Widen Guest

Join Widen at the Premiere of Createasphere Digital Asset Management and Explore the Global Issues of DAM with the Experts

WHEN:    
February 17th & 18th, 2010 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

WHERE: 
The Universal Hilton
555 Universal Hollywood Dr.
Universal City, CA

WHAT:   
The premiere of Createasphere Digital Asset Management Exposition is specifically designed to bring together technology leaders, entertainment and media organizations and an interdisciplinary group of practitioners to define the future, and current best practices specific to entertainment, broadcast, gaming, advertising and media.

WHO:   

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Keynote: Studio Panel - "Vision 2010 and 2020"
Stan Scoggins - Universal, Scott Phelan - Fox Filmed Entertainment, Tim Padilla - Warner Bros., Jamie Voris - NFL, Garrett Smith - Paramount Pictures, Paul Nicholson - ShowTime, Moderated by Dan McGraw - Seven Dials Media

Panels include:

• DAM 101- What is it and what you need to know
• dpBestflow – The Best DAM Resource on the Web
• The 21st Century Career: Digital Librarians, Archivists, Project Management and So Much More
• The Strategic Business Case for DAM: When, Why & ROI
• The DAM Admins Open Source Toolbelt - Free Tools You Need to Know This Year
• Distributing Rich Media: The Competitive Edge Is Knowledge
• Using Social Media in DAM
• Positioning of DAM
• Exploring the Process to Manage, Manipulate & Deliver Video Content

Thursday, February 18th, 2010
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Keynote: "The Evolution of DAM (Digital Asset Management)"
Alex Grossman, Active Storage

Panels include:

• The Role of Taxonomy & Metadata in Digital Asset Management
• Capitalization on Storage
• Metadata - The Message is IN the Media
• Reinventing Everything: The desktop paradigm moves to the web
• Rights Management & Content Protection of Assets
• Managing Worldwide Workflow: Digital Is a Global Initiative
• Order from Disorder: Taming the Digital Chaos
• Powerful Tools & Techniques for Enhancing Searching Capabilities

See Panel Schedule and Speaker Information

In addition to two days of panels and keynotes, the Createasphere DAM conference features lunchtime roundtables, networking opportunities, and other community building events and opportunities for education and connection. 

For Information and Registration, visit: http://www.createasphere.com/damem_february

Almost everyone nowadays has a digital camera, even if it's just on their mobile phone. This means that data and images are no longer stored in file folders and photo albums, but on hard drives and memory cards. While this technology is superb for working with images, it is not without risks. Storage devices can get damaged or stolen and then your precious memories are lost.

Transition that into the business world where there is more digital media and more users requiring access on a daily basis. A memory is to an individual like a brand is to an organization. What does is stand for? How is it perceived? What do people think of when they see a brand’s assets? To consistently market a brand in today’s multichannel environments, digital media and brand assets must be protected and delivered using the most reliable solution.

What options are available to help protect digital media and brand assets?

Many people make multiple back-ups of their computer systems and storage devices. This is great for a while but eventually you end up with back-ups of back-ups with loads of duplicated data. Alternatively, you run the risk of deleting files that you think you have backed up only to discover that you did not. An online Digital Asset Management (DAM) system is therefore something worth considering. It has multiple functionalities, is quite simple to use, cost-effective to purchase, and can help manage all of your digital media very effectively. 

How does a Digital Asset Management system work?

A DAM system is made up of various software functionalities to assist in the creation, management and distribution of digital media. If your organization has multiple internal and external stakeholders, there may be additional applications helpful on both ends of the spectrum—creation and distribution. Here's a brief overview of the various applications that fit the digital asset life cycle.

At the core, a digital asset repository helps you to centralize photos, logos, creative files and other digital media. DAM makes it easy to search for specific media files, convert and distribute them using a web-based platform. You can access your files easily and conveniently—even if the files are very large. A video asset management system is similar in that it allows you to preview, transcode and send video and audio files across the web without much effort. This is particularly useful when working with tight deadlines and you need a convenient delivery method.

If you frequently have to select photographs from portfolios for various creative and advertising projects, then a collaboration application would serve as a versatile feature of a DAM system. Working upstream in the creative workflow from the general DAM repository, web-based workflow and collaboration tools allow photography and creative teams to review and approve the photos that you wish to use. Additionally, when working on specific creative or marketing projects, project owners can coordinate reviews, track comments and approvals on modified versions and keep design teams on track for a streamlined workflow.

Downstream from the general digital asset repository, partners and sales channels can create custom marketing and sales collateral with a dynamic media building tool. Using predefined templates and content options, non-technical or non-creative users can create localized ads, brochures, direct mail and signage. This feature allows sales channels and affiliates to produce brand-approved collateral for campaigns, product launches, events or special promotions at a local level.

What are the benefits of using a Digital Asset Management system?

A big plus of any DAM system is that it helps you manage and search for files in a centralized system for all types of digital media. No more searching for the CD with the photos from last year’s campaign; simply view, organize and retrieve assets online. Web-based DAM systems are designed to be simple and easy to use, and users do not need to be technical experts to get what they need.

An equally important benefit is that a DAM system offers a safe storage facility for your files. Hard drives may fail from time to time, and CDs can get lost or damaged. In that case, you may not be able to retrieve your precious brand assets. A web-based DAM system has necessary back-ups, ensuring that you will always be able to access your photos and videos even if you change your computer hardware.

DAM is a critical technology for organizations with collaborative workflows needing a single storage and access point. Collaboration is particularly useful for staff in the media industry and corporate marketing environments. DAM systems make life much easier in being able to review, approve, search, share and download files that are typically too large for more limiting means of collaboration. The system effectively becomes the virtual meeting point for everyone across different geographic locations, which is both convenient and cost-effective.

Lastly, one of the most critical issues that a DAM system helps to solve is safeguarding an organization’s brand by ensuring only the most current assets are used. An online DAM system provides the easiest access point to approved brand assets. Being able to easily retrieve assets helps to ensure internal and external users turn to the DAM system first as opposed to other unattended sources. Governance features such as roles and permissions help administrators regulate who can see what assets. Assets for future or past due uses can be on hold or archived so the general user doesn’t have access.

Digital Asset Management helps organizations be more efficient, effective and in greater control over the vast amounts of digital media and brand assets at every critical stage of the digital asset life cycle.

Get a 360-degree view of the new trends and technologies shaping the future of cross-media communications at the 2010 IPA Leadership Conference, February 4-6, 2010 – Scottsdale, Arizona.

The IPA Leadership Conference, 360-Degree Marketing Execution, brings together brand owners and business leaders from creative, premedia and print communities to share experiences, strategies and knowledge of marketing execution and cross-media communications. Many of the most respected thought leaders in marketing will provide a 360-degree view of the trends and technologies shaping the future of cross-media communications.

Gain critical insight and valuable ideas on how your company can plan for success!

Registration and details online at www.ipa.org/leadership or download the complete program.


Keynote Presentations

Best Practices in this Brave New World of Marketing
Julie Roehm, former chief marketing officer, Walmart and DaimlerChrysler

Julie Roehm, a powerful, charismatic marketing visionary, is one of the most successful global marketing, new media, advertising and brand-building experts in the United States. Roehm will share her story from behind the scenes at the world’s most influential retailer to show how quickly the world is shifting and how marketers, agencies and service providers can plan for success in this brave new world. Always ahead of trends, Julie will provide you with extraordinary insight and ideas on how to succeed in the tumultuous world of marketing communications.

Lead Gen-to-Gen Y: Preparing for the New B2B Buyer
Liz Brohan, Co-CEO, Colman Brohan Davis (CBD) Marketing

Gen Y, the tech-savvy children of baby boomers, are fast becoming managers making purchase decisions about your products and services. Don’t market to them in the same old ways. The leader of one America’s largest integrated marketing agencies will reveal how Gen Y’s habits and characteristics are defining what’s new and what’s next in integrated marketing, lead generation and retention. You’ll gain new ideas about how to sell to this emerging buyer of media production and marketing services.

Facing the Future of Sales: How to Reach the CMO
Liz Miller, Vice President, Programs and Operations, CMO Council

The need for face-time with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of both current and prospective clients has never been greater. With variable data, social networking, shifting marketing budgets and the ability of sales tracking, a CMO-meeting is a critical step in the sales process. Reaching and interacting with the CMO takes planning, a pinch of tact, and a whole lot of technique. The VP of operations for a worldwide organization of 5,000 CMOs, controlling more than $125 billion in annual marketing buys, will share how to communicate effectively with C-level executives.


Conference Themes

Marketing Execution Best Practices
Get a 360° view of marketing successes and failures that will help you execute breakthrough marketing programs.

New & Emerging Media
Learn how you can use new technologies to enable clients to make the transition from traditional to more personal and engaging marketing.

Fundamentals of the New Media Enterprise
Find out what it takes to reach marketing services buyers with the right message in this new world of cross-media communications.


Session Highlight: Interactive Discussions

Proven Marketing Execution Best Practices

• Julie Roehm, Walmart & DaimlerChrysler
• Margie Dehm, Sara Lee Corporation
• Marriott Winchester, SGS International

Integrating Social Media with Cross Media

• M.J. Anderson, Trekk Cross-Media
• Jim Egan, Kerry Ingredients
• Chris Walling, Brandfire Marketing Group

Profiting from New & Emerging Media

• Liz Brohan, Colman Brohan Davis Marketing
• Pam Ansley Evans, IBM

Innovative Procurement Models

• Cheryl Kahanec, Sandy Alexander
• Print Production Manager, GlaxoSmithKline
• CJ Kornell, Arizona State University

Registration and details online at www.ipa.org/leadership or download the complete program.

Below is an excerpt from the KM World article, DAM takes on many roles by Judith Lamont, Ph.D., about UNICEF’s adoption of Widen Digital Asset Management tools and services. The full article provides three unique case studies from digital asset management vendors. The excerpt below introduces the digital media management needs from UNICEF and explains why they selected Widen DAM SaaS.

[Excerpt]

Rich media assets

UNICEF was founded by the United Nations in 1946 to help save, protect and improve the lives of children through immunization, education, healthcare, nutrition, clean water and sanitation. It delivers those services and material resources on a regular basis, and responds to emergencies throughout the world.

The UNICEF Web site is the primary means of conveying information about activities in which the organization is involved. With nearly 200 offices operating in 156 countries, and fundraising partner organizations in 36 industrialized countries, UNICEF has deployed a Web content management (WCM) system that allows distributed editing and publishing of content, and localization of field office Web sites.

As rich media, particularly video, became more prevalent, UNICEF also saw a need for a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system that could help staff members deal more effectively with the increasing number of digital assets.

"We drop professional UNICEF journalists and photographers into all sorts of places where children are affected by crisis, as well as serious ongoing challenges," says Alexander Struminger, executive project manager in UNICEF’s Internet, broadcast and image section. "Video is a good format for quickly telling complex stories and effectively feeding into news cycles, but we needed to be able to store, retrieve and distribute the files more easily."

SaaS delivery model

UNICEF had tried several approaches to DAM, including developing its own software, but usage of the systems had been limited. "One of the lessons we learned in our early attempts was that the way in which we rolled out the system was critical," says Struminger. "We knew we needed a good software product, but better software alone is never the answer. We also needed to facilitate adoption by involving stakeholders." After researching the available options and requesting proposals from best-in-class vendors, UNICEF selected the DAM platform from Widen Enterprises.

The software-as-a-service (SaaS) delivery model of Widen’s DAM platform removed the burden of installing and maintaining the software. UNICEF also took note of the company’s long history of high-quality service. "Widen helped us start out with a pilot project so we could introduce the product to a small group of beta testers," Struminger explains. "We made sure we had a group of motivated UNICEF stakeholders involved. This ensured early adoption and a sense of ownership by key stakeholders."

The system was introduced by UNICEF’s Geneva office at a gathering of UNICEF fundraising organizations, and several of the individuals involved in the pilot spoke enthusiastically about its merits. "This event changed the conversation," Struminger says, "and we realized it was the kind of advocacy we needed in order to get that vital adoption."

Other parts of the organization began to request the DAM system, and a global rollout is now in progress. Feedback has been very positive, and users are beginning to suggest new applications, like asset sharing between divisions, countries and partner organizations. Widen’s application for video Web streaming is also under consideration.

Users can quickly find video clips they need, along with scripts and shot lists. They can send those files directly to a journalist or news organization for review. UNICEF offices and partners can have access to up-to-date branding assets, as well as print publications files for localization, printing or electronic distribution.

"The robust search engine is really one of the keys to this system," explains Struminger, "and its ability to leverage metadata." Although the metadata and taxonomy needed to be sorted out as the system expanded, the Widen DAM system is now becoming the preferred distribution platform for digital assets.

Widen Enterprises draws its expertise from its own experience in pre-press workflow, so in addition to offering a software product it also has substantial subject matter expertise.

"Our emphasis is on service and being with customers throughout their process," says Matthew Gonnering, CEO of Widen. "For example, we staffed our own video production studio to make sure we understood the workflow. Our product handles every major video format as well." That ability provides support to social marketing efforts, allowing the distribution of video to many channels. "We don’t just get our customers set up with the software and then part company," Gonnering emphasizes. "We are available throughout the entire time of our relationship."

View the full article from KM World: DAM takes on many roles

Catch a glimpse of a few Widen creative capabilities with an artistic tour of digital photography, color retouching and digital sampling.

Guest blog post from Sean Banahan, Widen Area Sales Director

I wanted to share an experience I recently had while presenting Widen’s suite of web-based digital asset management solutions to a group of prospective customers.  I was asked how, and how often, Widen updated our system each year.  In a rush of excitement I described how Widen’s release schedule calls for four releases each year, two of which are major product version updates.  I was just saying how this feat was unparalleled in the content management industry when I noticed how quiet the room got.  One of the people sitting closest spoke up to explain why I could hear crickets all of a sudden.  It was explained how they saw our release schedule not as a plus, but as a real concern and liability. 

Their IT department and resources were very limited and adapting to numerous product releases wasn’t possible, especially for a software product that was not their desperately needed and coddled CRM or ERP systems, which is where the IT group focused all of their time.   It probably shouldn’t have surprised me to be reminded of how some people view the software that they purchase as a troll under the bridge, but it did.  This group had experienced how difficult it is to maintain software against required databases, application servers, hardware and everything else.  When one changes, the whole system sways like a Jenga tower.  With no army of IT personnel to hold the tower up, they were worried it would topple. 

This concern is addressed by the most core advantage of the software-as-a-service model.  You don’t have to worry about it.  Widen provides so many upgrades a year because we can.  It’s our software and each product update is carried out by us and provided seamlessly to the customer.  You don’t need to care what database version is supported or how many CPUs your application server license permits.  We worry about those things.  Your creative teams shouldn’t have to worry about becoming an IT powerhouse to get digital asset management tools in the front door.  Leave it up to professionals.  I drive a car every single day and couldn’t tune an engine and can barely change a tire. 

Guest blog post from Sean Banahan, Widen Area Sales Director

I am a big fan of Theresa Regli’s blog on Digital Asset Management.  As an analyst for CMS Watch, Theresa has some great insight into the DAM space.  Her most recent blog describes the lack of what she calls a “Middle Class” DAM software solution.  Theresa points out that an empty gap exists between smaller desktop solutions with price points under $5,000 and those enterprise solutions offered by companies like North Plains and Interwoven that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  With the lack of options available to them, more and more companies are looking to hosted services – like the one offered by Widen – as the answer.  This is because SaaS solutions do not force customers to choose between functionality and price. 

Widen’s DAM platform and optional modules are web based, scalable enough to store terabytes of data, offer role-based security and a host of features to enhance our customers’ existing digital media workflows.  Best of all, we can help our customers get a basic system up and running in two weeks for a fraction more than what they are paying for small desktop based workgroup systems and ongoing costs are based on how much you use it.   In fact, it’s my opinion that enterprise software only exists today because of outdated fears around performance, security and ownership.  Almost all of the large CMS and DAM software providers have made efforts to get into the hosted game recently in a race to follow their customers and stay relevant.  I have commented on this trend in my earlier blogs but wiser analysts and industry specialists have predicted the trend for many years now.  If you’re interested in learning more about the DAM space in general, I would recommend checking out Theresa’s blog.

Guest Blog Post from Tim Vial, Widen Sales Representative

It’s a word we can’t escape, and it won’t be going away for awhile.  Recession.  Our budgets have become tighter, and yes I will admit that I have converted into a coupon cutter…

In these times you need to push harder in your marketing efforts to reach the same result. Now is not the time to cut marketing, but to increase it and rather be more effective. Whether in times like these or a booming economy, having the tools to be the most efficient are evident but right now it’s painfully clear, you need Digital Asset Management.

Now the task begins of deciding which way to go.  Having a decreased budget is yet another reason to run away from the installed software realm into the stable arms of a Software as a Service (Saas) provider.  Let’s just focus on cost right now.  An installed provider will charge you and average of $90,000 just to set you up.  We will leave all the costly upgrades, training, and maintenance out of the mix for now and just take that number.  With a hosted solution from Widen Enterprises, $90,000 would get you an average of 3-5 years of digital asset management services.  Again, I will leave out that with a hosted solution all the training, upgrades, and maintenance are included.  Think of all the upgrades you have missed in 5 years!

Marketing has seen the digital shift.  In an online survey of 400 senior marketing and media executives, 67% identified online video as a primary focus of their 2009 digital marketing campaigns, with 52% planning the launch of an online video project by the second quarter. Manage it with the Widen Media Collective complete with tools like Embed Links, video asset management, project collaboration, and image approval applications.  Reallocate that budget now and propel your marketing in 2010!

Guest Blog Post from Ben Johnsen, Widen Sales Representative

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions 

1.  To further educate people about the services offered by Widen Enterprises. 

2.  To continue learning about the issues people are encountering while working with creative files.

3.  To show creative agencies the cost benefits of using a hosted digital asset management system, especially in a challenging economy.

4.  Advance Widen blogs and customer community to offer more information about digital asset solutions.

5.  To convey the time savings associated with using a web-based digital asset management system.

6.  To use Social Networking sites to help connect with people who are interested in learning more about DAM systems and the Widen Media Collective.

7. To enrich the Widen community with new marketing technologies while building upon 60 years of our history.

8.  To advance the importance and usability Widen’s Embed Links for DAM technology. 

9. To show people how easy Widen’s DAM is to use.

10.  To help more companies increase efficiency and effectiveness in their Marketing Operations. 

Happy New Year!

Guest Blog Post from Tim Vial, Widen Sales Representative

I woke up this Christmas Eve morning to a winter wonderland.  However that winter wonderland came along with white out conditions, slippery roads, and being stuck at home for the day.  This got me thinking about what in the world other people do when they can't make it to work, or if they just want to be able to work from home.  How do you access your assets? How can you work at 100% effectiveness?

Well if you had a web-based digital asset management system from Widen Enterprises, your assets and 100% effectiveness is just an internet connection away.  Digital asset management provides global access for your entire team. Whether you need to build brand approved media, grab an file for creative work, photo composition, or whatever else you use your files for, you will never be held back by your location.

You will also never be left to fend for yourself.  With the 100% hosted and software as a service (DAM SaaS) model provided by Widen, your support, training, and service is just a phone call, email, and even a live chat away. Kind of like that Christmas angel, always there for you.

Guest Blog Post from Tim Vial, Widen Sales Representative

As I found myself turning in my last final exam last week, I felt the rush of excitement of the new world of possibilities in front of me. That feeling was short lived as I walked out of the classroom for the last time and saw a newspaper headlined “Poor Economy Means Difficult Times for New Grads.”  My fellow students and I are walking into a yearlong recession which has shed upwards of 240,000 jobs since January 2008.  How could anyone find a job in that market?

Well to relate, if we were a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system from Widen Enterprises, now would be the perfect time to “hire” us.  With a depleted budget but even higher need to advance your brand, you might start to stress.  Fear not.  DAM will unlock the burden of managing and distributing your brand assets in tough times.

Simply put, the companies that “hire” the best strategies and best technology while committing the least amount of resources are going to be the most successful.  By implementing DAM you will generate more time, work more efficiently, be freed of IT constraints, and all the while promote your brand like never before.  The bottom line: You will be able to do more with less.

See the Widen Want Ad to find out what you can get for $5.77 an hour.

Guest blog post from Sean Banahan, Widen Area Sales Director

I recently spoke with a prospective Fortune 500 customer who was going through a formal evaluation of Digital Asset Management software vendors and solutions and was facing an interesting dilemma.  This prospective customer had kick started the evaluation process with the generation and distribution of a formal RFP.  This RFP document had been sent to a number of vendors that had popped up in web searches and inquiries into the DAM space.  The list contained the usual list of players that you would find by doing a simple search for DAM on google. 

The RFP was sent out and vendors were given a couple of weeks to submit a response.  Vendors were not expected to provide any really detailed information on their products because it was assumed that this type of information would be ferreted out in the demonstrations and discussions that would follow the initial proposal.  The problem occurred when only two vendors submitted responses to the RFP within the allotted time.  This prospective customer's purchasing process requires that they review at least three different proposals.  This left the customer scrambling to find out how to address this particular problem.  Should they give more time, should they put the project on hold or go through the effort to get an exception made to an internally established practice? 

While taking efforts to address the issue, the original timeline for a decision came and went.  Then the date when they had hoped to have phase one implemented flew by.  They are still waiting for responses from the remaining DAM vendors today as far as I know.  This really blew my mind.  How can any company trust a vendor as a future partner and service provider who can't even respond to a simple RFP and instead provides lists of weak excuses.  Its not like they were required to provide extremely detailed or extensive information over night.  Are they even doing business?  Maybe they have enough partners as it is.  This customer should start implementing phase one through Widen's on-demand digital media management service.  A basic DAM SaaS solution from Widen would be live and configured within two weeks.  Let the other vendors chase you down and explain why you should give them your business rather than the other way around.

Guest Blog Post from Tim Vial, Widen Sales Representative

In the wake of my defeat in Widen’s weekly football game, I found myself wondering what went wrong.  Many of you may be feeling like this in a much more important game. Like in a backyard football game, the team with the most talent doesn’t always win, but rather the team with the best system.  Attacking today’s global market is a lot like this backyard football game.  There are three pieces to the ultimate victory, score points (get your sales team the ball), don’t give up any points (manage all the new “looks” creative is giving you), and last but not least appeal to your fans (marketing).  How the team with the best system (DAM) will always prevail:

As the quarterback (head of your department) you are the decision maker, and the one who needs to start the production.  Each down (selling situation) is different and has certain routes that will yield better results.  You need to get your receivers (sales reps) the ball quickly, efficiently, and with the best chance of success.  Just like with your business, you need to get your sales reps the most up to date information, with the opportunity to be able to tweak it for each specific opportunity without losing brand integrity.  In the mist of all this action, you have blitzing linebackers (deadlines) closing in on you fast.  You need to play like a veteran.

Offense puts fans in the stands but defense wins championships.  On the other side of the ball, you need to keep track of all those other receivers (assets).  The offense is constantly changing their formations, and bringing in fresh, new players.  The key is managing where those receivers are, who is being used the most, and for what purpose.  That will keep you from falling behind.

Like every team in any sport, you’ve got to pay the bills.  Would a fan come and watch your game and spend their hard earned money if you showed them pictures and told stories of the “glory years” that are long and gone?  Getting your team’s fresh, new image out to the public has to be efficient and effective as well.

In the business world you face the same challenges, which can be solved with Widen’s Digital Asset Management’s Software as a Service technology.  Get your branded material out to Sales teams quickly, with the ability to change some specifics for each target audience, but maintaining brand integrity.  Manage all the new materials creative is busy producing, all the while knowing you are using the most up-to-date image, video, or document with version control.  Find the digital material you are looking for quickly with self service access complete with advanced search options, in an organized central repository, with roles and permissions allowing you to decide who uses what.  In addition, full reporting that makes it easy to find out what images are being used, what’s most popular, etc.

Competing against a business with no DAM is like playing a football game against a quarterback that throws back across the field… Easy pickings.  Let a hosted digital asset management system from Widen Enterprises give you all the tools needed for victory, while always having a “coach” there to guide you, and a “trainer” for all the “bumps and bruises”.

DAM Pros 100, DAM Joes 0

Guest Blog Post from Amanda Jenny, Widen Client Services Assistant, regarding Widen color management and prepress services

Reebok has recently entered into a partnership with Topshop and will launch collections in its London stores. This will be the first time the company has focused on fashion retailing within this area.

Many women find sportswear shops boring and unappealing and Topshop offers the perfect environment to increase sales in this new channel of retailing. The new collections will be promoted by Jamelia (an English R&B singer), which will include a NFL American football range.

Guest Blog Post from Amanda Jenny, Widen Client Services Assistant, regarding Widen color management and prepress services

Reebok International Ltd. has joined forces with women's clothing retailer Limited Too in an effort to reach the "tween-age" girls market.

The partnership calls for Reebok to sell its products in Limited Too's stores, on its web site, and through its catalogue, which is mailed to more than 4 million girls several times per year. The partnership is designed to connect the Reebok brand to trend-setting girls between the ages of seven and fourteen.

"Limited Too is widely considered the retail authority on fashion for 'tween girls," Jan Sharkansky, vice president and general manager of Reebok women's division said in a statement.

Mark Dordel, Quality Assurance

Working in Quality Assurance at Widen means that I work on a team that attempts to unveil most of the faults in the Widen Collective digital asset management software before it is ever released into the wild.  Imagine what would happen to our customer base if Widen did not include QA in the development process.  There would be dogs and cats living together – mass hysteria!  That’s what.

Not really, but our Communications team would be swamped by irate callers and emailers (is that a word?) wondering why they keep running into errors or even worse: incorrect behavior.

Collective is a fairly complex piece of marketing software.  We offer several different applications, most of which interact with each other, and each application’s behavior is dictated by a set of enabled features.  Do not get me wrong, we have some very fine developers in R&D, but ultimately they are human and they sometimes (very rarely) make an error when they code or compile.  That is why I have a job here.

Widen QA is the first line of defense in the battle for customer loyalty and brand perception.  If Collective doesn’t work as advertised, I have not done my job.  My job is not a day to day, Monday through Friday sort of job.  I am always thinking of ways to reveal faults in our software, and critically think about in things I encounter in everyday life.  I am always asking myself: why are things like this or that?  How can this or that be improved?  Why does this or that software return an error when I follow this workflow? 

Think about this, we are immersed in software every day.  You use software every time you use your car, get an X-Ray, pump gas, make a phone call, browse websites, pet your cat (hey, cats are soft)!  Behind all of that software are people performing Quality Assurance (some are obviously much better at this than others).

Quality Assurance, like Software Development is never finished, and at Widen the R&D department operates in a quasi-Agile environment.  This sort of environment always keeps the QA team on its feet.  We are always learning, and always trying to keep a few steps ahead of our customers.

We are Widen QA.

Sarah Cronn, Prepress Apprentice

What does 60 years of Widen mean to me?  In celebrating our 60th anniversary, I would have to say that to me, Widen means change, it means growth, it means advancement.

On July Fourteenth, in this year, Two Thousand and Eight my cohort and I embarked on an incredible journey.  The journey continues with a great many successes, lessons, hard work and laughter.  I am one of the Apprentices to the Prepress Services division at Widen Enterprises.  It is quite exciting to be a part of such an experience as we celebrate Widen's 60th year in the Prepress Industry.  As technology changes, so arise new demands, knowledge and fresh approaches.  Two Apprentices, new to the industry – you cannot get more fresh than that.

Just two and a half months ago we were introduced to the functions of the Premedia Services Division.  We began working in the Digital Photography Studio alongside Widen's photographers.   This entrance gave us a primer into the procedures followed at Widen.  Pouring the foundation for the Widen workflow, we were showed the "hows" and "whys" that enable Widen to thrive supplying high quality marketing communications in a competitive market.

From the studio to the machine.  We began with photography, processing the digital images or passing them onto other departments to work their magic.  The machine became a more integral part of our day, a more important tool to our set of growing skills.  We began working with members of Quality Control, the members of Quality Control would introduce us to our next great adventure, our skill sets expanding.

Skill sets expanding, ah I like the sound of that.  Learning is a great joy of mine, and in an industry like Prepress that attitude is an asset as well.  With the many developments in technology over the past 60 years (even 10 years), openness to change and acceptance of the "new" and the "now" are a must. Acceptance becomes practice, practice becomes proficiency.  I think of it as variety, as they say, it is "the spice of life".  Learning new techniques I can apply to my set of skills impacting my work day as well as my personal work gives me that variety I strive for.  Only two and a half months in and I look at all I have learned, the small details, the bigger themes and I know there is much more to come.

The journey continues… I look forward to the new territory thus far unrevealed to me at Widen.  To me, Widen will continue to mean advancement, as I learn and progress, Widen will continue to mean change as it grows to meet the ever volatile market it has thrived in for the past 60 years.

Danielle Strosin, Production Art/Digital Graphic Support

WOW!  I was 23 when I started working at Widen.  I still remember the phone call I received telling me I got the job. And of course the coffee I spilled all over myself on the way to work my first week.

I remember the fast paced integration of mac computers and workflows replacing scitex machines and workflows.  So many things have changed over the years… as have I.  A recently graduated Commercial Art student, I moved quickly from Project Prep into Data Management.  After my year in Data Management I moved onto Account Management and working with customers and their packaging files.

Eventually, I made it to the then Creative department and now the Production Art department where I have been ever since.  Over the years I have worked with customers, internal marketing and communications in a variety of ways.

My responsibilities at Widen have been invigorating, evolving and challenging every day. The experiences that I am now excited to say I have under my belt, the connections I’ve made, and the endless possibilities for professional improvement have proven to be priceless.

Widen employs so many talented and innovative people.  I believe the success of this company is largely due to the fact that the people here are truly amazing.

I’ve come a long way from the scared little turtle of a student that I was, largely due to working here.  I’ve worked at Widen for almost 12 years (and now that I’ve said that, I’m feeling a little old).  In a nutshell, working for Widen is an amazing experience.  Here’s to another 60 years of service!

Alex Byrne, Sales Representative

To be honest, Widen was foreign to me before January of 2008.  I was at an event in Madison for St. Norbert College, and it was there I was introduced to the company known as Widen.  Matthew Gonnering, Vice President of Sales and Marketing explained to me that Widen was involved in the Information and Technology service industry.  Software-as-a-service (SaaS), digital asset management (DAM), marketing operations management, sales enablement, creative workflow applications, marketing consultation were all aspects of Widens vast services.  Today, I spend my days at work trying to sell to companies on the idea that Matthew sold to me; a Digital Asset Management system that allows organizations the ability to establish a process in which everyone in need of digital media is granted self-service access to one central source, allowing for repurposing and distribution.  He showed me that we can help companies reduce costs associated with searching computers and servers for known assets, as well as help them stop wasting time rebuilding media that cannot be found.  It hasn’t taken long for me to realize why Widen has been around for 60 years