📋 Description of the project

Cerebellum was born from a collaboration between Adobe Systems, XMPie, and the GrC Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obipso. Instructed to create a fictitious campaign, which exemplified the various capabilities of Variable Data Printing and personalized communication, we created the fake music festival, Cerebellum. Cerebellum’s campaign consists of a mailed booklet and personalized poster.

We used the latest versions of Adobe InDesign and XMPie software to create the project. Within the booklet, many key aspects change in according to specific customer preference, such as favorite band, food, or concert ticket type. We created all “customer preferences”, and GrC professors generated a large, experimental database. Overall, the project serves as a strong example for the many capabilities of PDF/VT and XMPie collaboration. The goals of the project: 

• Create a complex campaign to test the tool for various bugs.

• Fully understand the product and its functionalities.

• Provide feedback and suggestions based on data collection.

• Design & produce a fully functional marketing campaign that could be shared as a success story with clients

What Is PDF-VT? 

PDF-VT is a form of PDF optimized for variable and transactional printing. Built on top of PDF/X-4, it is the first variable-data printing  format which uses encapsulated groups of graphic objects to support optimized efficient processing for repeating text, graphic or image content. The technology enables reliable and dynamic management of pages for High Volume Transactional Output (HVTO) print data, like targeted marketing campaigns, record selection or postage optimization based on metadata. Watch the video below for an in depth look at PDF-VT. 

🤝 Team

This project was conceptualized, designed, tested and completed by my 4 teammates and I. We worked with Adobe leader Dov Isacs to understand and test the product. This project acted as my senior project for Cal Poly University. 

⚙️ Process

Project Goal: To export fully customized PDFs using PDF-VT based on the recipients answers to our questionnaire. Cerebellum Music Festival created and distributed this booklet and poster to customers to create a more personalized and intimate buyer experience, and maintain a loyal customer base.  Here is the process we used for this project 

• Step 1 - Draft product specifications:

  • Write a draft of the product specifications: What criteria needed to be included in our marketing campaign? How many variable data pieces? How will we test each specification?

  • Define Data Base Assumptions

  • Define roles and responsibilities

• Step 2 - Mockups & Content:

  • After brainstorming we decided to create a music festival, Cerebellum.

  • Target Audience: This was an important piece of the project as we needed to appeal to multiple markets in order to test the VDP qualities of the product. We chose individuals who are into 6 genres of music between the ages 16-35.

  • Aggregate hundreds of options of band names, restaurants, and hotels.

  • Define the theme and design.

• Step 3 - Testing and research paper:

  • Use Indesign/XMPie to bring the design to life and establish the VDP variables on the PDF.

  • Allie to write all content and ensure all variables are unique.

  • Extensive bug testing and data collection to be done by group.

  • Produce a 30 page research paper of our findings, process, successes, bugs and suggestions.

• Step 4 - Final design & presentation:

  • Ensure all content is final and that PDF is fully customizable bases on client questionnaire.

  • Export for PDF with no issues

  • Final presentiation to Adobe systems.

💎 Project Outcome

You'll find below our final presentation of Cerebellum and a look at our design collateral. Feel free to click on the pages to see the details.