Premium Make-Over for Point-Of-Sale Impact
International publisher taps Vista to design new look, manufacture, pack out and fulfill video game strategy guides.

THE CHALLENGE
One of the country’s leading diversified book publishers faced the difficult task of distinguishing itself in the ultra competitive market of game strategy guides. To do so they decided to repackage their publishing content into a series of collectors edition premium book sets. The publisher envisioned its book sets wrapped in a high end, full color laminated folio that would set it apart from competitors’ products and could be sold at a higher price point. Further, since it would be a collector’s edition there would be only one printing, a strategy that drove demand and allowed the publisher to pre-sell all 50,000 sets. Timing was critical: Because content was based on yet-to-be released software games, approval of written content and art occurred less than ten days prior to the channel release date. Upon approval books would be printed and delivered to Vista who would have seven days to design the final size of the folio and then print, manufacture, pack-out and drop ship 50,000 finished units. Delivery to retailers coincided with the game release dates. If dates were not met by Vista the retailers could refuse shipments and the publisher stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales.

THE SOLUTION
We designed an overlapping manufacturing plan to address the need for quick execution of final structure size and simultaneous manufacturing and kitting operations. It success depended on strong communication between all departments, customer service and error free manufacturing.

The program consisted of the following:

• Packaging Development: Designed by in-house CAD team for maximum integrity and efficiency.
• Packaging: Printed and manufactured in-house.
• Kitting and Assembly: Pack two books, one CD and product information sheet into folio then shrink wrap.
• Fulfillment: Contact retail and wholesaler warehouses to establish firm delivery dates and arrange transportation.

Since this large, complex order coincided with a national release date for a high profile game it was critical that book sets were delivered to retail warehouses no later than the game release date. Because final page counts drove the spine size of the custom folio, and the delivery schedules could not be increased, Vista worked closely with its outside steel rule die supplier to ensure fast, accurate turnaround of the final tooling. The manufacturing plan required all printing, finishing and converting operations to occur simultaneously in order to create a stream of folio covers to be used by its in-house kitting department. Once kitting received flat folio covers they would need to insert books, CD, product information sheets, shrink wrap and pack in groups of sixteen.

THE RESULTS
Vista completed its process design and successfully delivered the project in seven business days. The process included structural design, printing, finishing and converting of 50,000 custom packages as well as final assembly and shrink wrap of individual units. All 50,000 were then drop shipped to sixteen national distribution centers.

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