Prepress

New QuarkXPress 8 campaign works magic with free Flash resources

Monday 22. March 2010 - QuarkXPress users encouraged to upgrade to version 8 through offer of EUR 500+ worth of exclusive QuarkXPress 8 Flash resources

Quark Inc. today launched its new ‘Flash Magic’ global campaign aimed at encouraging users to upgrade to version 8 as well as helping existing QuarkXPress 8 users get even more value from their investment. The campaign is built around a dedicated microsite that was developed in QuarkXPress 8 ( http://www.quark.com/magic ) encompassing video training, downloadable Flash resources, customer showcases and more. With an estimated value of EUR 500+, the Flash resources represent substantial additional value for new and existing users alike.

“There’s no question that graphic designers today need to extend their skillset beyond just print design. The challenge is how to move into Web and Flash design without a substantial investment in software and training” said Terry Welty, Quark Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing. “With this campaign we’re providing real value to designers through free video training combined with downloadable Web site templates, video players, presentation templates, buttons and more that will get them up and running quickly. We felt the magic theme represents how many designers will see what’s possible right within the software they already use.”

Uses for Interactive Design in QuarkXPress 8
In order to enable users to use QuarkXPress 8 for the most appropriate Flash projects, the microsite identifies 10 types of interactive projects that users might build using QuarkXPress 8. These include online design portfolios, product microsites, multimedia Web sites, digital signage, interactive CDs/DVDs, banner adverts, photography Web sites, interactive eReaders, small business/personal Web sites or interactive elements within a Web site. To make things even easier, the downloadable resources can be filtered according to such types of projects.

Downloadable Flash Resources
The Magic Toolbox section of the microsite enables QuarkXPress users to access hundreds of downloadable Flash resources. These include everything from generic buttons, to menus, video and audio players through to complete Web sites. As the downloads are all QuarkXPress Projects and Libraries, users can use them ‘as is’, customise them entirely to their specific needs or simply use them as a learning aid.

Exclusive Resources
While some of the downloadable Flash resources are freely available to all, others, marked as Exclusive, require a Magic Password to unlock them. The Magic Password is provided to anyone who purchases and registers QuarkXPress 8 as well as being hidden away on various social media Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Become a QuarkXPress Magician
QuarkXPress 8 users are encouraged to become QuarkXPress Magicians by demonstrating their Flash design skills in QuarkXPress 8. The microsite already features a range of real-world Flash projects undertaken in QuarkXPress 8 but by submitting their work, users have the chance to have their own work featured, receive a LinkedIn recommendation, a QuarkXPress Magician certificate and 2 years free QuarkXPress maintenance worth EUR 229.

The website http://www.quark.com/magic is itself an example of the exciting opportunities that QuarkXPress 8 offers for Web and Flash projects. The majority of the site has been built in QuarkXPress 8 enabling everyone to see the possibilities that Flash design in QuarkXPress 8 has to offer from exciting animations to video playback. The microsite and campaign was developed by Gravity London, part of the Gravity Global Network (www.gravityglobal.net). Creative professionals can see exactly how Gravity developed the project and how they found the experience of learning Flash in QuarkXPress 8 by watching the videos in the ‘Magic showcase’ section of the microsite.