IFRA

Answering for celum is CEO Michael J. Kräftner.

WAN-IFRA: Why is digital asset management important for news publishers?

Michael J. Kräftner: A central and reliable source for multichannel use of any media content from photo to video and graphic file is of utter importance. It allows highest possible effectiveness and reduces costs in different aspects. In a changing publishing market, it is important for publishers to have output independent rich vcontent management. Celum allows multiple channels may it be print, audio, video or social media that means a mix of many different content types and user generated content as well.

WAN-IFRA: What benefits do users get from DAM?

Kräftner: They save precious time, they can publish in different channels and with celum’s nearstore technology they can connect multiple offices to one always available content base. From PowerPoint and Word to professional Publishing solutions and Web Content Management systems, celum products are able to integrate and work with all industry standards and deliver one single source for rich content.

WAN-IFRA: What are the strengths of your solution?

Kräftner: Celum products are totally web based yet fully integrated in modern publishing systems, from Woodwing to Indesign and Quark. Celum products are open and ensure long term investment protection by being based on open industry standards as Java, XML and run virtually any operating system – using celum products mean to be ready for any form of convergence and mutli channel use. The most prominent strength of celum products, and directly directed onto the user is ease of use and a modern and flexible user interface based on web 2.0 technologies.

WAN-IFRA: Once the contract has been signed, approximately how long does it take for a publishing client to begin working with your solution?

Kräftner: Especially celum’s SWIFT instant on product line allows minimal time to market times. A full blown system with all structures in place and content imported, may be available within a few days. The technical set up itself rarely needs more than a day.

WAN-IFRA: How much training is required for a publication's staff to start using your solution?

Kräftner: Again, when we say INSTANT ON we mean that by the word. Celum’s unrivalled user interface and general ease of use are without competition in its class. Standard/retrieving users my start to work with the system without prior training. As referenced by the analysts of Gartner celum takes the lessons of itunes and iPhone and brings them to the enterprise class software users. Administrative or editing users generally take part in a few hours “walk along” hands on training sessions.

WAN-IFRA: How many titles are using your solution globally? What are a few of the titles using your solution?

Kräftner: Amongst Styria media group, Austria's largest publishing house, several publishers as “verlag bau und technik” or even the Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair) use celum technology to manage their digital assets. Overall more than 360 clients use celum technology, among them brands like Toyota, Volkswagen, L’Oreal and many more.

WAN-IFRA: What developments are you working on in this area now - any planned updates for the near future?

Kräftner: Cross media and convergence are getting more and more important. Celum wants to deliver end-to-end solutions for digital asset management. Joining forces with leaders from the publishing industry like Woodwing and others on the one side and an aggressive strategy towards video and multimedia content management with highest focus on new needs in the market triggered by social media.

Interview conducted by Brian Veseling, senior editor for Publishing, Editorial and General Management and WAN-IFRA Magazine.