Think Patented: An 'Intelligent Marketing Execution Company'

Marketing Services ... Redefined

Marketing services are being redefined — and print service providers are reinventing themselves to stay at the center of their clients’ communication strategies. Once offering customers customization and personalization was enough. Today, success depends on helping clients connect every touch point across print, digital, and automated channels.

The most progressive PSPs are evolving from print vendors into marketing partners — orchestrating integrated, data-driven campaigns that deliver measurable results. They are helping clients reach the right audience, at the right time, through the right mix of channels. The challenge for others is clear: how to become that indispensable marketing services partner of choice.

As part of this exploration, Alliance Insights spoke with four companies that have reimagined their business models to drive growth and client value. Each offers a distinct perspective on the challenges, opportunities, and innovations transforming the marketplace, yet there are several themes that unite their success stories:

• Acquiring agency capabilities to accelerate web enablement as well as the marketing technology stack for digital services.
• Offering comprehensive kitting and fulfillment operations for both print and promotional specialty items.
• Leveraging large-format printing to drive revenue growth.
• Diversifying customers and services to balance cyclical demand and pursue new markets.
• Shifting focus from transactional print jobs to clients with ongoing, programmatic spending.
• Using data and tracking tools to demonstrate ROI across every campaign element — from direct mail to digital impressions.

From rising customer expectations to the growing influence of data and automation, these organizations show how PSPs can redefine value and relevance in an omnichannel world.

The companies interviewed include:

• Think Patented
• Impact (and its Agency Infinity Direct)
• 1Vision
• OneTouchPoint

Together they offer a roadmap for how to transform and thrive in an industry built on innovation and reinvention.

This is Think Patented's story.

THINK PATENTED: AN 'INTELLIGENT MARKETING EXECUTION COMPANY'

Think Patented was founded in 1979 in Dayton, Ohio, as a traditional commercial printer, Patented Printing, specializing in offset and digital print. The firm has evolved into an “intelligent marketing execution company” combining printing, direct mail, digital marketing, fulfillment, and logistics. It emphasizes a deep customer focus, technology integration and client ROI and serves a base of customers across the United States.

In 2003, Patented Printing hired a new president, Ken McNerney, who began transforming the company. In April 2006, the company was sold to a newly formed investor group, led by Niels Winther and Ken McNerney, marking the transition to the Think Patented name.

In 2013, the company relocated to a newly built 75,000-sq.-ft. facility in Miamisburg, Ohio, equipped with state-of-the-art printing and fulfillment technology. It also acquired Prime Marketing Companies, adding to its digital and e-commerce marketing capabilities. This helped Think Patented expand and strengthen its marketing portals and data-driven campaigns solutions. In 2014, Think Patented added Chisano Marketing Communications to the company’s portfolio. This expanded design services, marketing expertise, and fulfillment software. Between 2020 and 2022, the firm launched a 93,000-sq.- ft. facility, adding on to its existing building for fulfillment services, as well as a second facility dedicated to kit-packing to streamline packaging operations and support client growth.

Today, the company, headed by David McNerney, generates revenues of more than $30 million, and employs 140 people across its two locations. When asked about what his customer value proposition is, he said, “Many of our customers are strapped for resources in a fast-paced environment. They are looking for a partner they trust with all the essential services they need, whether it is design or setting up a website and portal, promotional items, or providing both digital and direct marketing services. We work to become an extension of their staff.”

Think Patented has built a strong staff along with a suite of services to become a provider of choice. Key capabilities include:

• Design services – McNerney said, “We have five full-time designers and are in the process of hiring another. Initially, we thought our smaller customers could use this support. While large firms have agencies, most of our biggest customers use our team for all or part of their work.”
• Systems Integration - Services were built on best-in-class software solutions, including Direct Mail 2.0, InFigo, and Mindfire. McNerney commented that the partnerships with software suppliers allow the company to push the limits of these tools. They have four full-time developers who leverage these platforms and create APIs to integrate with customers’ technical infrastructure.
• Data – Data is critical for marketers. Think Patented has a data processing group that manages the data side of the business. The firm can pull leads from client CRM systems and push information back into them. They use this data to send the right direct mail communication to consumers via the right channel and keep clients informed on what and when direct mail goes out to prospective buyers.

McNerney provided an example of a complex solution: “We have a client that sends out sample product based on website requests. The request gets sent to our fulfillment team. Samples are put in a box with printed materials. Once the sample ships, we launch a drip campaign for additional touchpoints. For all our projects, we provide dashboards so clients can see real-time data such as click-through, response rates, and more. Ultimately it is about conversions for our customers.”

• Fulfillment services – Think Patented provides fulfillment and contract packaging along with marketing, print, and creative services. They handle any product, shape, size, or quantity: pick-and-pack, kitting, and special project work. Capabilities include warehousing, inventory management, e-commerce integration, kitting and assembly, nationwide distribution, and comprehensive reporting and logistics. All this is done in a highly automated fulfillment center.

When asked about the biggest risks and opportunities going forward, McNerney commented, “For our industry, the biggest risk is doing nothing. Our growth has been a result of a customer-focused mindset. We want to understand their KPIs and what drives their business, because ultimately, their success drives ours.”

In Summary

Firms like Think Patented, Impact and its Agency Infinity Direct, 1Vision and OneTouchPoint have embraced the market transformation. They have made strategic investments in marketing automation, analytics, and partnerships. They have emerged not just as print providers, but as essential marketing partners supporting client success. These print industry market leaders understand that providing intelligent marketing services isn’t about replacing print. They have expanded their services to drive engagement and provide demonstrable ROI. The result is elevating print as part of an “intelligent marketing” ecosystem.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.