How to Handle Promotional Material Designs by Design Specialist

1. Read the task from the Promo Specialist. Check the deadline in the promo milestones to see on what date all designs must be done to effectively plan the workload. Receive the list of items and requirements in the promo task with the links for content and assets;
2. To start with the design, Design Specialist needs to check already produced promo items of the same type to find the template:

Z:\Shared drives\AdvaCare Marketing Control\Promotional Design Templates\Printed Material

3. Use the ready-to-go templates combined with the content + assets provided by Promo Specialist.
4. Conduct proper QA by checking that all information is accurate and nothing has been missed.

The QA list of what needs to be checked:

• Product image has to be the same with the real product packaging of the order as it may vary depending on the market;
• The fonts and sizes are consistent throughout the template;
• The designs are centered and justified;
• There are no hyphens (move the word to the next line if needed).
5. Save design files in the folder created for this promo order.

For example: Z:\Shared drives\AdvaCare Marketing Control\Promotional Distributor Material\SUN\SO1301

In all cases, the final deliverables should be:

• Adobe AI document (or documents) with the designs)
• Mockup saved as file_name.JPG
• The designs are “locked” in .ai format

How to “lock” the designs

In our internal communication, we use the term “lock”. It means that a file only contains vector objects (no fonts) and embedded images. Designs that contain fonts and linked images cannot be printed properly.

How to “lock” the design file:

1. Make a copy of the confirmed artwork file (.ai) in the same folder as the original file; open it.
2. Unlock layers and locked objects.
3. Select all objects and outline types (Type → Create Outlines). Make sure that outlined types look exactly the same and haven’t changed their appearance.
4. Access the Links window and make sure all the images are embedded in the file; otherwise linked graphics cannot be printed.
5. Outline strokes
6. Delete everything that should not be printed from the file: draft versions, unused assets, folding lines, etc. The printable design must remain within the artboard (or artboards).
7. Save file “locked” file using the following format: [CS4] - - 转曲.ai or [CS4] - - locked.ai

Example: [CS4] MAH - Injections Trifold - 转曲.ai

8. For .JPG mockups: It doesn’t matter whether it was exported from the “locked” or “unlocked” versions of the file, but the locked file must look the same as the .jpg mockup!

Extra notes on saving files for all types of promo materials:

• The item folder should only contain the AI file, the mockup and, if needed, several options to choose from, if it applies. The item folder should not contain linked .PSD files, images, references, etc. For all the assets needed for the final mockup, create folder “Assets” inside the item folder and save all the assets there.

Example: item folder Z:\Shared drives\AdvaCare Marketing Control\Promotional Distributor Material\MAH\SO1205\9. Trifold

Assets: [same as above]\9. Trifold\assets

• File names for .AI files should contain distributor code + promo item type + general “theme” of the item. For example, BIO - Trifold - Injections.ai. Some variations are acceptable, but need to be easily understood by other stakeholders.
• File names for .JPG or other mockups should not contain 3-letter code, because these files will be sent to our customers by Promo Specialist. The remaining part of the file name may remain the same as .AI.
• In certain cases, extra level of folders is acceptable. For example, if a Design Specialist needs to prepare 3 items of the same type, but different content (usually the same type of designs with different content is used for different products), an extra subfolder is acceptable
• For printed items less than A4 size (wobblers, flyers, etc.) it’s better to save mockups in 2-4x resolution; large items (big posters) do not require that.

When mockups are completed, Design Specialist will send a task to inform Promo Specialist that everything has been completed. Then Promo Specialist will need to conduct QA by checking all the mockups. Proceed to fill out PROMO 4 and PROMO 5 Milestones.

When conducting QA by thoroughly checking designs, Promo Specialist should always crosscheck with the design task to see if all the requirements are met.

If there are any revisions, Promo Specialist should explain clearly what needs to be revised in a task, then send it to Design Specialist. Once Design Specialist finishes the revisions, Promo Specialist needs to conduct QA to check if everything has been fixed. There should not be more than 1-2 rounds of revisions.

Design Specialist has to make sure to conduct QA by checking that all revisions were addressed and competed, then send a task to inform Promo Specialist: