Innotech goes BIG, and brings the new Black Display Hardware Collection!

Kieran and Sam on The Print Show collaborations, a new black display range and the Big Print Network 

Innotech returned to The Print Show for the first time in almost a decade, and visitors saw its name all over the hall. Its media was displayed on partner stands across the show, and its new black display range made its debut. Visitors also walked around carrying its very large bags. Jack caught up with Kieran Dallow and Sam Lowe, the Innotech marketing team, in the brand-new Podcast Booth at the Print Show. 

“It’s our first time exhibiting at a major industry show since SignLink Live in 2017, and we’ve been in the print world for almost twenty years. We don’t print ourselves and we didn’t bring any machines, so the plan was to get around the show and team up with other print companies so people could see our materials in action,” says Sam. 

Seen on other stands 

The collaborations were at the heart of the strategy. “This show we’ve had the most collaborations with manufacturers we’ve ever done. swissQprint, China Print Supplies, QPS and Hybrid Services have all been printing on our materials, and Zünd have been cutting them. We went to swissQprint to film one of our blackback media running through their machine, and the engineer got very passionate about how much he loves it. We’re already talking about how we can collaborate next year,” says Kieran. 

The big bags did their bit too. “Our new motto is We Go Big, so we went extra large with our giveaway bags. Everyone’s already talking about how they can reuse them for tools, shopping, and washing. People are carrying them around the show and advertising for us,” says Sam. 

The black range 

The launch at the show featured a complete range of black display products. It includes roller banners, pavement signs, freestanding displays and light boxes. “We noticed design trends moving towards black. First it was logos, then black entered brand colours and architecture and design more generally. We felt it was time for the display industry to embrace that change, so the products holding people’s graphics complement their brand rather than clash with it. It’s one of those things you have to see to appreciate,” explains Kieran. 

The reaction on the stand surprised even the team. “Everyone who’s seen the black range for the first time has said, ‘What a simple idea. How have I not seen more of this before?’ Some people offer one or two black options, but we’re making it a whole range, so in future customers have a real choice between silver and black,” adds Kieran. 

Sam has been spotting black everywhere since. “It’s a sign of prestige and quality now. You see black door handles. Cars come in black-trim editions. Major retailers have black hangers and black metal bar structures. It just fits in better,” says Sam. 

“Black products give a premium feel, but they’re only about ten per cent more expensive. On a roller banner, the extra cost per unit is small. It’s not a big jump in price, but the impact on the brand is huge,” says Kieran. 

The Big Print Network 

The show was also a showcase for the Big Print Network, part of the We Go Big strategy. “It started with us looking for Innotech ambassadors. We’ve got a lot of customers who are really passionate about the brand and love the products, and we wanted them to share that. The Big Print Network highlights the work large-format printers are doing and gets it out on social media. It’s a network of passionate printers across the country who want to share ideas and give us feedback on new products. Keeping in touch with the market like that is so important to us,” explains Kieran. 

The network is still in its early stages, but printers as far away as Scotland are already joining. “It’s people who are passionate about the print industry and want to champion it as a whole, keep improving it, and get more people interested in it,” adds Sam. 

More than media 

“As a supplier, we can’t always speak directly to the end customer. What we can do is inspire the print industry to share ideas with their customers. Marketers always want to look one step ahead and find something that sets them apart. If we can be the ones providing those ideas, I think they’ll reward us with more business,” says Kieran. 

Sam concludes, “This building hosts so many trade shows, and every stand, every flag and every bit of vinyl on the wall comes from the print industry. It all starts with print, and we want to be here to support it.”