What positives are you able to draw on from the experiences of 2022?
The resilience and perseverance of our industry never ceases to amaze me. With Covid-19, we had the mindset of working in the unknown and we’re still there, but now being battered by different forces like increased material costs, energy prices and industrial action. Yet, in amongst it all, our membership is up, and it’s up by over a third, which, to me, shows real appetite for collaboration, a commitment to working together to solve problems and make mail better for senders and receivers, and that’s a positive. Such spirit of collaboration was evidenced recently by the Canon Creatives Futures award, run in partnership with The Drum. It shows just what’s possible when we all pull together as a sector to keep mail and print prominent in creatives and marketers’ minds, especially the generations coming through.
What trend (business or technology) do you think has been accelerated because of the impact of inflation?
I think companies have had to bring forward their plans to automate business processes like workflows, estimating and order acquisition to drive higher levels of efficiencies and maximise their profitability. I can’t see that slowing anytime soon, especially when agility is a key necessity.
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2023 and why?
To continue diversifying their services and being at the forefront with their sustainability strategies. If they don’t, many will not survive doing what they’ve always done. There has to be change.
What are your hopes for 2023?
Peaceful conflict resolution, from the war in Ukraine to our growing number of national industrial disputes. From the SMP’s perspective, our new strategy has set a momentum going and my hopes are that we can keep it going and ride out the current economic storm. I’d also like to see less greenwashing in our industry and we must all share responsibility for helping educate current and next generation brands and marketers about print media and its sustainability.
What piece of advice do you wish you had been given in December 2021 to prepare you for the year you’ve just had?
Learn to press pause every once in a while, to give yourself time to reflect before you act.
What was your word or phrase of the year in 2022?
‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind’. Brands need to show empathy more than ever when communicating with their customers because of the cost-of-living crisis and it’s a phrase we can all learn from.
What, if anything, will you do differently in 2023?
For myself personally, I probably need to delegate more! It’s too soon to tell in my role as chair of the SMP as it’s not been a year yet. However, it’s more important than ever to develop strategies that are dynamic not static.
What’s your favourite Christmas cracker joke?
What did the stamp say to the envelope?
Stick with me and we'll go places 😉
Are you making any New Year's resolutions? If so, what?
No!
