Blog

Filter Posts By

Show all

News & Events

Creative Services

Direct Mail Marketing

Information Management

Managed Services


08.08.2022

Case Study: Golden Acre's Eye-Catching Integrated Marketing Campaign

Golden Acre Home & Garden Improves Sales and Maintains Market Share with Eye-Catching Integrated Marketing Campaign As Calgary’s largest gardening destination, Golden Acre Home & Garden has been inspiring generations of gardeners since 1967. Launched originally as a tree nursery, the company has since "transformed into a gardener's mecca, carrying almost 40,000 plants and gardening products." Challenge With a nearby competitor closing up shop and liquidating inventory at a deep discount, Golden Acre was challenged to maintain market share and hit sales targets during their busiest season. To increase brand awareness and encourage new and existing customers to visit the store, they needed help to develop and deploy a creative and unified brand and marketing strategy. Direct Mail Piece Solution Working closely with Golden Acre’s leadership, WCD Creative developed an integrated marketing plan aimed at increasing the store’s brand awareness to remain competitive and achieve sales targets. The eye-catching and creative Ready. Set. Grow. campaign was designed and delivered by WCD Creative across channels including direct mail, radio, out-of-home advertising (OOH), in-store signage, and on promotional materials. Out-of-Home Advertising (OOH) Results With beautiful designs and targeted execution, Golden Acre’s campaign successfully increased brand awareness and captured the attention of new and existing customers. The garden centre was able to maintain market share and hit their sales targets, resulting in a positive ROI on the campaign. Working with WCD’s extended services, Golden Acre also saved on the print and signage elements of their campaign. With a new and exciting look to get behind, employees at Golden Acre became engaged and enthusiastic about the brand. Today, they remain a must-visit destination for Calgary’s local gardening community. Gift Cards, In-Store Signage, Buttons Inspired to bring your brand to life? At WCD Creative, we consider ourselves an extension of your team, partnering with you to design holistic branding solutions that solve your unique business challenges. From professional marketing materials to comprehensive campaigns, our award-winning creative will drive ROI and give you a competitive edge.

Read more

08.05.2022

Case Study: AMA Improves Member Engagement with Online Tool

Alberta Motor Association Improves Member Onboarding Experience with Help from WCD Creative The Alberta Motor Vehicle Association (AMA) is a member-based organization and leading advocate for traffic safety, crime prevention, and travel and consumer protection in Alberta. With over 980,000 members across the province, the organization provides critical services like roadside assistance, vehicle insurance, driver training, registration services and more. The Challenge With a goal to improve their member onboarding experience, AMA needed to find a way to engage new members, show the value of their membership awards program, and showcase members’ resulting savings in an interactive and personalized way. Solution Working closely with AMA’s marketing team, WCD Creative developed a self-serve online tool for new members to create their very own personalized handbook. After selecting custom cover images and identifying the savings they are interested in, members are shown a personalized chart that shows the return on investment of their membership. With various automated touchpoints built into the campaign, AMA can ensure members complete their online handbook and realize savings. Personalized Brochure Results After launching the program, AMA immediately saw an increase in member engagement. Email workflows built into the campaign generated open rates of more than 70%, and AMA gained valuable insight into data on member preferences so they could begin personalizing partner offers. With an increase in the number of member emails captured at the first step of the onboarding process, AMA drastically increased awareness of the savings and value included in their memberships. As an added benefit of working with WCD’s extended Print Solutions, AMA also reduced their costs for the print-related components of this multi-touch campaign. Landing Page & Personalized Brochure Campaign Landing Page Discover WCD Creative At WCD Creative, we consider ourselves an extension of your team, partnering with you to design holistic branding solutions that solve your unique business challenges. From professional marketing materials to comprehensive campaigns, our award-winning creative will drive ROI and give you a competitive edge.

Read more

06.15.2022

WCD is Renovating: Here's How to Pick Up Your Orders

Our Customer Pick-Up Location is Moving WCD is currently undergoing exciting renovations at our Calgary headquarters. Effective Friday, July 8, our customer entrance for order pick-ups and drop-offs will move to a new entrance at the East end of our parking lot. Why? We're Renovating! Our main offices are currently undergoing renovations that will bring our Calgary production teams together under one roof. WCD's Signage operations, currently located across the street in Alyth Yard, will be moving into our main production facility. These renovations are a positive step forward for our company, enabling us to optimize the use of our current space and streamline operations so we can continue to serve our customers better. We can't wait to welcome you to our new space! Please excuse our appearance as we add the finishing touches. Questions or Concerns? For more information about our new customer pick-up entrance, contact your Account Executive or email us at info@wcdconnect.com.

Read more

06.15.2022

We’re Renovating! Important Information for Signage Customers

We’re Renovating! WCD is currently undergoing renovations at our Calgary head office to build a new and improved space for our Signage and large format services.  In Summer 2022, our entire Signage team will be moving into our newly renovated main production facility in Inglewood with better parking, ventilation, delivery access and enhanced capabilities. Moving our signage team into our head office is a step forward for WCD and an investment in this important area of our business. This transition will enable us to optimize the use of our space and streamline operations so we can serve our customers faster and more efficiently. With the market opening up and the demand for signage increasing, we couldn’t be more excited to create a modern and updated production operation for our team. Come visit our new customer pick-up area in September 2022! Book Your Signage Projects Today Please be advised that there may be brief interruptions to some signage projects as we move our equipment. We are taking every step to ensure there is limited disruption to customers during our move, including scheduling projects in advance and routing work to alternate WCD locations where possible. Official move dates to be announced. To schedule your signage project in advance, please contact your WCD Account Executive or email our Signage Coordinators at signageprojects@wcdconnect.com.

Read more

06.08.2022

6 Durable Materials to Use for Outdoor Signage

Choose the right material to make your outdoor signage last When selecting materials for outdoor signs, it's critical that you take into consideration the many variables that are at play in comparison with indoor signage. Factors like weather, temperatures, wind, and ultimately the purpose of your signage will all impact the material you select. WCD's print and signage divisions are now part of Cober Solutions, offering expanded national capabilities. Find out more >> To help guide you in your decision making, here are six of the most common materials used to create durable outdoor signs: 1) Coroplast A staple in the sign industry, coroplast is perfect for outdoor signs on a budget. Made of corrugated plastic, coroplast is both light-weight and weather resistant. Coroplast is best used for temporary outdoor signs including event signage, although the material can last up to 1-2 years outdoors depending on conditions. This product can be easily cleaned, is stain-proof, and will withstand elements like rain and snow. Key features of coroplast signs include: Indoor or outdoor useWater proofAbility to add grommets for hangingCan be printed double-sided 2) Bubbl-X Bubbl-X is an ideal option for lightweight outdoor signs. This product is blue bin recyclable, making it an ideal option for businesses invested in their environmental footprint and sustainability. Bubbl-X is similar to coroplast in look and feel, but offers a smoother surface for printing, and instead of flutes, it has a core similar to heavy-duty bubble wrap. The result is a smooth, waterproof, light-weight sign that is slightly more durable than coroplast. Key features of Bubbl-X signs include: Indoor or outdoor useWater proofRecyclableAbility to add grommets for hangingCan be printed double-sided 3) PVC Board PVC board is a white product that looks and acts similar to wood, but has a hard, smooth finish that is ideal for printing single or double sided. Stable for use indoors or out, PVC board can be cut, glued and screwed as if it were plywood. Key features of PVC board signs include: Indoor or outdoor useWater proofCan be printed double-sided 4) DIBOND DIBOND is an aluminum composite material that has a solid polyethylene core sandwiched between thin gauge aluminum on either side. This product offers a lightweight, rigid and durable solution that is very suitable for long-term outdoor use. Key features of DIBOND signs include: Indoor or outdoor useWater proofCan be printed double-sided 5) Aluminum Solid aluminum is an ideal substrate for signs that need to perform outdoors for several years, such as parking lot signs, pipeline markers and site access signs. Most road signs you'll see today are made of aluminum because of their ability to withstand heat, hail, and rain. And for those looking for a sustainable option, aluminum's recyclability makes it an ideal choice. Key features of aluminum signs include: Indoor or outdoor useWater proofRecyclable 6) Crezone Crezone is an exterior grade plywood, specially treated and pre-painted white for use in outdoor signage. This product is ideal for use in cold temperatures because it is resistant to cracking and can easily be screwed to a backboard or bolted to sign posts. This product is often used for billboard advertisements, construction site signs, real estate signs, and a-frames. Key features of crezone signs include: Indoor or outdoor useWater proofCan be printed double-sided Need help with your signage project? Signage solutions are now available through Cober Solutions.

Read more

04.11.2022

5 Types of Signage Homebuilders Need to Drive Sales

How can homebuilders drive sales with signage? When potential buyers are visiting a new community, they’re looking for a sense of place and belonging that helps them to envision themselves living there. The community brand that homebuilders design supports that message, and signage is a critical component of amplifying it. Beyond creating a sense of place for potential buyers, signage also helps you advertise your new development to passersby. If you’re a home builder looking to market a new development, here are five types of signage that will help you get the word out: Banners Temporary Billboards and Skid Frames Flags & Flagpoles Sales Centre Signage Portable Directional Signs 1) Banners Banners are one of the easiest ways to advertise your residential development—they’re temporary, cost-effective, weather-resistant, and can be easily cleaned and stored. Plus, they can be fixed to almost any structure including nearby fences. 2) Billboards & Skid Frames Skid frame signs are semi-permanent billboards. Because the structure is made of wood, it can be reused for future advertisements, making them a sustainable choice. Built sturdy, skid frames can also withstand harsh weather conditions. Because these temporary billboards can be built quite large, they’re ideal for advertising in high-traffic locations to capture attention, such as on the side of a busy roadway or at the entrance to your new community. 3) Flags & Flagpoles Flags and flagpoles are a great way to reinforce your brand and are also useful for drawing more attention to your other signs through movement. The size of your flags can vary, but consider using larger flags with more surface area for designs that feature graphics and lettering. 4) Sales Centre Signage One of your main objectives as a marketer in home sales is to have customers visit your sales centre—which is why creating a positive experience is critical. Residential sales centres are typically either in a show home or built with a temporary portable structure. With a bit of landscaping and signage, you can transform your sales centre into an eye-catching and welcoming environment. On the outside, custom 3D lettering, banners and window graphics will draw buyers in. On the inside, imagine an interactive wall mural that maps out the plans for the area, and dimensional plaques that tell the story of the community. It’s these little details that will excite your buyer! 5) Portable Directional Signs Guide your buyers through new communities with portable signs that direct movement through and around your community. Temporary sandwich boards, lawn signs and smaller skid frames are all great options to help direct your buyers where to go. We can’t wait to help you sell more homes! WCD Creative is here to help you design a holistic signage program that will capture the attention of your market. We then work closely with our strategic print and signage partner, Cober Solutions on the production and installation of your signage displays. Contact us to get started!

Read more

04.05.2022

Case Study: Home Renovation Business Grows with Direct Mail

CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY How a Calgary-Based Home Renovation Business is Growing with Direct Mail Over the past few years, the home has taken on an entirely new meaning. For many of us, it’s where we’ve spent the majority of our time working, resting, and enjoying leisurely activities with loved ones. As we adapted to spending more time at home, businesses were also pivoting. They needed new ways to interact with customers that stretched beyond the brick-and-mortar experience. Business owner Brett Murphy can attest to that. Brett’s Calgary-based business Custom Roll-Out Drawers helps homeowners revitalize their space and “learn to love their home again” through custom renovations and storage solutions—from cabinet refacing to countertops, closet organization, and more. Since the company’s inception in 2003, its marketing strategy has mainly focused on exhibiting at home shows in Calgary and surrounding areas. As the pandemic set in and events dwindled, the company needed another way to attract new customers. “Over the past two years, home shows have been few and far between. We needed to look at other options for lead generation, so I went back to what I know works—direct mail." How Direct Mail Has Advanced Over the Decades Brett first learned about direct mail advertising through his father’s house cleaning business over 20 years ago. During that time, the process of targeting customers was complex and time-intensive. “Before Canada Post had Precision Targeter to segment households to mail to, we would purchase Statistics Canada information on neighbourhood demographics so we could pinpoint our target market,” says Brett. At that time, the family outsourced printing and would then spend hours counting and bundling their direct mail pieces—up to 3,000 pieces a week—before handing them over to Canada Post for delivery. “We would roll six-foot maps out across a table and highlight the neighbourhoods we wanted to target.” Today, Custom Roll-Out Drawers can segment their audience with just a few clicks. Using Canada Post’s online Precision Targeter tool, Brett can select up to three audience attributes from a list including household income, age, family structure, type of dwelling, and other demographic and behavioural data points. From there, he can narrow down his audience by geography—whether it be by the municipality, postal code, or even a specified drive distance from his shop. Finding Success with Direct Mail in Calgary Since mid-2020, Brett has been working with a Calgary-based direct mail partner to run a series of direct mail campaigns now totaling over 45,000 pieces. Targeting a series of postal codes that match the company’s ideal customer profile, Brett strategically drops mailers to the same households multiple times throughout the year—a tactic that increases brand recall and the likelihood of conversion. “I’ve had people call me and they’ve held onto two or three of my postcards, so I know it can take a few touchpoints before the customer will reach out." “So far, the direct mail campaigns have successfully replaced the leads we were getting from home shows. We will return to events when they come back, but we’ll also continue our mailers so we can double our volume of leads,” says Brett. “Canada Post’s Smartmail Marketing program can be turned on and off almost instantly, and it’s quite cost-effective. The flexibility and targetability offered by direct mail marketing works amazing for our business.” For small business owners, investing in marketing that is cost-effective and provides a great return on investment is so valuable. To learn more about their business, visit www.rolloutdrawers.com. How can your business get started with Direct Mail? Ready to learn more about how your business can achieve its marketing goals with direct mail? Learn more about direct mail marketing on our website, or download our free eBook: The 6 Step Guide to Direct Mail Marketing below.

Read more

03.21.2022

5 Most Common Types of Book Binding

Not sure what type of book binding you should use? You've brought your story to life on paper, and now you need something sturdy to hold it all together. That's where the craft of book binding comes in. Whether you're planning to self-publish a novel, develop a corporate manual, or print school yearbooks, the right binding will add that finishing touch and ensure your book stays intact for decades to come. As Canada's leading experts in book printing and bindery, our team can help you choose finishing's that are just right for your book. Start exploring your options below. Get a book printing estimate online > 1) Cerlox binding Cerlox binding, also called comb binding, uses a cylindrical plastic shape with curved prongs to hold your book together. This cost-effective binding allows your book to lay flat when it is open and holds between 5-250 pages. This binding method is commonly used for manuals, workbooks, annual reports and more. 2) Wire binding Wire binding, also called wire-o, uses a "c” shaped wire spine that is threaded through punched holes and squeezed shut with a wire closer to make the spine round. With wire binding, your document will lay flat, can rotate 360 degrees around the spine, and will hold from 16-275 pages. Wire binding is commonly used for calendars, manuals, workbooks, and other corporate documents. 3) Spiral binding Spiral binding can look similar to wire binding, but there are some distinct differences. Spiral binding is typically plastic that is coiled through punched holes in the paper, so you can fully rotate the coil if needed. Spiral-bound books lay flat when open and hold 16-275 pages. This method is commonly used for notebooks, manuals, reports and more. 4) Saddle stitching Saddle stitching is a popular book binding method where wire staples are punched through the outside of the spine and bent flat between the centermost pages of the book for a smooth finish. Saddle stitching can accommodate documents from 2-250 pages and is commonly used for brochures, booklets, small catalogues, and more. 5) Perfect binding Perfect binding is a process where sections of a book are bound together on the edge with adhesive and are then bound to a wrap-around hard or softcover. The cover is typically scored on the back and front for ease of opening. Perfect binding creates a clean, crisp product that holds 50-250 pages. This method is used for novels, photo books, yearbooks, and probably most of the books sitting on your bookshelf! Book printing and binding in Canada Ready to print and bind your book? Book printing services now available through Cober Solutions. Ship your books anywhere in Canada from production facilities for book printing and binding in Calgary, Edmonton and Ontario.

Read more

02.28.2022

What is Construction Hoarding?

What is construction hoarding and why do developers need it? In most major cities like Calgary and Edmonton, inner-city development is on the rise. For developers in Alberta, supplying construction hoarding to those sites isn’t just vital to keep people safe—it’s also required by law. According to Part 8 of the Alberta Building Code, construction sites that constitute a hazard to the public are required to place a fence or barricade between the site and the public way—otherwise known as construction hoarding. WCD's print and signage divisions are now part of Cober Solutions, offering expanded national capabilities. Find out more >> While hoarding is a necessary safety measure, it’s not always pretty. That’s why the public and policymakers have called on developers to get creative with their hoarding in ways that visually enhance their construction sites through design and art. There are a few ways you can do so with different types of branding for your construction hoarding. How to apply for a hoarding permit in Calgary and Edmonton. Below are some ideas for different types of Hoarding in Construction. Types of Hoarding in Construction Mesh Construction Hoarding for Temporary Fences If you’re using a temporary chain link fence to protect your construction site, you’ll still need a way to adequately contain dirt and debris from your site. Securing mesh hoarding to your fence has a few benefits: It is a type of construction hoarding that is lightweight and allows air to pass through, ideal for windy areas The printable fabric enables you to advertise a new development on-site Limits passage of site debris and dust while maintaining privacy Easy installation to an existing chain link fence (apply zip ties to grommets) More environmentally friendly than other hoardings like plywood Dibond Construction Hoarding for Plywood Fences Plywood is one of the most common methods used to install construction site hoarding. Using jersey barriers and posts, plywood is mounted to fully seal off your construction site. From there, many developers will use Dibond, an aluminum composite, to mount graphics and increase the visual appeal of their site. Benefits of using this type of construction hoarding are: A sturdy and secure solution for more permanent construction sites Can be mounted using jersey barriers or more permanent in-ground posts A clean look with maximum privacy for your construction site Need help designing your hoarding? Explore our Creative Services > Scrim Banners for Plywood Fences As an alternative to Dibond, you can print your design on a scrim banner, an opaque material that can be applied to a plywood fence easily. Benefits of using scrim banner to brand your construction site hoarding are: Scrim is a lighter weight than E-PanelIt's easy to install using grommets and zip ties Scrim is a more affordable alternative We do not recommend using scrim banners on temporary, free-standing chain link fences as the material is heavy and doesn’t allow air to pass through. However, applying scrim to permanent in-ground fencing (like seen below) is perfectly acceptable. Need Construction Hoarding in Calgary or Edmonton? Signage solutions are now available through Cober Solutions.

Read more