Case
Studies

THE CLIENT
Beano holds a unique place in the history of Britain’s comics. Published and much-loved since July 1938, and with heroes that include Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx and The Bash Street Kids, it evokes happy childhood memories for kids of all ages. And, from a circulation high in 1950, it’s still enjoyed by tens of thousands of readers every week.

THE CHALLENGE
Putting its fans and readers at the heart of Beano stories and in amongst their favourite characters required sophisticated hyper-personalisation and print-on-demand. As Beano’s existing service provider wasn’t able to accomplish this, the hunt was on to find a replacement with a pedigree, reputation and proven experience in this space. Enter Prime.

THE SOLUTION
Using its Application Programming Interface (API), Prime was able to integrate into Beano’s existing ecommerce solution swiftly and seamlessly.

This allowed customers to become their own Beano “editor” and, as well as adding their name and any message, to include within their own bespoke 32-page book an avatar that looks just like them. This then printed in vivid, vibrant colour on high-quality paper and a choice of cover options with just a few simple clicks.

THE OUTCOME
Prime’s smart automation means that, as each individual book passes through its state-of-the-art workflow, it’s tracked and quality-checked at every stage to ensure customers receive their personalised, unforgettable gift in perfect condition in under 9 days.

And, as acknowledged experts in the field of personalisation and print-on-demand, and using smart integration of their respective systems, Prime was able to guide Beano through the entire process from initial concept proposal to a go-live date of less than 5 weeks!

“A die-hard Beano fan, Prime’s Jon Tolley had an obvious passion for the project from the outset. Working with him and his team has been a pleasure and they’ve helped create a sound working relationship that’s beneficial to both parties.”  - Rob Glenny, Beano Studios Ltd 

THE CLIENT
Zazzle is established as a stellar player in the American ecommerce marketplace. With image content from some of the world’s best known brands that include Disney, Star Wars and Harry Potter, it also boasts designs from a thriving creative community, and the ability for customers to upload their own artwork. All of these for application onto a huge range of desirable and on-demand products to create uniquely personalised items.

THE CHALLENGE
Shipping from the US meant that, not only were Zazzle’s lead times unacceptably long, but its costs and carbon footprint were proving to be prohibitively high. It needed to find an established print-on-demand partner in Europe to help it replicate its US success. With an ever-increasing portfolio of POD items, and a reputation for innovation, reliability and service, PPG Group proved the obvious choice.

THE SOLUTION
Having initially created products as individual Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), and following end-to-end testing and quality approval, PPG’s Application Programming Interface (API) now integrates seamlessly to the backend of Zazzle’s ecommerce platform.

Orders are processed in real-time around the clock and, utilising a state-of-the-art workflow, individual items produced in as little as 24 hours. Using a white-label packaging solution and shipped from one of the Group’s five UK production facilities, consumers receive their goods swiftly, in pristine condition and with minimal impact on the environment.

THE OUTCOME
Smart integration of systems coupled with smart automation mean that lead and delivery times have been slashed. While friction-less order processing and production at point-of-need mean customers receive their products sooner, with less risk of damage or delay.

Zazzle has succeeded in reducing its carbon footprint and is able to scale production at speed to reflect seasonality and gift-giving periods. It can also tap into PPG Group’s innovation and product development experience and benefit from the dedicated account management of its customer service team.

“Prime Group has been a trusted partner of Zazzle for years and helped ignite our international fulfilment programs. In partnering with PPG we were able to get closer to our customers, and reduce our carbon footprint with a seamless integration to their innovative order processing system. We have great trust in the PPG group to deliver the Zazzle experience to our customers.” - Kevin Leonard, Director of Network Performance at Zazzle

THE CLIENT
Formed in the US in 2007, and with a mission to “use technology for creating products and services that enable people to build relationships in creative ways”, LoveBook has discovered a winning personalisation formula. Its products, which include not just books but a whole raft of gift options such as jewellery, ceramics and textiles, use a distinctive personalisation style guaranteed to thrill both giver and receiver alike.

THE CHALLENGE
With a promise that LoveBooks can be shipped to just about every country in the world, and a range perfectly suited to the UK market, LoveBook needed to find a knowledgeable and experienced local partner to both support its brand and help further develop its offering.

THE SOLUTION
Prime was the obvious candidate. Widely acknowledged as the UK’s leading provider of personalised gifts and books, it had the skills and the technology in place to both quickly onboard LoveBook as a new customer, and to scale production capacity without any delays.

Using its Application Programming Interface (API), integration was simple and frictionless and orders placed on LoveBooks ecommerce platform now feed seamlessly into Prime’s automated workflow. These are produced using state-of-the-art personalisation and production technology, on-demand, then fulfilled and shipped across the whole of the UK.

THE OUTCOME
Working with Prime as a trusted and experienced partner meant both LoveBook’s brand and its customers were in safe hands. A UK-based company they could rely on to produce and deliver to the exacting standards their US customers had come to expect, and to deliver the economies and product innovation they required.

“From our very first conversation, through to launch date and beyond, we’ve been impressed by Prime’s approach, service and technical expertise. We’re looking forward to their continued help in growing LoveBook’s success in the UK.” - Tony Dombrowski, LoveBook LLC 

THE CLIENT
Inkpact helps businesses deliver thoughtful and meaningful human interaction (at scale) with their customers, Inkpact achieves this by sending personalised handwritten notes and sustainable gifts at key points across the customer lifecycle. Inkpact prides itself on its unique technology stack, allowing users to create highly personalised marketing campaigns in a few clicks online or integrate directly to their pre-existing systems via API or CRM apps. All notes are physically handwritten by the Inkpact Scribe Tribe. 

 THE CHALLENGE
Inkpact needed a partner who could deliver on their vision of automated print on demand and complex ad-hoc pick and pack solutions within their existing operations and IT systems. Inkpact requires nothing less than exceptional print quality, specifically using Electroink white inks on a series of speciality paper stocks, timely delivery with additional assurances – service level agreements to fulfil and meet their campaign commitments. 

 THE SOLUTION
Enter Prime Group. With unrivalled experience and a pedigree for personalised retail gifts, we were swift to demonstrate our ability to deliver:

• An automated workflow that streamlines production from website to letterbox
• API integration in a workflow for post-backs from every stage of production and postage
• Advanced postage and consolidated fulfilment solution for more complex ad hoc projects whilst reducing postage costs
• State of the art HP digital press with exceptional print quality using HP ElectroInk liquid ink technology.
• Our Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and disaster recovery procedures deliver additional assurances and, ultimately, peace of mind.

“ Exceptional account management, The Prime team always exceeds expectations, responding timely and always going the extra mile ” - Andrew Martin  (CTO & Founder)

THE CHALLENGE
Two different styles of books, two price points and a non-standard, landscape format would have made this a “challenge too far” for most production houses.

THE SOLUTION
By combining the Prime "Print on demand" expertise with the superior production capabilities of the HP Indigo 10000 (uniquely capable of printing a landscape book in the required dimensions) Prime;

• Worked alongside and supported the client’s own developers
• Seamlessly integrated with his existing workflow and systems
• Provided a dedicated customer service resource
• Advised on format and stock choices
• Used assets to develop and create additional product lines
• Slashed turnaround times by 2-days

THE COMPANY
Kellogg’s cereals hold a special place in the hearts of kids and adults alike and they’re a familiar sight on breakfast tables across the globe. So, in 2015 when they launched their first on-pack personalised promotion ever, giving their cereal-eating fans across Europe the opportunity to own a spoon with their name and favourite Kellogg’s character on it, take-up was naturally huge.

THE CHALLENGE
With such a level of demand, excitement and high expectations from the Kellogg’s brand, waiting times from order to fulfilment were critical. Needing to significantly reduce these for Spoons 2 in 2016, while at the same time continuing to delight their customers, Kelloggs were inspired to seek Prime’s help to:

• Reduce lead time from order to receipt from 90 days to as little as one week
• Implement electronic “track and trace” throughout the entire manufacturing process
• Put in place transparency and 360-degree visibility on ordering, production and fulfilment
• Ultimately simplify the supply chain and management of the full process after order placement from manufacturer to end delivery.

THE SOLUTION
Its unrivalled experience and already vast range of products in the personalisation space meant that adaptations and developments to Prime’s already innovative workflow could:

• Using APIs, connect the ordering interface direct into its manufacturing process
• Manage all financial transactions and online payments
• Design and source / produce all packaging and multi-lingual consumer information
• Deliver spoon-assembly within the packaging for greater speed
  Produce in a food safe environment meeting Kellogg’s comprehensive quality standards
• Feed directly to the laser for personalised engraving that handles even foreign language characters and alphabets
• Ensure data integrity with ISO27001 compliance
• Simultaneously laser the unique order barcode onto the instruction leaflet, and name/character on to the spoon, to guarantee order accuracy and integrity
• Improve the packaging elements with a more robust but lighter-weight vacuum formed case
• Optimise postage and fulfilment costs and services across Europe and the Middle East
• Improve the overall consumer experience

THE CLIENT
Mind Candy is the company behind global kids’ phenomenon Moshi Monsters and the multi-award-winning brand, World Of Warriors. Creating worlds that fire the imagination has enabled Mind Candy to expand its ever-increasing range of magical brands across multiple touchpoints, from mobile and music to publishing, toys, animation, movies and much more.

New brand Petlandia “pawstruck”.

Petlandia is where pets and pop culture collide. Nifty tech allows pet lovers to create impossibly cute caricatures of their beloved companions. ‘Petlandiafied’ pets can then go on a heartwarming adventure in a beautifully illustrated personalised storybook, photobomb owners in an app, feature in barking-mad personalised videos and star in their own product range.

THE CHALLENGE
Tight timescales, an imminent global launch and an evolving product meant Mind Candy needed to find a production partner and fast. One that was not only well versed in the technical issues associated with such sophisticated personalisation, but who was also agile and responsive enough to support a rapid implementation, and the entire brand launch, without compromising on quality.

THE SOLUTION
Enter Prime Group. With unrivalled Print on demand experience and a pedigree for personalised retail gifts, they were swift to demonstrate (using site visits, samples and prototyping) the value they would add and their ability to deliver:

• An accelerated entry to market via easy integration to their workflow
• Receipt of online customer orders 24/7
• Data integrity and ISO27001 compliance
• Full transparency of the order receipt, production and fulfilment process
• Scalable production and ability to add new products swiftly
• Fast turnaround
• Unrivalled customer communication and overall experience

THE CHALLENGE
Penguin and online retailer Penwizard wanted to take the brand a stage further by engaging the child with a truly personalised story. To do this required a back-end printing and fulfilment solution which dovetailed seamlessly with an existing online ordering portal.

THE SOLUTION
Responsible for the last, vital link in the ordering chain and uniquely capable of delivering what was required, we worked with Penwizard the portal developer, and Penguin Books the owner of the brand assets. With the website user having;

• visited the optimised website and selected a title
• created an avatar of the child to appear in the story
• entered the child’s name and a personal message and
• ordered their unique copy

Our sophisticated Print on demand workflow received and output the file to our state-of-the-art HP Indigo digital presses to print, finish and despatch it in under 24 hours.

"Jon Tolley and his team at Prime are very proactive, and I was delighted to award this very important contract to Prime Group, which turned out to be the only company in the UK that could meet all our needs under one roof – a company that I would say is leading the market, and unique in the UK." - Richard Adey, Owner