IMAGO BUZZ

Organic Baby Collection

2012-01-31T04:36:00.000-08:00

Natural organic cotton is extremely popular at the moment - not only for its eco credentials - just one touch and it's easy to feel why. Super soft and extra snuggly, it's quite irresistible!

We have teamed up with a great supplier in China who specialises in organic cotton and has a growing product range. All fabrics are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard and Oeko-Tex. They have an innovative range of off-the-shelf toys and clothing to choose from and are also open to bespoke / custom projects, or tweaks to their own designs.

And here's some we made earlier for Little Dog

2012-01-16T05:01:00.000-08:00

High-End Black & White Printing

We are now offering a stunning patented black & white printing technology suitable for the fine art and photography markets.
Independently developed by a multiple award winning printer using 4 colour printing with black and 3 specially formulated greys, the level of detail, tonal purity and grey balance control is truly breathtaking. For high-end black and white titles, this is the way to go.

High-End Colour Printing

From the same stable, we are also able to offer high-end colour printing with an impressive extended colour gamut. Again, this is a patented process using specially developed inks and FM screening to produce a brighter, cleaner and more intense range of colours than is available with conventional screens and process inks.

If you'd like to discuss using either technology on your next project please contact us here.

The corridor of fame!

Looking for a Paper Engineer?

2011-11-30T03:56:00.000-08:00

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Black Pearl, Parragon

Imago is able to bring you the expertise of a talented and creative paper engineer with over 15 years of experience in the field. Keith Finch, who is UK based, specialises in the design and production of pop-ups and paper mechanics, devising highly original and diverse projects as illustrated below.

Struggling to get workable costs for your pop-up projects?

Rising hand labour costs and falling print runs mean production costs can be a major headache for novelty publishers, yet the pop-up as art form has never been more popular. Keith's detailed knowledge of the production process enables him to create pops which are visually stunning, yet efficient in their paper usage and construction without sacrificing their impact.

Review the following pics to get an idea of Keith's portfolio and contact us if you would like help with any of the following :

Paper engineering of new projects including provision of storyboards, nesting sheets, cutter guides and mock-ups
Examining existing projects to help reduce manufacturing costs
Assessing printer's dummies and suggesting improvements or adjustments

Happy Ever After, Funtastic

The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 40th Anniversary Edition, Penguin USA

Frank Lloyd Wright in Pop Up, Thunderbay Press

Hot Products!

2011-11-03T02:27:00.000-07:00

In our quest to bring the latest ranges, trends and innovations to the market, there is a lot of 'sifting' to be done. We do get some real classics pouring into our inbox - and here are just 2 of our recent favourites which just ooze class and sophistication - I present:

THE CHEWED GUM MAGNET

and

THE TOILET MUG

(with endless tasteful possible uses)

If anyone would like to order - we have an excellent source of supply....

New editorial courses launched

2011-10-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

We are launching three new editorial courses this autumn : Copy-Editing Workshop 16 Nov (Imago, Thame)
Proofreading Workshop 12 Dec (Imago, Thame)
Better Business Writing 13 Dec (Imago, Thame)
Click on the links above to view course synopses.

All courses are one day events and have been devised to reflect current publishing practice.

Our Trainer Graham Smith is a publisher, editor and trainer with more than 20 years' experience in book, Internet, and corporate publishing.

For more info and to book please visit www.imagotraining.co.uk or email Gaynor Johnston at training@imago.co.uk

Courses are priced at £365 per person.

Giving Your Book the Edge

2011-08-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

There is much more to decorative book edges than gilt edging with gold foil... so much more! Why not foil stamp with text? Or, keep the booksellers sweet by stamping spine info for a wire-o bound book along the back edge.

No need to restrict yourself to decorating your edges with text - geometric patterns and even tonal images can be used with pretty impressive results as shown below :

Board books or wooden books can really come to life with some painted edges:

And these holographic foiled edges shimmer and shine on the shelf:

These are very simple but fantastically effective... sprayed edging that absolutely steals the show:

Puppet Books

2011-07-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

When Calm Down Boris won Richard and Judy's Best Book for Children in 2006, we were all thrilled, but none of us surprised. Boris was a revolution and we have always been immensely proud to produce these wonderful books for Templar.

Boris now has friends, each of them wonderful, colourful and bursting with personality. The puppets are attached at the back cover in such a way that they can be twisted and turned. Watching kids play with these books, or indeed watching the parents sharing these books and acting out the story with their children, is all you need to see the real added value the puppet brings.

Templar are now launching a smaller format featuring Norman and Ernie. We are already in love all over again....

New kids on the block - Norman and Ernie

Imago Aus clean up at the Galley Club Awards

2011-07-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

This sell-out event, held at Lowenbrau Keller in The Rocks, Sydney on Friday 22 July, celebrated books and magazines across several categories and Imago were thrilled to win in three, including the prestigious, Book of the Year.   Here are our winners :

Category Six : Sheetfed Mono or Duotone book, cased or limp bound, no price limit
Winner :  Hell's Only Half Full - Printed by Imago
Publisher :  National Museum of Aus Press

Category Seven & BOOK OF THE YEAR : Sheetfed Limited edition book, no price limit
Winner : The Arrival and Sketch Book Suitcase, Shaun Tan - Printed by Imago
Publisher : Hachette Australia, Production by Anne Macpherson and Isabel Staas

Imago Australia's Sales Director: Alison Wheeler with the winning product.

The Arrival is beautifully produced (if we do say so ourselves) and the stunning artwork and design treatment all come together to make, well, Best in Show! Congratulations to all involved.

Graphic Detail

2011-06-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

We have recently started to produce a lot more graphic novels than ever before and we absolutely love it!

The artwork and detail is always unique and there seems to always be something just a little bit special about them. This latest offering from Canadian Publisher Drawn and Quarterly has a great cover and the best imprint page we have ever seen.

Below is a selection of some of the other gorgeous titles we've produced recently which all have something unique about them:

The Twilight Saga : The Official Illustrated Guide

2011-05-20T02:51:00.000-07:00

When we were approached by Little, Brown Book Group with a new top secret project an air of mystery and suspense had us all on the edge of our seats. Twilight has amassed a phenomenal following, so the new Twilight Saga - the Official Illustrated Guide, had to be kept well under wraps to avoid any details being leaked into the ether.

The steps taken to ensure this happened have been quite extraordinary and I am pleased to say our suppliers, ably managed by our team in Singapore, stepped up to the mark.

To start their journey files were personally delivered by hand straight to the printer in Thailand and plotters were then created and checked on site. All plates were run at the same time and locked in the secure pre-press room until needed - two plating operators were on duty during the process. Non-conforming plates (rejects) were bent inward and held in the secure plate bin located adjacent to the press until after the book release date. The guarded printing area housed 2 x 8 colour presses dedicated to the job and only authorised, badged and separately uniformed staff were allowed into the area. All make-readies were held in a cage for destruction after publication and printed sheets were stored in a secluded area with a 2 metre high sheeting surround and under constant CCTV monitoring.

Security cameras were installed in the bindery and security guards employed in order to ensure goods were not removed from the area. All waste material was bought to the bailing room and shredded under the supervision of the pressroom supervisor.
Transportation was equally carefully managed with drivers having to remain in the truck throughout the loading process. In Australia each container was accompanied from port to warehouse by a security car.

The schedule was also super tight and as you can imagine there was a large sigh of relief when everything ran like clockwork and the book launched to high praise! Everyone involved has enjoyed the challenges working on such a high profile project can bring.

New Gallery!

2011-05-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

We have recently updated our website with an all new gallery showing off a wide range of some of the fabulous projects we have recently worked on. We will keep updating it so check back often to see what we've been up to around the globe.

Every One A Winner....

2011-04-21T02:52:00.000-07:00

We have finally had all the details through of the winners at this years Book Industry Guild of New York and we couldn't be happier! The stunning Jedi Path stole the show and rightly so but each and every one of the books below is a little bit special in some way. It's always a joy to have new, exciting and creatively designed product to work with and we are looking forwards to see what our customers can come up with next to challenge us!

Category: Best in Show
Winner
The Jedi Path
Becker&mayer!

Category: Special Trade, Gift
Best in Category
The Jedi Path
Becker&mayer!

Category: Special Trade, Adult Graphic Novels
First Place Book
Norman Pettingill, Backwoods Humorist
Fantagraphics

Category: Children’s Trade
First Place Hardcover Picture Book
Extraordinary Pets
Blue Apple Books

Category: Children’s Trade Pop-Up Books
Second Place
DC Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book
Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Hachette Publishing Group

Category: Special Trade, General
Second Place Cover/Jacket
Gaga
Sterling Publishing

Creating eBooks using InDesign CS5 - new course launched

2011-03-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

Our Digital Publishing courses are being really well received and we're adding to our programme in this area with a brand new eBooks course this Spring. Focusing on building practical skills, Creating eBooks using InDesign CS is intended for existing users of InDesign who now need to create eBooks alongside their conventional books for print. For full synopsis click here

The course will run on 26th May at our training facilities in London. It's priced at £365 + VAT and delivered by Mark Bracey.

For more info and bookings by email to training@imago.co.uk or call Hilary Wood on 01844 337000. Alternatively download the booking form from our website here

Papertoy Monsters

2011-03-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Papertoy Monsters is an amazing new paper-folding book that includes designs from 24 of the world's top Papertoy designers. Described as "paper airplanes meet Origami meets Pokemon", the book is gaining quite a following! Recently interviewed by PrintWeek, production director Doug Wolff is quoted as saying "Our first print run sold out almost immediately and we went back to press pre-publication. Publicity for the title continues to roll in and we've received rave responses to the book on our website, Twitter feed and Facebook pages".
It's not hard to see why - made from card and paper stock, "Papertoy Monsters" features 50 original punch-out paper designs that are easily transformed into an army of three-dimensional monsters.

Published by Workman and printed by Imago in Hong Kong, the book uses 2 alternating paper stocks throughout - a 105gsm matt art for the text pages and 165gsm woodfree stock for the image pages which include the templates and cut outs for the all important monsters. "Since the pages weren't printed sequentially the complete book had to be entirely hand collated at the factory before it was bound".
The book is a real "must have" and a triumph of design and production!

New York Book Industry Guild Awards - 25th Annual Book Show

2011-02-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased to share the news that 4 titles we produced in 2010 have all won awards in the 25th Annual New York Book Show. The titles are:

• Extraordinary Pets – Blue Apple Books

• Norman Pettingill: Backwoods Humorist – Fantagraphics
• Star Wars: The Jedi Path – becker&mayer!
• DC Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book - Little Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette)

In addition, Star Wars: The Jedi Path won “Best in Category.”
The news is just in so we are still waiting to hear which categories these were placed in and we'll be sure to share! We are all feeling very, very pleased with ourselves and our enormously creative clients!

Threadless

2011-01-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

This special edition was created by Harris + Wilson for Threadless. This community based T-shirt company has an huge following with their unique take on design, allowing fans to submit their own T-shirts, with the best making it onto the market.

This gorgeous slipcase covered with imitation Chinese Suedeluxe and printed in black, is set off by the vibrant yellow inner packaging and can't fail to dazzle. The book is pretty fabulous too.

You can watch the video of it here!

Holographic Effects

2011-01-18T07:35:00.000-08:00

Our supplier is able to create stunning holographic effects using the latest laser writing technology. The recent samples using stereogram technology we’ve seen have astounding detail, depth and colour giving a great 3D effect.

If the video does not appear, click here to view.

Imago and Editions PlayBac Press Check in Thailand

2011-01-14T07:04:00.000-08:00

Imago and Editions Playbac have been working together in the French market for several years now, but this year the partnership has become a truly global one, with international travel very much on the menu!

THAILAND:

During July, Imago Singapore accompanied Marie-France Wolfsperger (head of Production at Editions PlayBac) for a press-check on a key title for their 2010 end of year campaign.

Not the first press-check overseas for Marie-France by any means, but this was her first visit to Thailand, and to our printing partner there.

Desmond Heng, Imago Singapore

The press check was critical as the project featured a heavily inked cover printing on a metallised paper, which is rather a specialised printing job. She was accompanied at every stage of the process, by Imago and the factory owners:

“It was fantastic; I got a warm welcome from everybody there, whether it was with the staff at Imago or the printers, everyone has been really friendly and professional.” MFW.

Finished article

Marie-France found the factory impressive - clean, organised, rigorous and the staff welcoming and meticulous, and was particularly grateful to Desmond from Imago Singapore for taking care of her so well.

Tuk-tuk, Bangkok

Of course it would have been a shame not to have fitted in some sightseeing, so Marie-France was also accompanied to some of the more famous Bangkok sights – and even caught sight of one of Thailand’s famous Tuk-tuks. Apart from a frightening encounter with a snake at an evening restaurant, the trip was a real success, and Marie-France described the finished product as “beautiful”!

Royal Grand Palace, Bangkok

Birds tweet the old fashioned way

2010-12-23T07:05:00.000-08:00

Here at Imago UK we have a close relationship with our feathered friends, particularly in these snowy, frosty times. They are kept well fed (and photographed) and we never tire of seeing them flitting about outside our window all day. If you have visited you will no doubt be aware of the perils of the pheasants on the drive!

And in more bird news, our beast of a bird song book - the Bird Song Bible (produced for becker&mayer!), has had a great review. You can read and listen to it here.

We are here for just one more day until Christmas and would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Creating eBooks and apps - new date added

2010-11-30T06:40:00.000-08:00

Our newly launched Creating eBooks and apps course is proving very popular and ran to a full house earlier in the month - we were sorry to have to turn people away. We've added in another date and now have a few places up for grabs on January 19th 2011 (venue - Imago, Thame, 09.30 - 17.00pm, price £365). To book your place or to get more details contact training@imago.co.uk

Training at Imago UK

2010-11-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

Over the past seven years we have developed a training programme which offers good value and a high standard of training to publishers and our own staff alike, and for the first time this summer, we received attendees from the French market – from our partners Editions PlayBac.

Marie-France Wolfsperger, Cyril Martinez and Edouard Leplat attended our Novelty and Book-Plus Production training, together with Amelie and Aurelie from Imago Paris. The 3 days spent travelling, training and sightseeing in Oxford together provided a great opportunity to cement the relationship further. The PlayBac team also were greeted by the staff and directors in Thame and enjoyed the grand tour of the Head Office.

All attendees remarked on the usefulness of the course and would be very happy to repeat the experience.

The Bookseller Visit

2010-11-15T08:45:00.000-08:00

Fame at last - Tom Tivnan from The Bookseller has been to visit and written a small piece on us for the current issue! It's a great read and can be found online here.
For those who have not visited this 'bucolic idyll', please see below a photo from our offices this afternoon.

Jedi Path - the book

2010-10-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

With our attention surrounding the Jedi Path having been very much focused on the mechnical 'vault' we shouldn't forget the main event - the book it houses!

Every possible attention to detail has been made - the cover material is a super silky PU which captures the feel of a well thumbed treasure that has been handed down through generations of Jedi. It's very Star Wars and beautifully soft - you really feel like you are holding something special (if the flashing lights and noises didn't already do it for you).

The deckled edges of the book give the book authenticity and there are even some pages ripped out which have unfortunately not managed to stand the test of time....

There are several removeable artifacts throughout the book but one of our favourites is the 'old' stained napkin with preliminary death star plans drawn on the back....

So much work, thought and effort has gone into every little detail of this book. The packaging really is just the start, albeit a good one. From author to factory, this is a real triumph and we are all thrilled to have played our part.

Hidden Images

2010-10-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

This technology allows you to reveal secret messages or hidden images from within your own standard printed 4 colour image. Placing a lens over the top of your image can reveal - well - whatever you want it to!
Best described by seeing it action - please watch the video below:

NEW Digital Publishing Courses

2010-10-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

The publishing landscape has changed beyond recognition in recent years with many book publishers placing increasing emphasis on their digital strategy. The rapid shift has left many with a skills gap that is difficult to bridge and in response to publishers' requests, Imago is launching two new Digital Publishing Courses this autumn. Delivered by Janson Woodall & Robert Campbell, two highly experienced publishing professionals, these courses are designed to bridge the gap and help you get up to speed, face the challenges and realize the opportunities offered by digital publishing.

Creating eBooks and Apps - 1 day course

Aimed at: Production, Editors and Designers

Next course: 17/11/2010

An essential one-day course for those who are new to digital publishing and who may feel bewildered by the speed of change and by the array of technologies, devices and platforms to be mastered. Delegates will gain a clear understanding of the choices, steps and processes to be considered when planning and delivering eBooks and Apps.

Download course synopsis (pdf)

Digital Production Using a Content Management System - 1 day course

Aimed at: Publishers, Production, Editorial & Designers

Next course: 23/11/2010

The ideal one-day course for those who, as part of their overall digital strategy, are involved with or are considering a Content Management System with XML workflow. Delegates will gain a clear understanding of the key data standards, XML workflows and principles of content management.

Download course synopsis (pdf)

For more information on these or any of our other courses you can call Janet Hodgkinson on 01844 337000, email us or visit our training site.

Star Wars: A Journey into the Unknown

2010-10-01T02:35:00.000-07:00

When Imago was approached with the initial product concept -- a vault that would open to reveal the hallowed book inside -- one of the toughest challenges was creating a “wow” factor while keeping the budget under control. For the product to succeed with Star Wars fans, the vault needed to open in dramatic fashion with an array of lights, sound and motion, but the vault couldn't be so expensive to build that it would send the price of this collector’s prize into the stratosphere.

One solution to this was to avoid using an electric motor. The vault is activated by the single press of a button, releasing a series of hinges, levers and cogs that open a pair of doors in two directions simultaneously (up and out) while a platform inside rises slowly to offer up the book. The only electronics are a small chip and batteries for the special effects of light and sound that accompany the opening sequence.
“The fact that it is mechanically driven is huge,” said Todd Rider, product designer at becker & mayer! “The toughest challenge was refining the fluidity of movement, and trying to convey the essence of what we wanted through the miles and the languages.” Neither becker & mayer! nor Imago had ever made a product exactly like this before, so the specifications and the end result had to be built from scratch. “We had to figure out a whole new vocabulary,” said Rider.
For example, in the unveiling of the book inside the vault, how fast is fast? The speed at which the platform would rise was a matter for much debate. “I was trying to convey magical, smooth and mystical,” Rider explained, “and the builders were thinking, ‘make sure it pops up’.”
“There was tons of desire to get it right on both sides, and we kept experimenting until we got it to where it needed to be. Imago was invaluable in keeping the lines of communication open and positive….making sure the project stayed in contact with the pavement.”
Another wow factor was the exterior - plastic made to look like dramatic polished metal from the Star Wars universe, complete with an etched engraving of the twin suns of Tatooine, the home planet of Luke Skywalker, and the pair of hands holding a light saber aloft – a nod to one of the iconic images from one of the earliest Star Wars movie posters.
The result? Come and see it in the flesh at Frankfurt at Imago's stand (Hall 8, D903) or take a look on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuOrNhR9e6M

STAR WARS: THE JEDI PATH VAULT EDITION

2010-09-07T01:39:00.000-07:00

A long time ago in an office, far far away.....

It is a period of print unrest, rebel production operatives striking from a California base, have won their first order from the Galactic Empire......

Powered by becker&mayer! and Lucasfilm, Ltd, starship Imago raced forward, custodians of the secret plans unable to be revealed, until now......

When Washington-based publishing innovators becker&mayer! began development on a new book project for Lucasfilm, Ltd. that would document the secrets of the Jedi, it was understood that a special product was needed to both protect the valuable manuscript and provide a dramatic way to unveil this new book to the legion of fans in the Star Wars universe.

The solution was to create a “vault,” a sleek, mechanized container that when activated reveals the coveted text, JEDI PATH, rising slowly out of the vault from beneath a pair of engraved silver doors. The vault opens with a whoosh of Star Wars sounds and glowing, pulsating LEDs.
“From the start of this project,” says Jim Becker, co-president of becker&mayer!, “we took pains to create an ‘in world’ text that would engage devoted collectors and younger generations of Star Wars fans alike—all in an out-of this-world package. The effort in-house as well as the collaboration with Lucasfilm and Imago, our manufacturing partners was inspired.”

This is the first book we have ever done that has its own trailer.... we are beyond proud, please take a look:

Code Cracking Non Fiction Format

2010-09-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

This stunning Napoleon Bonaparte title produced on behalf of Loewe Verlag GmbH, is the latest in what appears to be a sudden influx of complex 'add on' books for Imago.

The cover has a very clever and relatively cost effective add on, with a clear polyresin domed oval affixed over the top of Napoleon's portrait, a feature which really gives the book an authentic period feel.

Also included is a code breaker to crack codes as they appear throughout the book in addition to lift up flaps, facsimile documents, booklets and touch and feel elements.

This is a really sophisticated format, conveying information in an exciting and entertaining way that appeals to adults and children alike.

A Thing to Hold in Your Hand

2010-08-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

Hollywood, FL. I am still thinking about a comment made by a speaker at the Museum Publishing Seminar in Washington: a writer from The New York Times, she said that the book as a physical creation was on its way out, except, perhaps, "as a fetish object."

This information was received with some consternation by an audience made up mostly of those in the art-book publishing world. There were also those of us who found this rather amusing: we are a group of individuals who are mostly be-speckled and quirky, and not accustomed to thinking of our interest in books as something as sexy and forbidden as A Fetish.

This past week I read about a young designer, living in Brooklyn, who has achieved sudden and unexpected fame for his beautifully hand-crafted axes. I wonder if we are in a period that is not unlike the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - the world is moving so fast and the changes are so unsettling. Back then, artists responded to the industrial revolution by creating everyday things by hand - not machine. Now, with the internet revolution, maybe what we are losing and want to hold on to is something that is real - that exists outside of a computer screen.

Like a simple tool - or a book.

Fortunately Imago is ahead of the curve, firmly positioned with the creative and manufacturing resources to provide books and related products that are beautiful, well-crafted and most definitely a pleasure to hold in your hand. Long live the book!
Christina McEntee, Imago US

We Won!

2010-08-11T06:26:00.000-07:00

The 34th Galley Club Awards for Excellence were held in Sydney on the 6th of August 2010 and brought together 160 professionals in publishing and printing. Imago picked up three awards having had two titles short listed in two categories this year:

Category Seven: Sheetfed - Limited edition book, no price limit
A Picture Book, First and Foremost. Published by Story Road. Printed by Imago Australia.

Category Eleven: Non-standard - Novelty book or stationery item (bath book, board book, calendar, diary)
Six Scents Global Fragrance Initiative Box Set. Published by Six Scents Parfums. Printed by Imago Australia.

We were also surprised on the night to receive an award for Innovation in Publishing and Printing for A Picture Book, First and Foremost.

A big congratulations to all those who were involved in the production of both titles!

The Imago ladies on the night:

France passes new law that impacts on School Books

2010-08-03T02:53:00.000-07:00

A piece of environmental news which may affect you and which we thought worth sharing.

The French National Assembly published a law on July 13th 2010 which adopts several measures relating to consumer products and environmental concerns. Amongst several other key points relating to air quality, collection of waste and environmental labelling we noted that as of 1st January 2013 all school books must be reprinted on recycled paper or on paper coming from sustainable managed forests.

Printed Edges

2010-08-03T02:50:00.000-07:00

Edges are so often overlooked and here at Imago we absolutely encourage you to go to town on them!
People tend to think of foil blocking as their only option but what about using a matt coloured foil - stunning:

It doesn't there however and full on printed image edges are becoming increasingly popular to add real charm and make your item stand out. This is just one of many samples.

Metallica

2010-07-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

We have access to a great range of metallic effect papers and boards for covers and packaging. From funky holographic and etched foils backed onto card to sophisticated brushed metal -the selection is really extensive. The material to the left recreates the look of an industrial metal floor whilst the one below is a quite stunning patterned iridescent. It's available without the patterns but hard to convey in a photo! These would make amazing and unusual cover materials for a book.

Here we're showing more variations. Shimmering and iridescent finishes are always eyecatching and have the ability to make a title leap from the shelf! The matt metal finishes lend a slightly more sophisticated feel which combined with the right design could be breathtaking.

Social media: How to Tweet your RSS Feedburner via Facebook and other short stories

2010-07-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

Whilst we at Imago have been blogging and tweeting for a short while now, we were acutely aware there was very much more still to learn. Not least of all how we can use it as a genuinely useful tool for our business rather than just something we ‘ought’ to be doing.

So here I am. Fresh from my social media for business course and brimming (or simmering) with ideas. You can expect to hear more from me in the coming months...
What's really interesting is some of the facts and figures on social media users and whilst I won’t go into them all here, one thing is abundantly clear.... With virtually (pun intended) 50% of under 18s already using social media, the next generation are very much going to expect, nay demand it, as part of any business, service or product. And don't forget, a huge percentage of them are only a few short years away from being our future colleagues and customers. I am not yet old enough for the thought of being left behind in a technological haze to be acceptable. We must up our game!

The challenge remains of how to convert these tools into business tools. It's easier to see the appeal of keeping in touch with relatives and friends on the other side of the world and who can argue with the joy of a quick tweet with Stephen Fry, but how to generate an interest in what we have to say, because actually some of it is quite interesting!
I've been assured today that networking sites are here to stay and whilst the brand may change, the essence will remain the same. Apparently it suits our natural human behaviour and our need to form 'tribes'. After all as our trainer points out, being sent to Coventry or solitary confinement has always a heightened form of punishment denying us all our need to communicate. These 'tribes' transcribe themselves into communities which form and appear all over the virtual world. If you look hard enough, you will find group of people discussing anything and everything. What we have to do is find these groups or start our own. Once you have decent content and something to offer a community will form, and from small roots grows great potential. As soon as your followers start to grow you will find with one simple post/tweet you are reaching far more people than you ever could have before and with significantly less effort and cost. 100 followers on Twitter is a modest sum but they can 'retweet' your information to all of their followers and so on and so forth, and so the viral marketing begins. Very often once a community grows large, you will find it manages itself. Questions and queries get answered from naturally formed leaders within the community and monitoring is the essence of what is required.

How this transforms itself for Imago, you will have to wait and see, but certainly, as a global company we have a massive wealth of experience and knowledge that most of our customers only get to skim the surface of.... So I am pretty sure we have plenty to say and hopefully, you'll enjoy finding out.

Cartons... the forgotten element that could destroy your schedule!

2010-07-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

We don't often give too much thought to the process involved in carton markings and packing and shipping instructions are inevitably bottom of the list of priorities. However, it is useful to know that as we enter peak season, carton makers are also getting stacked up and unable to work as quickly as before.

In a dream world we should be supplying packing instructions with our POs but that is often simply not possible. At the moment in this peak season, the latest should be 2 weeks before ex works. That way we should end up with the cartons we want, labelled correctly and on time!

Things are looking up on the Shipping front

2010-07-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

There is at last some bright news for shipping... container capacity on the Asia-Europe route, is set to increase dramatically over the coming months.

Maersk and CMA-C GM are to join forces and restore a service which was put out of action in November 2008. They have even upgraded the service from 9 vessels with 8,400 container (20ft) capacity to 10 vessels with 13,400 container capacity. And they are not alone, MSC plan to launch 39 similar capacity vessels over the next 3 years and other lines are starting to bring ships out of storage.

Not only is it hoped this will ease the capacity issue, it should also help to stabilize rates in the long term, which I am sure we would all welcome....

News Flash! Chancellor Keeps VAT off Books

2010-06-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

Value Added Tax (VAT) will not be applied to books, or other printed materials, the chanceller of the Exchequer George Osborne has announced.

But the top rate of VAT where applicable, will increase from 4th January 2011 to 20% from the current rate of 17.5%. You can read more about it here.

Festival Season is here!

2010-05-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

We have recently discovered this rather unusal but equally wonderful portable speaker system. This tiny device deploys highly effective vibrations to convert any flat, hard surface into a quality audio speaker.... for example, a box or a bottle or even a car! When used with a corrugated card, it delievers a great quality sound oozing with bass. Everything from pizza boxes to juice cartons can be transformed into a speaker and hearing really is believing!
You can watch the video here.

Going Gaga!

2010-05-18T02:08:00.000-07:00

It's all go-go over Gaga this end as we launch into production of the new Lady Gaga illustrated biography for Essential Works.
One of the wonders of the modern age, the biography not only charts her life story through hundreds of fabulous photos, but also looks at the people who inspired the phenomena we know today as Lady Gaga.

Printing in China we are all set and ready to go and can't wait to see the finished result!

You can read all about it and get a sneak preview of the content here.

Pimp My Book!

2010-05-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

We are currently busily working away on our first augmented reality projects and it's a very exciting time for us!

We've had lots of meetings with our technology partners discussing all the options sat amongst the 3D TVs, black glasses and webcams and we are buzzing with the potential, features and capabilities of the media. Infact we are struggling to think of a book that would not be enhanced by augmented reality!

One thing that has come up is the possbility to 'retro fit' augmented reality into an existing title without the need to re-originate the entire book or large chunks of it. One of the requirements of augmented reality is a high contrast image to act as the trigger which is best as black and white. Printing loose cards which can be used interactively with the relevant page and incorporating them into the book can work really well and also means you don't need to have the book under the web cam to activate it. It’s also perfectly possible to recognise a 4 colour image and use this as the trigger but the costs are that much higher it's best avoided at the moment!
There is just so much we could talk about - and no doubt we will - but for the moment, feast your eyes on this beauty from BMW showcasing some of the best augmented reality to date.

Safety PIN Launched!

2010-05-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

Our new safety blog has successfully launched!
Available on a subscription basis the blog will be updated monthly or more reguarly as events unfold, to bring you real time safety news relevant to the publishing industry and even giving sneak previews of the new regs to come! Our contributor is Diane Greaves, who many of you will know from Imago's Safety courses.

The initial take up has been good and the site is now only accessible to subscribers. If you would like to know more you can click on the image for a overview of the site or contact us here.
Subscriptions are available on a yearly basis for £250 and with the continuously unfolding events of the new European Toy Safety Directive we plan to bring you the latest updates in layman's terms which we hope will prove genuinely useful.

Bookery Takes off in France

2010-05-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

What is Bookery you say? Well it’s the latest term coined by our Paris office to neatly summarise the current French trend for Cookery Books Plus!

We have produced some amazing sets for the French market and it seems to be very much on trend at the moment. There has been a huge increase in the number of ‘Coffrets’ (Box Sets) in the last couple of years, over a wide variety of subjects but most noticeably around the theme of cookery.

Initially the increase was not taken too seriously by either by publishers or by book stores , however, no-one could ignore the huge sales on these items and since the recession has hit home, this has been a welcome source of revenue for bookshops and publishers alike. Although many still see this as a short term trend, it seems that the surge is not finished yet. Supported by their predilection for stylish but miniature recipes (canapés, hors d’oeuvres, starters and the like), some publishers are focusing in on this area for the longer term identity of their publishing list.
The public are choosy however and whilst objects of quality, distinction and style sell well, cheaper quality and poor finishing flop badly. The greater the perceived quality - the better the sales. Of course the French are very proud of their food heritage and more likely to place a higher standard and value on this kind of product.
We look forward to seeing more of these sets coming through and in the meantime our sourcing team are becoming quite the experts in all things culinary!

Ali becomes our new Australian Sales Director

2010-05-05T02:19:00.000-07:00

We are very pleased to announce that Ali Wheeler has been promoted to Sales Director heading up our Australian office.

Ali first joined imago UK back in January 2004 as a Senior Controller in Sarah’s team.

When the opportunity arose out in our Australian office, Ali was first on the plane and has since made a whole new life for herself on the other side of the world. She has worked enormously hard and we are all very pleased for her with her well deserved promotion.

Pictured below Ali (hiding slightly) with her team + William and Anthony from our Hong Kong office.

Did You Know....

2010-05-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

This week is rabbit awareness week.... you can find all all about it here....:

How do we know? Well not only is the beautiful countryside in which we are lucky enough to work full of the little creatures, but we are also very proud to be involved with Rufus Rabbit - a new rabbit on the scene currently taking the greetings card market by storm!
Rufus is the latest creation from The Little Dog Laughed and he has already stolen our hearts...

Imago to supply Scholastic ELT Readers

2010-03-31T02:00:00.000-07:00

Teenage subjects for teenage language learners
We are all awash with Scholastic ELT readers at the moment, as we supply more and more of this series. Most of the titles are accompanied by an audio CD, based around contemporary, media focussed topics and designed for teenagers learning English.

Bringing more than a touch of Hollywood to our shelves with titles such as Spiderman, Night at the Museum and The Devil Wears Prada in the range, not to mention Michael Jackson and Barack Obama, we are thrilled to be printing these for Scholastic and can’t wait to see which titles come next…. Robert Pattinson special please…

Seeing the Wood for the Trees

2010-03-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

In order to achieve our FSC and PEFC certification our in house systems have undergone a major overhaul to enable us to trace materials accurately through the workflow. The staff in each of our sales and production offices undergo regular training to make sure they are all up to speed on the requirements and know where to find all the relevant info. Our annual audit came back recently with some really pleasing comments – Robin Askey of BM TRADA said:

"I must say, I have audited numerous companies in the paper and print industry.... Imago stand-out as being one of the best organised and managed in terms of FSC and PEFC chain of custody I have come across.... [they] have employed excellent use of IT and have provided good training to their staff. I have noted in all of the satellite audits so far....staff have been well prepared and well trained."

Paper Update

2010-03-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Paper prices are the most volatile they have been for sometime – the major reasons are as follows:

• Paper mills, especially in Europe, have been operating at losses for years and it appears now they are pushing for price increases
• Dockers strikes in Finland – UPM has closed 3 mills and Stora Enso threatening to temporarily close mills this week which will cause a shortage
• Damage to plantations, mills and port in Chile means no pulp will be exported from Chile for at least a month and consequently pulp will be in short supply
World shortage of pulp
• Chile produces 4.8m tonnes of pulp per annum which represents 8% of world capacity.
• they are the lowest cost producer in the world
• almost two thirds of their production is sold to China and other Asian countries (one third China, one third other Asian countries).
• Mills that have been affected that were supplied Chilean pulp – Garda, Biberist, Hansol Paper, Gold Huasheng Paper, April, Stora Enso, APP, Motril, Finch

• The big question is how long will the affect of the earthquake stop production. Currently 3.7m tonnes of the 4.8m tonne capacity is closed as a direct result of the earthquake.
• The longer term damage has been caused to the timber plantations
• The current understanding is that damage to pulp plants varies depending on how far away they are from the epicenter of the earthquake, but some are structurally damaged. However, Chilean pulp suppliers are advising that most mills will be out of production for at least one month whilst they are checked for damage and essential repairs are made. Some will not start up for longer than that.
• Chile’s infrastructure has been badly damaged; bridges have collapsed, roads and railways are impassable and the main harbour serving the pulp industry at Concepcion was severely damaged. This has interrupted supplies of wood and chemicals to the pulp mills as well as transport of finished product out to customers. Electricity and water supplies are also unavailable to many mills.

Situation in FE
Paper situation in China/FE is very tough
• Prices are on the way up and are changing every day……
• Gold East and Cheng Ming mills have been refusing orders to push prices up with large increases which could bring Chinese paper prices up above European and Indian pricing levels.
• Mills are very slow in committing to schedules.
• Allocation is very tight .

Situation in Europe
Current Prices
In Europe there is a big drive to increase coated woodfree by 10% from 1st April. This would equate to around £50 per tonne. The continuing increase in pulp prices against the background where mills are already struggling to break even, means there is an increase required and no doubt pulp will continue to rise further.
Before the earthquake, pulp supply was already proving to be difficult and global prices had moved up in excess of 40% since April of 2009. The European paper industry now faces a severe lack of pulp and consequently it is inevitable that this will result in further steep pulp price rises.
The Euro continues to weaken against the US dollar which further exacerbates the poor margins of European paper producers at a time when paper selling prices in Europe are at an all time low.
Whereas demand for European woodfree papers, in particular, has been recovering strongly in recent months, both within Europe but also in exports markets, European selling prices have nevertheless continued their decline but this could be about to change..

Situation in India

It would appear that paper prices are stable and although they have been more than prices from China, with the new increases, prices from India may now look a little more competitive when the new pricing levels kick in.

Nosy Crow do the right thing

2010-03-03T08:58:00.001-08:00

Nosy Crow is a brand new, independent publisher, publishing children’s books and, in the company’s Appiness division, apps for iPhones and other devices. We are delighted that Nosy Crow have chosen to source all their full-colour print via Imago. Imago's leading role in Prelims and PREPS helped Kate Wilson make her decision! Good luck to Kate, Camilla and everyone at Nosy Crow with this exciting new venture.

Slow Boats from China

2010-03-03T08:49:00.000-08:00

The economic downturn has caused turmoil in the world of shipping. Last year the decline in trade led to huge over capacity and tumbling rates as the lines competed for their share of the pie. The decision was taken to "mothball" many of the larger loss making vessels in order to reduce capacity and drive prices back up. The result is that space on some routes is now extremely tight and price increases have come in across the board.

A “Slow Steam policy’ has also been introduced to reduce fuel costs and this is adding 3-4 days to published transit times. This policy is said to be on-going.

You can read more about it here

Lovely Bones Special Edition

2010-02-23T03:29:00.000-08:00

With the recent release of Peter Jackson's new movie 'Lovely Bones' we are very proud to have produced this wonderful limited edition box set of the Lovely Bones hardback. The book's printed transparent x-ray like leaves provide a powerful and moving visual experience honouring the thousands of children who disappear every year. Produced on behalf of Little Brown and in association with National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Launch of Safety PIN

2010-02-23T03:27:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased to announce the forthcoming launch of our new Product Safety blog, nattily called Safety PIN (Publishing Industry News)! The blog will be available on a yearly subscription basis and will allow you access to all the latest safety news relevant to the publishing industry, keeping you up to date with all the changes as they happen, or even before they do! Our contributor is Diane Greaves, who many of you will know from Imago's Safety courses. For more information please contact us here.
To see a screen shot of a sample page please click here.

Visit us at the London Bookfair

2010-02-23T03:18:00.000-08:00

We will be at the London Book Fair as usual this year. Dates : 19th-21st April, stand number: V704. Stop by and see all our latest products and new concepts in development.

Imago Create Launched

2010-02-23T03:08:00.001-08:00

We are very proud to have launched a new 'arm' (or wing) to Imago - Imago Create. Aimed at bringing our wealth of production experience, including access to thousands of different finishes, textures, shapes and sounds, to the advertising and design industry, our first forays are being well received. Visit our new website www.imagocreate.com to see more.

Augmented Reality

2010-02-23T03:01:00.001-08:00

We are still wowed by Augmented Reality and the huge potential out there. The ability to combine print with the digital world to create a whole new experience has so many truly exciting possibilities for publishing. We're awash with ideas - come and talk to us!

CLINT

2010-02-23T02:59:00.000-08:00

Another famous name to grace the Imago shelves as we receive the first advance copies of 'Clint - A Retrospective'. The initial print run completed and shipped out in January and the book should soon be hitting the shelves! Destined to run and run, this stunning volume includes an exclusive DVD to mark the actor's 80th birthday.

Produced by Imago on behalf of Palazzo.

The Lion and The Mouse wins Caldecott prize

2010-02-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

Produced on behalf of Hachette USA and handled by our Singapore office, Jerry Pinkney’s “The Lion & The Mouse” has been awarded the acclaimed Caldecott Medal for 2010 which is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. “The pre-press, printing, entire package is incredible” commented Hachette’s production director Shari Lichtner, “You guys did an awesome job on this book”.

Sheep as far as the eye can see....

2010-02-19T06:21:00.000-08:00

We've been taken over by sheep! These absolutely gorgeous knitted creations were produced by our European team for Gerstenberg to accompany their bestselling Fiete Anders picture book. The large sheep stands some 40cms tall! The flock are more pocket sized!

Printed Fur

2010-02-19T05:52:00.000-08:00

We have recently printed up some samples onto plush. It is short pile and holds detail remarkably well. Even the text is remarkably clear, but above all it is endlessly strokable!

Safety Seminar Held in Hong Kong

2010-02-19T05:41:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year Debbie Knight (Imago UK Director) and Diane Greaves (Safety Consultant) flew out to China to hold a safety seminar for our suppliers taking Imago Training overseas for the second time. The aim of these seminars was to bring our suppliers up to speed on the ever increasing safety demands from the UK, Europe and USA and help them address the needs. The seminars went really well and we have had some excellent feedback from our suppliers which we hope will stand all of us in good stead in the forthcoming months!

We have now spread our training wings over three continents.

Nigella Stationery Range Comes Together

2010-02-19T04:16:00.000-08:00

After some time in the planning the new Nigella Lawson Stationery range has come together beautifully. Featuring endless list making facilities, the range includes shopping list pads, magnetic pads, mousemat pads and even keyring notepads. We've been on a voyage of colour options and foiling changes but we all agree that the end product looks very nice indeed!

Imago Malaysia Open for Business!

2010-02-19T04:12:00.001-08:00

We are very pleased to announce our new Malaysian office is now open.

The operation is headed up by Siva who has worked with Imago for many years, previously in our Singapore office. With an increasing numbers of our suppliers now based in Malaysia having Siva on the ground is proving invaluable. All we need now is for the plastic to come off the chairs!

Visionaire Wins Prestigious Award

2010-01-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

The resounding success of Visionaire 56 SOLAR continues as the photo chromatic ink project wins the prestigious Hong Kong printing awards.

This incredible book uses specialist print chemistry perfected over two years and must be viewed in natural daylight to be believed! Under normal indoor light the embroidered case, black and white photography and slipcase appear monochrome but when exposed to daylight they burst into colour.

The title has recently received recognition in the 21st Hong Kong Print Awards, winning both the Grand Award for overall Best Book and Best in Category for Specialty in Printing.

The project has been a real labour of love for everyone involved and we are thrilled to see it get the recognition it deserves. We all feel very proud to have had the opportunity to develop such an amazing product.