PFFC Weathers Stormy Economy with Robust Creative Surge
- Published: January 01, 2002, By Yolanda Simonsis, Associate Publisher/Editor
So 2002 is finally here. It's time to shake off the dust and push forward to forge new paths in a world that's undeniably changed.
As an adolescent in the 1960s, I recall thinking how very privileged anyone would be to celebrate the marking of a new millennium — especially in an age of space travel. Then the US was in a serious Cold War with the Russians, while also racing against them to reach the moon. With the US having attained that goal in 1969, today we find ourselves sharing a space station with the Russians and allies once again in fighting a new war, this time on terrorism.
Not unlike global politics, Paper, Film & Foil CONVERTER has changed with the times, while reporting and mirroring in as true a fashion as possible the technical innovations of the converting industry. And, as the word “fashion” implies, the magazine has evolved graphically over the course of its 75-year history, morphing from a publication known as The Envelope Industry in 1927 into what it is today.
With almost seven years having passed since I became editor and associate publisher of this magazine, the time has come for yet another transformation, the first since its 1996 redesign.
Hopefully, over these past few months, our marketing ploy called attention to our changing logo and piqued your curiosity. I've received more than one phone call on our “little men.” “Which one are you?” a caller asked our production manager Anita Sljivar. “I'm the cute one,” she replied.
As you can see, this month's issue offers our readers a complete new graphic design, thanks to the creative talents of art director Michael Koch, who spent many a late hour at the computer overhauling and tweaking images.
The obvious question begs to be asked: Why did we shorten the logo to just four letters?
You can't imagine the number of times people have verbally tripped over the magazine's long name. Admittedly, Paper, Film & Foil CONVERTER is a mouthful. I recognized this problem back in 1996 and began to introduce the PFFC logo subtly with the first redesign. While we have NOT changed the name of the magazine, now, after six years, it is time to take the giant step forward and separate ourselves from our competitors. And what better time to change the way in which we refer to the magazine than the year in which we celebrate our 75th year of publication?
You'll also notice a few other variations within the magazine. The names of our news departments have changed to capitalize on our very popular “E-Clips” electronic newsletter. “Converter Clips” is the former “ConverterScope” department, and narrow web news falls in line with the new moniker “Reporter Clips.”
Change and creativity reflect positive thinking, and we all need that right now. I want to share with you some advice from the May 1931 issue of our predecessor, The Envelope Industry. We found this column by editor E.D. Graff as we were doing research for our Anniversary Issue, coming September 2002.
Graff quotes H.N. Casson of the London-based Efficiency Magazine, “Here is the thought that I would like to send out to the business men of America. You are depressed. You think you are crippled. You are afraid of the future. You are full of fears. You have half the gold of the world and half of the machinery and most of the automobiles and all the skyscrapers. You have the greatest home market in the world and the largest corporations that the world has ever seen. You are ruled more by ideas and less by tradition than any other people in the world. You have usually done what you thought you could do.
“How can it be possible that a progressive nation of 120,000,000 people can be wrecked by the speculations of a little handful of fools in Wall Street? The prices that were forced too high had to come down. Today all the prices are too low. There is now a golden opportunity for every man who has eyes to see it. This silly depression has gone on long enough. Get rid of it. It is inside you.”
