We’re proud to announce that Jakprints’ Screen-Printing Production Manager, Jeff Weisenberg has authored another article in Printwear, the leading industry/trade magazine for apparel embellishment.

Jeff’s latest article is featured in the August 2010 issue and is entitled “Don’t Fear The Fleece”. Within it he shares some printing tips and techniques he’s developed through the years, and talks about dealing with the various problems and pitfalls that can arise when printing on hoodies and sweats.

It’s another great read from Jeff, as he is able to tackle these technical subjects, while injecting a some personality and humor into it. Click here to check out the Printwear article.

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Golf outings are a pretty traditional route by which business-2-business relationships are developed and new connections are forged. A staple of these outings the various promotional routes that businesses use to try and catch each others’ attention. We recently took part in a golf outing for Smart Business Magazine, the nation’s fastest-growing publisher of local management journals, which provides insight, advice and strategy for C-level executives of fast-growth, middle-market and large companies.

The event was held at the world-famous Firestone Country Club, in Akron, Ohio, which hosts nationally televised golf events such as the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic, the World Series of Golf, and the World Golf Championships: Bridgestone Invitational, directed by the PGA. All the greats, from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, have competed at Firestone.

Knowing we were going to be at such a prestigious course, it was obvious we had to bring something unique to the table to wow our prospects. We decided to take it up a notch, using the latest in digital print technology. Variable Data Printing, or VDP, is a way to directly connect with your customers, by personalizing each individual piece with their information. It’s an easy way to turn the perception of a promotional print piece from “junk mail” to “keepsake”.

We were able to get a list of event attendees, created custom Jakprints-branded golf balls, and stuffed them in custom digitally-printed, die-cut, personalized packaging! They were a big hit (pun intended) and the industry research backs it up, showing that response rates for marketing campaigns using variable data printing range from double to 15x the response rates of standard printing!  While the print process is different, creating a slightly varying look and feel of the piece, the value of VDP is undeniable in today’s marketing strategies.

As you brainstorm for your next direct mail piece, packaging project, or promotional item, consider giving your Jakprints sales rep a call to see how Variable Data Printing, combined with Jakprints many capabilities, can help you really make an impression and get you the most bang for your buck.

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With the departure of star athlete Lebron James, it seems like everyone in Cleveland is bumming out. Overshadowed by gloomy talk about basketball, people are forgetting about the the other great things our city has to offer. Great things like totally amazing art.

This week, Jakprints’ own Alex Kelly, along with Beth Whalley, Andy Curlowe and Laura Skehan will be opening their new gallery “Proximity“. Sure, they could have easily taken their artistic talents to other cities, like Miami, but this dream-team of artists decided to open their gallery right here in Cleveland.

Their opening exhibit brings together paintings, installations, prints and sculpture, and will challenge the way you see these mediums, through their close proximity in this new gallery setting. So Clevelanders, forget your sports troubles and go out this Friday. Show your support and have a great evening checking out some exciting artwork:

“Proximity” Opening Night Event: Friday, July 16th from 6-10pm.
Get Proximity info & directions.

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Those that know Jakprints, have heard about our love of skateboarding, but we’re here to say we have more to offer to the wide world of sports. So this year, we decided to hone our skills and expand our athletic diversity by joining the Cleveland Corporate Challenge. We figure, no matter how we play it’s good to get out, get some exercise, meet some new people (and it’s a good excuse to make some cool team jerseys to show off our dye sublimation capabilities, heheh.)

We’re also happy to announce that we are the Cleveland Corporate Challenge Team of the Week. I could bend the truth and say it’s because of our beast-like athleticism, but we were nominated due to our efforts in working with local and global organizations such as the Earth Day Coalition, Forest Stewardship Council, and the Rainforest Alliance to encourage sustainability and promote green practices, which is a home-run in our book.

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This weeks issue of Cleveland Scene Magazine features a story that has all the drama, action and thrills that you would expect from a summer blockbuster, except this riveting plot-line wasn’t written in Hollywood, and it doesn’t star Tom Cruise or some other overpaid actor. This is the story of Jakprints, featuring Dameon Guess and Jacob Edwards, two young Ohio skateboarders that dared to dream…

Pick up a copy of Scene, or check out the complete story on their website: You Don’t Know Jak

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We’re excited to announce that we’ve been recognized by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). The mission of the ICIC is to promote economic prosperity in America’s inner cities through private sector engagement that leads to jobs, income and wealth creation for local residents.

The Inner City 100 Award recognizes successful inner city companies as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices and job creation in inner city communities. We pride ourselves on being a company that is contributing to the growth and success of Cleveland, Ohio, so it’s an honor to be recognized by the ICIC as one of America’s fastest-growing urban businesses.

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We were happy to have the great people of Dim And Den Sum stop by to order stickers and flyers, but we would by lying if we didn’t admit we were even more happy about them staying in our parking lot for the afternoon! Dim and Den Sum is a gourmet, locally sourced food truck that roams the streets of Cleveland serving comfort food with an Asian twist. Hungry Jakprinters and Clevelanders flocked to the DADS Truck to partake in their amazing food: Pork sandwiches, tacos, tots, burgers and more… it was a good afternoon. Follow Dim And Den Sum on twitter to see where they will be each day.

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