Business

Canon has announced the next phase of its ‘Creative Futures’ project in collaboration with The Drum. This initiative offers UK-based start-ups the chance to enhance their marketing strategies through personalized print and expert industry support. The startup Bower Collective, a provider of natural household products in reusable packaging, has been selected to participate in this comprehensive, customer-centric omnichannel campaign.

Bower Collective secured its place after impressing judges with a face-to-face presentation highlighting its mission to reduce plastic waste and its interest in omnichannel marketing. The campaign aims to drive new subscriber acquisition for Bower Collective’s refill subscription service, combining print and digital marketing strategies.

Nick Torday, Co-Founder and CEO of Bower Collective, expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating, "Winning the ‘Creative Futures’ prize is a fantastic opportunity. We are excited to run a free prospecting campaign with the support of a multi-stakeholder collaboration. This experience is invaluable for expanding our marketing capabilities and expertise."

The campaign is launching in May 2024, creating a test-and-learn environment across digital and print channels. Results will be shared in late summer 2024. Key partners in the project include Nutshell Creative, The Strategic Mailing Partnership, Join the Dots, Herdify, Jicmail, Latcham, Royal Mail Marketreach, and Autlay.

Cathy Bittner, Strategic Business Development Manager at Canon Europe, highlighted the project’s potential to set a precedent for future industry collaboration. "By bringing together experts in data, insights, creativity, production, and measurement from the start, we can leverage our collective knowledge and technology to build effective campaigns. We’ve already gained valuable insights and are excited to share more soon."

The progress and results of the ‘Creative Futures’ journey will be documented by The Drum and Canon. Initial findings and further campaign details will be showcased at an experiential display in the Printworks exhibit on Canon’s stand at drupa, Hall 8A.

The ‘Creative Futures’ initiative, driven by Canon, aims to reimagine communication and collaboration across the print supply chain, delivering tangible results for brands. Canon and The Drum previously collaborated on the ‘Class of 2021’ initiative, which created a digital platform for students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to showcase their art. This evolved into the ‘Creative Futures’ project, inviting students and young creatives to design omnichannel marketing campaigns, including print, for the youth charity YMCA.

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