L2’s Fuse suite is – like Vpress’ own software – cloud-based and will be available immediately via the Coreprint dashboard as an additional module.

It enables the production and management of integrated marketing campaigns, featuring multiple trigger points across email, print, PURL, SMS and social media, as well as the collection and management of client data.

Pricing for the software is based on a click on outgoing communications, which varies based on quantity but has an average cost of around 2p/click. There is also a system build cost for users who want to outsource that element.

The build cost ranges from £5,000 (including 10,000 clicks) for the construction of a singular campaign to £20,000 for an Automated Marketing Platform encompassing multiple campaigns.

Printers with in-house data management and web development skills can reduce the build cost by doing more of it themselves or eliminate it entirely by paying £10,000 for access to and training on the Fuse APIs (although the click charge would still apply).

“A lot of printers now are bringing in creative people who have some web design experience,” said Vpress managing director Tim Cox. “So if there are elements they’re confident doing themselves that will reduce the cost.

“We expect most printers will probably use it in a reactionary way at first, when they have a client that wants to combine variable data printing with a pre-emptive email and PURL campaign.

“So they would come to us and ask us to build the system for that client but once they’ve done it once then they might start to understand that there’s not that much more involved to become self-sufficient.”

Users will be able to import data from any source, while L2’s Fuse platform also includes analytics to determine the optimal communication pathway for a given audience.

Wrich Printz, president and CEO of L2, said: “Responsive marketing isn’t just about putting someone’s name on a piece of direct mail. Customer data allows you to customise a message to be relevant to their needs and interests – even their location and preferences.

“This creates a relationship between the brand and the customer, and it’s an ongoing one because we allow marketers to respond to customer reactions to campaigns.”

Vpress is also giving away two Centre Court tickets to Wimbledon at Ipex; for more information visit the Vpress stand in the Excel’s North Hall (N3-C302).