You Down With PCI/OI? Yeah, You Know Me.

If you aren’t + you don’t, you will. At least that’s our hope, as we launch our newsletter PCI/OI Insights (fireworks, please!). It’s your source for PCI + OI news, delivered in a flash, quarterly to our employees + you, our beloved clients. Our newsletter places you on the inside track + lets you power up on hot happenings, client news (yes, that’s you!) + testimonials (do share!), colleague anniversaries + milestones and much more – basically, all the things that make us the #pcioipowerhouse that we are. 

Let’s face it. Executing an effective communications strategy is vital in today’s connected world + newsletters feel personal, because they arrive in your inbox + over time develop into an on-going relationship. Quite candidly, we’re hoping after you read this first issue due out this week, you’re hooked on us like white on rice. And, that out of those 35 or so emails waiting for you in the a.m. that you’re actually going to open + read ours as one of the five you commit to.

If by now, you’re not ready to change your Facebook status to “In a relationship with PCI/OI,” we hope our newsletter will convince you. Oh by the way, if you need us to help build a community around your brand via a corporate newsletter, sign us up. We will write + design yours. It’s simple + once you do, it can run on autopilot.

So check your inbox, you just might have mail.

#doitallatOI

Did You Say “Custom?” Yes, Please.

When clients say, “challenge.” We holla, “bring it on!” And do we ever?

We’re talking eye-catching turntable invites that place the recipients’ name in metallic “lights” + “spot on,” on-the-spot awards that beckon “Lights. Camera. Action.” from every angle.

Uhm, yeah. That’s just how this print house turned marketing communications partner chooses to step up its client game when presented with any project. Oh, and do tell us it’s due within days. We work best under pressure. It’s just how we roll, literally, on sheets + sheets of acrylic, PVC, coroplast – any substrate imaginable – thanks in large part to our large format presses.

Case in point. This custom invitation for Dr. Pepper plays off the love for vinyl on PVC-turned 33 rpm record. Each recipient’s name is printed in silver metallic vinyl via variable data printing a la “their own album.” The record label reads the event details like a best-played song sheet. And don’t forget the custom jacket + shrink wrap. These are sure to win “Album of the Year.” Fiction? Of course, but #truth if you ask us + Dr. Pepper.

Now from song to movies. Our friends at Prudential asked us for an award to honor The American Black Film Festival’s 20-year anniversary of celebrating African Americans in film. Do you think we would provide an off-the-shelf piece? Nope. Only custom here. We created a one-of-a-kind acrylic movie clapboard set atop an acrylic film reel complete with vinyl film strip. And the award for Best Supporting Partner goes to? Yours truly.

The End.

#doitallatOI

Ahem, Your Brand Is Showing

Many companies don’t think twice about allocating budgets to ad campaigns, so why do so many of them take pause when part of that budget is assigned to environmental branding? Truth is, employees are the most important ambassadors + reinforcing the brand experience on the “four walls” of the business helps inform, inspire + align them through a choreographed solution that combines message, image + voice. There we said it…the trifecta of branding.

When employees are inspired to tell your brand story, they’ll be motivated to live it. Just ask us. We know firsthand. The tables got turned when we set out on our environmental branding journey for our executive offices. We honed in our Mission, Vision + Values; our map that depicts just how big we are {we did mention that we are a powerhouse, didn’t we?} and our new hashtag – oh my! We updated the look + feel of our offices where it matters most – where employees work, eat + break. And, they love it.

Every brand has a story + we help you tell yours. Count on us to create high-impact, branded environments throughout your corporate office or retail outlets. Our efforts are centered on the premise that employees listen + learn with their eyes, which leads to higher employee satisfaction + retention + increased productivity, which translates into less time at the water cooler + more eyes on the prize – your brand, of course. So how do we recruit + retain the best talent, you ask? Well, maybe you should take a look – and listen – to our walls.

#doitallatOI

This Sign Is Our Sign

OMG! The National Park Service turns 100 this year and to celebrate, the
Coral Gables Museum installed an exhibition that commemorates South Florida’s four national park treasures: the Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas National Parks + Big Cypress National Preserve. Experiential in approach, the exhibition showcases natural + cultural objects, artwork + film to elevate awareness of our national parks with the hope of motivating action toward their continued protection.

So how do you pay homage to 100 years of grandeur? Well, it starts with master planning + exhibit design, media design, graphic design, branding + a series of print communications that, layer after layer, help tell the National Park Services’ South Florida story in a high impact way. Our Sign team got into the mix by using a variety of substrates such as cut vinyl, printed vinyl + black foam board to ensure that the Museum’s exhibition is a highly choreographed ode to Florida history.

So dance on over to the Museum to check it out…it just may get you humming our version of the beloved song by Woody Guthrie…this Sign was made for you and me.

#doitallatOI

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Ready. Set. Prep!

They say great minds think alike.

Two is better than one.

It takes two to tango.

The same is true for data security, especially as Hurricane Season inches closer. Uhm, hello, June 1.

Data collocation + disaster preparedness planning provide our clients with the peace of mind that their data will be safe, secure + accessible in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency situation. We work with many of the leading local, national + global industry leaders who demand uninterrupted access to their critical data. So offering these safeguards is just the cost of conducting business in today’s “on demand” marketplace + one of the many unique value-added services we offer clients.

Enter #PCIOIpowerhouse. In addition to data collocation, we safeguard our clients’ printed collateral, inventoried materials + the like by taking the following measures:

We power up both the OI + PCI facilities with multiple generators, capable of providing uninterrupted power.

We keep it moving by having OI + PCI managers who live within three miles of the facilities ready for rapid response + assessment of operational functionality – they are also trained to serve as emergency courier drivers to fulfill regular courier operations + routes.

And should the need arise, OI can leverage PCI’s Ft. Lauderdale + Orlando facilities to cross pollinate + duplicate storage of electronic + other key back-up data, courier route information, production schedules, etc.  - each location is equipped to provide complete back-up capabilities to the other in the event disaster strikes.

Above + beyond this, PCI, OI’s parent company, maintains a strategic partnership with an out-of-state company whose business capabilities mirror those of PCI + OI who can offer complete back-up capabilities.

And that’s how we put the <<POW>> in powerhouse (insert fist pump here)! Our efforts enhance our business support by improving backup quality, restoring speed + increasing productivity in the hours + days immediately following a disaster.

So here’s to a safe + mild 2016 Hurricane Season. 

#doitallatOI

Prudential x Hispanicize

Can you hear the strumming of the teclas now? For all of us non-Hispanic marketers that translates literally to the keys on the keyboard. Idiomatically speaking, our client Prudential “da en la tecla,” which means that they hit it over the head with their activation at Hispanicize 2016, an annual event where Latino entrepreneurs, digital influencers, bloggers + trendsetters converge at the largest Think Tank ever in Miami.

In the spirit of setting trends, Prudential showed up + showed out with an exhibit space that invited attendees to take A Walk in the Park – Miami style – by taking a daunting topic like retirement + bringing it down to earth…literally. The exhibit set the stage for green + glam to collide with an artificial grass floor + modern, white leather furniture.  And while a Walk in the Park was the foundation of the exhibit, it was changed out daily to keep it fresh + buzz-worthy. And, oh buzzworthy it was with bloggers from across the country streaming live from every corner of the PruPark.

Day 1 played off of the newly launched Race for Retirement commercial, urging consumers to take the 1% More Pledge for themselves, using the #PruPact message. And what’s Race Day without race numbers + bracelets? We had it all.

Day 2 invited attendees to Powder up + Pucker up with Pru via a mini glam session + photo shoot. A photographer + glam team were on hand to create a photo-worthy experience.

Day 3 had attendees strutting to the sounds of the stilettos, as the PruPark was transformed into a fireside chat with Harlem Fashion Row’s Brandice Daniel, Latina magazine Creative + Fashion Editor Ebby Antigua + Fashion Designer Amanda Casarez, followed by a Fashion Week-inspired catwalk.

Those Prudential folks don’t play. In addition to all of that, they hosted two luncheons, an award dinner + a cocktail party – all decked with PRU-branded chocolates, notepads, selfie sticks, LED ice cubes + more. The result? Prudential was the number one trending company at the conference with more than
59 million impressions on social media. And that’s not a social footprint too big to fill, because people are still snapping, blogging + posting about Prudential.

From concept creation to design + production through installation + execution, Original Impressions was there to craft a brand building experience to ensure a flawless best face forward. Here’s looking at you, Prudential.

#doitallatOI

Postal Center International (PCI) Purchases OI

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Postal Center International (PCI) Purchases Original Impressions (OI)

Sale Will Create Highly Focused Business In Printing, Mailing + Fulfillment Complemented by a Long Standing Portfolio of Marketing Communications Services 

Miami, Fla., – Postal Center International (PCI), the largest, state-of-the-art transactional printer, postal and mail processing service organization based in Broward County, and Original Impressions (OI), a full service marketing communications company, today announced the sale of OI to PCI in a private transaction to form what is now the largest mailing and marketing solutions provider in South Florida with ties to global companies.   

“We believe this transaction is a first for our industry and reflects the culmination of a vision to be the leading marketing communications services company in South Florida,” said Roland B. Garcia, founder and former CEO, Original Impressions. “The purchase further positions the company for growth and offers an ever-expanding portfolio of services focused on supporting our clients’ mailing and marketing priorities like never before. The new owners share the same unmatched client satisfaction and unparalleled attention to detail that clients have come to expect from us over the years.”

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to deliver long-term growth and value to our combined client base,” said Ismael Diaz, president, PCI. “What first attracted us to Original Impressions is its tremendous success in evolving our industry with a full suite of services, in one place. That, coupled with our successful 32-year track record and our facilities in Broward and Orlando make us that much stronger to serve businesses across the tri-county area and beyond.”

Under the terms of the transaction, which was facilitated by Tripp Scott, a multi-disciplinary law firm with strong ties to Florida, Roland B. Garcia, Sr., and Roland (Roli) B. Garcia, Jr., will continue serving as business leads and key client liaisons to further strengthen both the company’s client base and employee culture. Operations at both the OI and PCI facilities will remain the same and operate as business as usual. The transition of ownership will be seamless to clients. The newly formed company will now employ close to 250+ employees and boast combined annual sales of approximately $60 million.

About Postal Center International:

Since 1984, Postal Center International (PCI) has brought expertise and state-of-the art facilities to South and Central Florida. With the growth in digital printing, the Company has expanded into the national arena. Having low overhead and competitive labor rates offers PCI competitive pricing advantages in larger city markets (NYC, Dallas, LA, etc.). Through the years, automated processes have provided Postal Center International with the resources necessary to help clients cut costs while improving our service on all your projects. After more than three decades, the focus remains dedicated to high-volume, high-speed mail handling and digital printing solutions using technology that gets the job done while effectively controlling costs. To learn more about PCI, please visit the company’s website at www.surfpci.com.

About Original Impressions:

Original Impressions, LLC (OI) is a full service marketing communications company specializing in Creative Design, Web Development, Printing, Mailing/Fulfillment and Marketing Consulting for clients across a broad spectrum of industries, including Banking, Beverages, Cosmetics, Cruise Lines, Fast Food, Healthcare, Hospitality and Pharmaceuticals. Original Impressions is the first triple certified Marketing Communications company in South Florida, authorized to purchase FSC, SFI and PEFC certified paper and print the certified logos. It is one of the “Top 100 Minority Businesses in South Florida” and one of the “Top 500 Hispanic Companies in the U.S.” It is also a Certified Minority Supplier at the local, state and national levels. To learn more about Original Impressions, please visit the company’s website at www.originalimpressions.com.

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How Sweet It Is

He likes us. He really, really likes us.

By “he,” we mean our CEO + Founder Roland Garcia who this pre-Valentine’s Friday gifted us ladies a bite-sized Belgian chocolate that spoke volumes more than conversational hearts ever could. A long-standing tradition of his since he first opened his doors back in 1982 continues on…and lest we not forget these notions of love + recognition were hand delivered, which as a busy business owner screams
A P P R E C I A T I O N.  

Amidst all the Valentine’s commotion is the fact that it is a day to spoil all the people you care about – and employees should be no exception. They are at the heart of businesses – pun intended – and deserve to be recognized. Enter Cupid’s arrow with whatever that special something is that will make the hearts of your employees pitter patter.

How did OI do it? Being the exceptional branding people we are, we served up Valentine’s Day extra sweet this year with a branded chocolate {reader’s note: pay special attention to OI’s icons on the candy hearts} + a clever carrier to boot. And, instead of signing off XOXO, we simply bid our team OIOI!

And if you ask how sweet it is…the answer is it’s really, really sweet!

OIOI

#doitallatOI

That’s SO 2016

Be honest. When was the last time you looked at your business card, brochure + letterhead? No, really looked? We’re not talking brand colors here. We’re talking environment. You know, Mother Earth? For companies that are committed to corporate sustainability, starting the New Year off with an eco-audit can be just the thing needed to stay on-track + on budget. Enter OI’s eco-audit, a brief assessment that can provide enough data to support well-informed decisions year round.

Insights gathered help monitor everything from the selection of eco-friendly papers + inks to sustainable mailing practices, which can in turn place attention on the areas that can lead to the biggest improvements. Many companies are now looking beyond recycled paper choices + reviewing other eco-friendly channels, such as using certified sustainable paper.

Another benefit of the eco-audit is that it may reveal opportunities to reduce inefficiency in paper stock + weights. Having paper standards in place prior to your piece hitting the presses can aid in comparing printing bids + budgets accurately; allow for combination runs where possible; and pave the way for a consistent brand identity. There’s also the added benefit of using the audit as an opportunity to re-tool the sizes of your mailing pieces, which may result in better postage rates + further cost reductions. Who doesn’t love that?

So go green in 2016. Mother Earth will thank you for it. And, your boss just may too (wink, wink)

#doitallatOI

Deck The Halls!

‘Tis the season for gift giving – an annual ritual that helps to affirm relationships + enhance personal connections that we have made throughout the year. While many opt for the traditional gourmet food + wine basket or box of chocolates, we like to gift what we do best: ink + paper. Think journal, desk calendars + wrapping paper. Swoon, we know!

Over the past few years, we have had clients ask us to double check our “Nice” list to make sure they get their share. This year, we added another element of fun with a social media prop – ten designs in all with every client receiving a different one. Then, we asked them to spread the holiday cheer around their offices, snap a selfie + tag us to help make spirits merry + bright!   What are your offices gifting this year? Comment below to let us know! Happy Holidays from our office to yours!

#doitallatOI

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