Font Change Would Save Government $400 Million

The choices you make about your printing can significantly impact your business at many levels: Your branding, your credibility, your market share and, of course, your bottom line. Look at this inspiring story as an example, where a middle school student created quite a buzz when he demonstrated how the government could save a staggering $400 million by simply changing the font of their printed documents.

Suvir Mirchandani, 14, first proposed the idea as a way for his Pittsburgh school district to save some cash. But when he applied the formula to state and federal government numbers, the middle schooler realized a small change could reap a big reward.

Changing fonts from Times New Roman to Garamond on all printed government documents would keep some serious cash in the coffers, the science experiment by Suvir Mirchandani, 14, shows.

The middle schooler’s well-thought out plan shows that Garamond, one of the oldest fonts around, is significantly thinner than the default Times New Roman typeface, meaning a switch would provide significant savings on ink — a pricey commodity.

“Ink is two times more expensive than French perfume by volume,” the wise teen told CNN, pointing to the $38 cost of Chanel No. 5 perfume and the $75 an ounce of Hewlett-Packard printer ink will set you back. The feds spend some $1.8 billion in printing costs annually, and have tried double-sided printing and using recycled paper to cut costs. But finding ways to save on annual ink costs of $467 million is a new frontier. Using Garamond would save some 30% on those costs, about $136 million, while if local and state governments followed suit, about $234 million could be cut.

Suvir first conducted his font experiment on a smaller level, looking at the possible savings within his school districts. When he discovered the change could lead to some $21,000 in savings, he took it to the next level and looked at government costs. He submitted his startling findings to the Journal for Emerging Investigators, a journal that publishes research by teens, and the founders of which were blown away by the results.

http://www.emerginginvestigators.org/2014/03/ink-cost-2/

“We were so impressed,” JEI’s Sarah Fankhauser told CNN. “We really could really see the real-world application in Suvir's paper."

It’s unlikely the feds will take action on Suvir’s say so. A spokesman for the Government Printing Office said efforts towards sustainability have already begun — and as more content goes online, less documents need printing.

"In 1994, we were producing 20,000 copies a day of both the Federal Register and Congressional Record,” Gary Somerset told CNN. “Twenty years later, we produce roughly 2,500 print copies a day.”

Suvir, though, says no matter what happens, some things will need to be printed — and that making a change, even for less documents, remains worthwhile.

"I recognize it's difficult to change someone's behavior. That's the most difficult part,” he told CNN. “I definitely would love to see some actual changes and I'd be happy to go as far as possible to make that change possible.

As you can see, being innovative and thinking outside the box can really pay off. Keep in touch and let us help you maximize the benefits of your printing. Call 877.990.1616 or visit us on the web www.marketinkgroup.com

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/new-font-documents-save-govt-400m-teen-article-1.1738489

Is Print Dead? Not Yet

The downfall of paper has been predicted for a century, but the end is nowhere in sight. Is print dead? No. Is it dying?  Kind of. Does it still have life? Yes. This subject has been buzzing around the marketing world since the rush of the Internet and social media. Daily newspapers, which can't compete with specialist publications or the immediate nature of the Internet, are dying a slow death. But is all hope lost for print?

In December, the new owners of Newsweek revealed that the distinguished weekly magazine will return to print after more than a year out of printed circulation. Publishers said the magazine would mainly be supported by subscriber fees, rather than advertising. Clearly they believe that so-called long-form journalism has a place in print.

Counterbalancing that news, New York magazine will decrease its frequency to twice per month. Quoting that because of falling ad revenues, it will no longer run weekly. The print media conundrum remains just that. A conundrum. Some publications continue to survive, while a few thrive.

There’s no magical formula to success. But something has to be keeping print alive. Let’s take a closer look at print media and some advantages it has over its digital counterparts.

Target marketing - A recent MORI study found that newspapers are the best medium for consumers to find coupons, search for ads, compare prices, plan shopping trips, and make purchase decisions.

Ads - A print magazine, with nice pictures and inventive ideas, can still inspire people to do and buy things in ways that the web can't. While many businesses have completely moved their advertising efforts to the web because of its cost effectiveness, exposure potential and convenience, print still maintains its stance as a powerful and necessary component of an ad campaign.

Engagement - Consumers are more engaged when reading printed material, unlike websites, which are often skimmed in as little as a 15 second visit. A study shows that people read digital screen text 20% – 30% slower than printed paper. (Alshaali & Varshney, 2005)

Variety - When you think “print,” what comes to mind? Magazines, books, and newspapers, probably. But print is everywhere. Look around your house: wallpaper, drink bottles, cosmetics, haircare products—all printed.

In reality, print is not dead, it just has competition. Print no longer holds the monopoly on being the first source for information, or the fastest, or the only way to get a message out. However, print does still have a point. It’s a purpose that is different to the one it held originally, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. What do you think? Do you still buy any print media?

As always, remember us here at Marketink. Get Faster and More Reliable Printing, Banners and Large Graphics. Call us if you need us: 877.990.1616