Zeeman streamlines visual content creation with automation 

Zeeman saves time and minimises errors in visual content creation thanks to automated templates and a streamlined workflow. With less manual work and more room for creativity, the brand is elevating its communication to the next level. Discover how automation helps them stay consistent and efficient.

A trusted name in clothing and textiles, Zeeman is renowned for its mission: “Good clothing and textiles for everyone, at the lowest possible price.” With an extensive product range showcased in catalogues and on their web shop, visual content plays a crucial role in their communication. To manage this content more efficiently and consistently, Zeeman turned to the expertise of Catena Company. The goal? Automating and optimising visual content creation. 

Visual content automation is a smart technology that automates the generation and management of visual content, such as product images. By using tools like InDesign templates and database links, repetitive tasks can be streamlined, reducing errors, saving time, and ensuring consistent quality. This allows companies like Zeeman to respond faster to changes and better meet their customers’ expectations. 

The benefits of visual content automation 

Time savings: automating manual tasks frees up time for strategic work 
Consistency: all visual content adheres to the same high-quality standards 
Efficiency: faster turnaround times and instantly deployable output formats

By implementing visual content automation, Zeeman has taken a significant step towards a more efficient workflow and an even stronger visual presentation of its products. 

What’s the challenge? 

At Zeeman, a substantial volume of visual content was being manually processed each day, including catalogues web shop images, weekly advertising leaflets, insert cards and in-store posters. 

Those tasks were not only time-consuming, but also error prone. The weekly advertising brochure was particularly challenging. Zeeman’s dynamic house style requires a custom layout that is completely dependent on the content, so a fixed template is not an option. The result? A three-day job, with one full day dedicated to meticulously copy-pasting texts and prices. This manual process made errors almost inevitable. 

The insert cards hanging on clothes in stores were another labour-intensive task. Despite the information frequently remaining the same – product name, size, quality, price, and any discounts – everything had to be copied, pasted, and entered with extreme precision for various formats and languages. This manual work was not only inefficient but also highly prone to errors. 

For Zeeman, it became clear that an automated solution was essential to work more efficiently and error-free. Keywords such as efficiency and performance became central to their approach. With the support of Catena Company, Zeeman is now taking a significant step towards a streamlined and reliable process for their visual content. 

What’s the solution? 

Since Zeeman’s employees were already proficient in Adobe InDesign, a customised three-day training course was sufficient to enable them to work independently with automated templates. Catena Company, in collaboration with the stakeholders, opted to begin with a language-dependent database, which contained all the essential information required for seamless layout generation. 

Several templates were developed during the training, tailored to Zeeman’s diverse needs. For instance, insert cards like “2 for the price of 1” required a different layout than “action of the week”, even though both often contained overlapping information. The weekly advertising brochure also underwent a significant transformation. Previously, a considerable amount of time was spent creating a custom layout for each edition. Catena Company introduced a more efficient solution: templates that appeared fully customised but automatically insert photos and data through a direct link to the database. This approach not only saved a substantial amount of time but also greatly reduced the risk of errors. 

After just three days of training, Zeeman’s employees were able to confidently apply the new techniques. They learned to manage automation and create new templates, resulting in a more efficient workflow and significant time savings. 

Visual content automation: more time for creativity 

The combination of training, automated templates, and a streamlined workflow has not only boosted efficiency but also reduced the risk of errors. This allows Zeeman’s staff to focus more on the creative aspects of layout design – every designer’s true passion. 

The ease of use, time savings, and error reduction have also made Zeeman realise the potential of this solution. Looking ahead, the company plans to further optimise its content creation processes with additional automation.