afternoon I noticed that the current copy machine paper we were using here at CMP (we switch them around a lot) Boise® X-9 20# had actual box tops you can clip and save on the ream wraps. Interestingly enough there is also a QR Code included that takes you to a website explaining how and why they partnered up with Box Tops for Education).

Here's more info on this great program which includes Boise Fireworx and HD:P branded papers as well : http://scr.bi/nXQuRr.

We think it is such a great idea that CMP would like to take it one step further....if your company would like to save the Box Tops off the reams of the X-9 you use for your copier, CMP will collect them and turn them into a local school for you.

If you are already into clipping and collecting them, and would like to turn them in yourself, by all means go for it! But if you 'd like some help following through with actually turning them in, we volunteer for the job.

I am personally one of those people who cannot throw away any kind of package that has the Box Tops label on it without clipping it, but then I throw it in a drawer and forget to turn them all in. Well, until that drawer gets cleaned, that is. (Which at my house, isn't very often).

CMP would like to make sure the clipped box tops off the reams of X-9 actually make it to a school where they can make a difference for students. 

So, if you save them, we'll collect them. We'll also save ours here and turn them all into a school in need (hopefully in one large batch where the collective contribution will make an impact).

If you would like, we will happily pass along your company name to the school chosen to give you credit for your efforts, and will give you a "shout out" on our CMP Facebook and Twitter pages.
We might even be able to give some CMP swag (slang for CMP promotional items) for your Box Top saving efforts.

If you are interested in helping a local school out by saving the Boise® Box Tops for Education labels, contact Terri Spaulding via email at terris@cmpaper.com or call 616-676-9203 x 242. We appreciate your purchasing Boise® X-9 Multipurpose Paper from CMP, and for doing your part for education!

Additional links of interest:

http://www.boiseinc.com/products/imaging/BoxTops4Education.html
https://www.facebook.com/BoxTopsForEducation#!/BoxTopsForEducation
http://www.boisex9.com/