Features Profiles
Spotlight: Jaime Campbell, art director at Sherpa Marketing

Winnipeg-based Sherpa Marketing recently merged with McKim Communications. Given Sherpa’s expertise in digital marketing, the merger allows Sherpa to grow strategically and creatively. We caught up with Jaime Campbell, art director, Sherpa Marketing, to discuss the merger and the state of the Canadian printing industry.

However, before that, here’s a short bio of Campbell.

Campbell was always interested in art and design. She pursued photography after graduating in fine arts from the University of Manitoba. She then went on to study graphic design at Red River College, Winnipeg. After working as a designer in the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries for a few years, Campbell joined Sherpa Marketing 13 years ago. When not working, Campbell enjoys biking, drawing and attending music concerts (when allowed).

What does the merger mean for Sherpa Marketing?

JC: We will be operating under our existing brands, but we can now be more competitive when it comes to larger accounts. It allows us to work on complex projects with national and international companies. We are excited to have so many new smart and creative teammates.

What is the state of the print industry today?

JC: In the last few years, digital solutions have taken over print. However, I feel some applications need print to communicate their message. For example, we work with a lot of clients from the agricultural space. They typically working in rural areas where Internet bandwidth is limited; farmers need, and often prefer, a printed piece that they can easily flip through to make purchasing decisions.

What attracted you to the print industry?

JC: My first love was printed design. You really can’t compare the feeling of holding a beautifully printed piece to a digital artwork. The former touches on all of your senses. As a visual person, I’m always drawn to the creative ways marketers use to communicate their brand messages through print. You learn so much about a brand by simply looking at subtle things like the stock used on packaging, typography and colour. It’s been really cool watching brand strategy get embraced across all platforms, such as interior design, retail and social media. Modern-day marketing has changed branding. It now goes beyond the visual, and taps into all of our senses to elicit an emotional response. This is not a new concept, but the evolution of digital platforms has made it more effective.

How can the industry attract more young people?

JC: While the print industry may be one of the oldest on the planet, it is important that it adapts to today’s needs. Designers want to know if printers think of the impact of their work on the environment. When printers embrace technology and materials that can help shrink their carbon footprints, they show young people the industry is looking out for their future; this allows youngsters to be more perceptive to the industry.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?

JC: It’s important to remember print is viewed as a luxury as things move into the digital landscape. Marketers are looking to catch the eye of potential customers, so showcasing your capabilities for unique finishes and substrates can be the differentiating factor. Additionally, it is important to remember that the needs of customers have changed; they may prefer solutions like print-on-demand. Over the past decade, I’ve seen our orders for large print runs dwindle. There is more demand for personalized solutions.

What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?

JC: Print is one of those industries where the sky is the limit, and you are only restricted by your imagination. By diversifying the services, staying on top of trends and new technology, being flexible and offering great service, printers can be successful for years to come.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?

JC: I love how the technology on digital presses has evolved so much over the years, and we no longer need to have huge budgets to do special treatments like a spot varnish or foil.

Campbell’s responses were edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of PrintAction.