Keep your digital assets in check

Some users do not even know what format they need for the job in hand, so the best way to keep digital assets in check and take away these hassles is to use a well-designed digital asset library to hold and file all your assets.

Not being able to find a picture could result in loss of business. For one well-known retailer a promotion for avocados had to be cancelled because no one could find a picture of the fruit (they had to go for potatoes instead). The avocado image was eventually discovered on a disc, buried in a huge pile of CDs under a marketing executive's desk - and that's not unusual.

Physical, rather than electronic, filing is never high on the "to do" list, so when it comes to looking after hundreds or thousands of images, it is no wonder that some get "lost". However, using a digital asset library to house pictures and video clips, while obviating the filing chore, delivers much more. As access to the library is via a web browser interface, it means that the system can also be easily accessed from any location - completely removing the need to be in the office and having to scramble under a desk to find the relevant CD.

For retail marketers where the onus is on ensuring that the plethora of items that need to be created within a single campaign are 100% accurate everywhere, a digital asset library can provide huge benefits.

The use of the wrong image can have disastrous commercial and costly legal implications. This can be avoided if all the assets are in one place, with online updating, ensuring that all relevant users can find what they need and have the most up-to-date version.

Being able to manipulate only approved images for use on TV, on mobile phones, on digital screens as well as in print or on the Internet at the press of a button will help turn round campaigns fast and accurately - and leave more time for the creative process.

Configurable security also means that the system can be set up so that only nominated people can have access to upload or view images, which protects against mis-use, but conversely also aids collaboration on projects. And there is no need to worry about losing an image as only users with the appropriate authority have the option to delete a file. Images can also be watermarked to discourage unauthorised downloads or image saves.

When working on a project, suppliers, affiliates, printers and agencies can all be given access, which means a saving in time as well on the delivery costs of materials. With appropriate purpose-built software the whole experience is fast and efficient, even when the images are many megabites in size.

Real Time Repurposing - Keep originals safe

A digital asset library can store high resolution original images at 100s of megabytes so any number of resized and re-cropped options can be transferred, without risk of losing the original asset.

The clever part, however, is when it comes to downloading the selected image: the software uses some clever code that makes it possible to convert large files in a matter of seconds. In one trial, using a mid range PC to run the software, a resized and cropped image from a 400mb original was completed in less than four seconds.

Assuming a high definition original this means that a direct file output can be achieved from the system appropriate for a 48 sheet poster. Alternatively a very small JPEG can be created for use on a web site - all from the same original.

Video preview clips

Some digital asset libraries come with video support so that movie clips can uploaded, stored and shared. This will become increasingly useful as video becomes a more widely used media format. Modern systems will support all popular formats such as MPEG, WMV, AVI and Flash.

To help manage video clips, such as when viewing the results of a search, the software creates a thumbnail from the clip, and the technology is sufficiently flexible, so that users can choose which frame to use as the thumbnail when the clip is added to the video repository.

To remove the need to download a full movie based on a thumbnail alone, the software generates a short preview clip in Flash (or MPEG). a large movie file.

Additionally, users can choose to convert the clip to a different video format on download. For example, converting to MPEG, AVI or Flash.

Benefits

Being able to manipulate images for use on TV, on mobile phones, on digital screens as well as in print or on the Internet at the press of a button will help turn round retail campaigns fast and accurately - and leave more time for the creative process.

As more marketers are being regularly assessed on how well specific campaigns are run, linking a digital asset library to other solutions that better streamline, control and measure campaigns is an option.

With the credit crunch biting hard and retailers looking for ways to tempt customers, being able to turn round a fresh campaign in hours rather than days could just provide that competitive edge.

Geoff Clifton is business development director at Pierhouse

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