Zaikio is a brand on the run. I write ‘on the run’ in that they are moving very quickly and a brand in that they have excelled at defining a persona, solving a problem, unifying stakeholders behind their purpose and then committing to telling their story. In my view, they are worthy of an award for the brand of the year! If there were such an award. Well, there is now, I am judge and jury, and they can have it. They've won it by a country mile in my view.

Every once in a while a new business comes along that does something unique, that has a different persona, an unusual way of doing things that despite it being different, is quickly accepted for its eccentricity because frankly what they do is so refreshing and the value proposition compelling, simple & yet clever.

Problem

First off they are solving a problem most people tend to agree is well worth solving. Unifying procurement, and empowering print shop owners to be able to work more simply with a simple software format is something that makes a huge amount of sense and it is a positive contribution to make to the industry.

They, like all of us, recognise that the print industry is going through momentous change. However, the promise of digital transformation has often yet to be realised in print shops. The reasons are manifold: In production, different machines come with distinct software that mostly fails to work with each other. Non-production activities like quoting and ordering consumables are hardly digitised at all. Many hours go to waste on the phone for negotiating with suppliers, for example. A lot of time is wasted by software that was made for another era. Think about those countless training sessions, integration efforts, and stalled upgrades for fear of lost compatibility!

Zaikio is here to change that. They have built a modern and open cloud-based platform that integrates all industry players. On this platform, they build services to make print shops work better.

They are making smooth interoperability the norm in the industry. This way, processes get more efficient. And print shops don't have to spend big bucks on custom integration to make different tools work with each other.

Purpose

They (Zaikio people) come alive with the fact they have a mission to unite the print industry - to democratise and make it easier for printers to run their operations. This purpose inspires them, and others to join this movement they have created as everyone is welcome, and it is a no-brainer.

First up their procurement product showcased how seamless the potential of this concept is, then came Mission Control which is a service that provides printers with an overview of the status of all their jobs, job stages, and machines - regardless of their manufacturers.

The basis is a uniform data standard for print industry jobs. This means that additional machines or software products can be integrated quickly and with just a few clicks. Complex and costly integration projects will be obsolete, just like that.

Passion

Anyone who's met some of the team will have found that while of course, they are different individuals they're all super passionate about their mission and their purpose. Bristling with energy and grounded by their commitment to their cause, passion is without a doubt the best possible sales tool out there. Genuine enthusiasm is a highly effective way to engender support, and agreement and build trust. You cannot fail but get swept along with this positive energy.

Persona

Zaikio is a name to remember. It stands out, it is not beige (too many brands in print are) and it is playful which helps to shape an impression and you can recall the name. It is no accident. I spoke with Karl Ciz recently and before launching the business the leadership team took a good look around the print industry and created a name and then a brand persona that stood out, grabbed attention, was irreverent and playfully challenged the establishment without being offensive. They point out clearly (at least to me) that we are in the business of colour, so why are there so many safe and boring brands out there? Zaikio is almost counter-culture.

Presence

They are everywhere. Online, in-person, at events in magazines, in videos, social media, giving talks, writing articles, exhibiting, networking, sponsoring awards, and even organising their event, Zaicon. They are prepared to have fun (Karl was dressed as an Elf at IPIA Expo last month example) , give out socks, and do things differently but with conviction and consistency. They haven’t just launched Zaikio, basked in the afterglow and then retreated into a kind of corporate fog. Their presence in the market is unmissable and this reassures people and reminds them that they are here to stay and you know where they are if you would like to talk with them.

In Conclusion (this bit is written by AI)

Zaikio's brand-building efforts go beyond marketing; they are integral to the company's mission of transforming the print industry. By fostering collaboration, integrating technologies, streamlining workflows, empowering printers, and championing sustainability, Zaikio is not just building a brand; it's shaping the future of print. As the industry continues to evolve, Zaikio stands as a testament to the power of innovation and strategic brand-building in driving meaningful change.

I couldn’t have put it better myself :)