The Printing Industries Alliance launched its “Print Drives America” initiative 10 months ago at a press conference at Print 17 in Chicago, IL, USA. The Print Drives America Foundation has driven its message via an ambitious PR campaign and speaking engagements to the marketplace.

Printing Industries Alliance sought the printers themselves as the first target, and the organization will continue that effort as it starts to include printing industry vendors in marketing and fundraising. After vendors, the Alliance’s next concentration will be the people who make decisions to use print as an advertising media.

The printers have been pleased to hear that print was the largest and most effective media, Printing Industries Alliance notes. Print is a growth industry and its measurement tracks better results than other media.

“We are very pleased with the rapid acceptance of the Print Drives America initiative,” explains Marty Maloney, executive vice president of the Printing Industries Alliance. “We need to give print a stronger voice to communicate print’s attractive features that create a strong consumer preference for print, to demonstrate its amazing ROI, and to advance print’s leadership position. We will make print attractive to all, erase the misinformation about print and greatly enhance print’s positive perception. Print today is an increasingly high-tech industry that produces collateral materials, magazines, books, direct mail, newspapers, catalogs, labels, packaging, out-of-home media, signage and scores of other print categories. Print in the aggregate makes print the largest communications media of all. Our initial goal will be to increase the perception of print as well as to meaningfully increase print’s market share.”

The Print Drives America Foundation is registered as a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) charitable organization. All contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible. Funds for the Foundation’s marketing and PR efforts will be raised from printers, vendors and end users without regard to geographic limitations. Contributions can be accepted in any amount and frequency.

Suggestions will be made by using annual sales as a guideline. Contributors do not need to be PIA members. Those interested can contact Marty Maloney for further information and how to become a contributor.