Case study CONDÉ NAST Optimising ad management for publishers

In 2011 Condé Nast Britain began the search for a partner to facilitate spec distribution, ad delivery and workflow automation across their UK publications.

Incoming ads were being delivered with varying specs via multiple channels and the workflow to process these was manual and time-consuming; “We were using Repro Houses to flightcheck and proof our printed advertising.” Condé Nast Britain had to copy chase the ads, deliver them to Repro Houses for validation and wait for the ads to be sent back before sending them to print. As they did not have the means to automate this process, they could not improve efficiency.

The company’s vision is to “be synonymous with engaging, visually arresting and innovating publishing.” The objective in collaborating with an ad validation and delivery provider was to make the submission of print and digital advertising easy for clients and to retain the highest quality control possible.

They wanted a ‘one-stop shop’ with the ability to manage and check all print and digital advertising. To achieve this, they required a partner with expertise, understanding and commitment and in 2012 they started working with Specle.

Now Specle displays Condé Nast Britain’s requirements on a globally accessible platform, providing a customisable and comprehensive ad validation and delivery portal.

For Condé Nast Britain the Specle portal decreases their manual workload and makes it easier for advertisers to deliver verified PDFs that will print as expected. The portal connects to their internal workflows and third-party systems and Specle’s team of prepress technicians offers technical support to the publisher’s advertisers if they require help producing print-ready ads.

Production Director, Sarah Jenson, remembers that the communication between Specle and Condé Nast Britain was integral to the publisher’s succesful trialling and testing of the portal. Demos on how to use the portal were offered to advertisers and agencies during the transition period and Specle’s support team has assisted advertisers with portal and prepress queries following its implementation.

All incoming ads are now validated against Condé Nast Britain’s requirements to ensure a faster internal workflow.

For Condé Nast Britain the best aspects of working with Specle have been a collaborative and proactive approach, a trusting relationship built on regular communication and adaptability to growing requirements.

Condé Nast Britain and Specle will continue to work together to optimise the publishing process and to make it as easy as possible for brands to advertise with them.

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