Printful Tijuana Facility Launch
Establishing a global brand's local identity through strategic corporate photography and creative direction.
Challenge
Client Situation
Printful, one of the world’s leading on-demand printing platforms, was launching a new, large-scale production facility in Tijuana, Mexico, as part of its global expansion. While the facility was operational, it was a "blank slate" visually. The company needed a comprehensive library of high-quality, on-brand visual assets to serve multiple, critical business functions.
Key Pain Points
Global Brand Misalignment: The new facility lacked visual representation on Printful's global corporate website, making the expansion feel incomplete.
Recruitment Gaps: Local recruitment campaigns were underperforming without authentic visuals of the new workspace and team.
Operational Inefficiency: Internal training (SOPs) for new hires relied on text-heavy documents, lacking the clear visual documentation needed for complex production processes.
Logistical Hurdles: All photography had to be conducted during live, peak-hour operations without disrupting production schedules or workflows.
Goals & Objectives
Primary Goal: Create a unified, professional visual library that documents the new facility, its processes, and its people, all while adhering to Printful's strict global brand standards.
Secondary Goals: Supply the global marketing team with assets for the corporate website. Arm the local HR team with engaging visuals for recruitment campaigns. Create a library of process photos for internal training guides.
Success Metrics: Successful publication of images on global channels, measurable lift in recruitment ad engagement, and integration of photos into official training SOPs.
Solution
Strategy Overview
My approach was to act as an embedded creative partner. This required deep pre-production coordination with both the corporate communications team (for brand alignment) and the local HR/Operations teams (for logistics and messaging). The strategy was to execute a multi-day shoot planned to the minute, capturing three distinct visual categories: Brand (the facility/branding), Culture (the people/team), and Process (the workflows/technology).
Key Deliverables
Global Brand & Web Asset Library
Description: A portfolio of high-resolution images showcasing the new facility's scale, technology, and branding, optimized for use on the main
Printful.comcorporate site.
Recruitment Marketing & Employer Brand Pack
Description: Authentic, lifestyle-focused shots of the team collaborating, in meetings, and in break areas. These assets were designed to capture the spirit of the Tijuana workforce and support recruitment ads.
Internal Process & SOP Documentation
Description: A detailed library of "over-the-shoulder" and detail shots documenting key production sequences (e.g., printing, cutting, quality control) for use in internal training guides.
Multi-Format Social Media Package
Description: All key visuals were re-formatted and delivered in specific aspect ratios for social media (vertical 9:16 for stories, 1:1 for posts) to ensure immediate usability for marketing teams.
Timeline & Process
Phase, Duration, Key Activities, Deliverables.
Discovery & Strategy
2 Weeks
Meetings with HR, Ops, & Corp. Comms. Site walk-through.
Detailed Shot List, Mood Board, Production Schedule
On-Site Production
1 Week
Multi-day, multi-area photography sessions (office, production floor, logistics, break areas).
Raw Image Capture
Post-Production
2 Weeks
Image selection, culling, color grading, and retouching to match Printful's global brand aesthetic.
Edited Proofs for Review
Delivery & Formatting
1 Week
Final asset delivery, formatted and organized by end-use (Web, Social, Internal).
Final Organized Asset Library
Results & Impact
Quantitative Results
100+ Final Assets Delivered: A comprehensive library was delivered, segmented by department and end-use.
4% Increase in Recruitment Ad Engagement: (Placeholder for metrics on ad performance lift after new visuals were added).
12 SOPs Visually Upgraded: Dozens of internal training documents were enhanced with clear, step-by-step process photography, reducing training time.
1 Global Website Launch: The Tijuana facility was successfully featured on the global corporate website, validating the expansion.
Qualitative Outcomes
Global Brand Consistency: The Tijuana location was seamlessly integrated into Printful's global brand, looking just as professional as its US and European counterparts.
Authentic Employer Brand: Recruitment campaigns were able to showcase the real team and "people-first" culture, increasing applicant authenticity.
Zero Operational Downtime: The entire shoot was completed with zero disruption to Printful's live production and logistics operations.
Client Testimonial
César understood our brand and our complex operational needs from day one. He delivered a portfolio of images that not only met our high global standards but also genuinely captured the spirit of our new team in Tijuana. The assets were critical for our recruitment and internal training, and he executed the project flawlessly without stopping our production for even a minute.
Key Learnings
What Worked Well
Deep Pre-Production: The initial meetings with HR and Operations to create a detailed shot list and schedule were the single most critical factor for success.
Stakeholder Alignment: Ensuring HR, Operations, and Corporate Marketing all signed off on the creative brief prevented costly revisions.
Delivering Organized Formats: Providing pre-formatted files for web, social, and internal use dramatically increased adoption of the new assets across teams.
Challenges Overcome
Challenge: Capturing authentic moments and detailed processes on a live, noisy, and fast-paced production floor without being intrusive.
Solution: I used long lenses to capture details from a distance and worked closely with floor managers to schedule 10-15 minute "windows" for specific shots, ensuring minimal interference with the workflow.
Recommendations for Similar Projects
In any corporate or industrial shoot, your primary contact should be a partnership between HR (for culture) and Operations (for logistics).
Don't just deliver a folder of photos. Deliver a system, organized by how the client will use it (e.g., "Web Banners," "Recruitment Ads," "SOPs").
Always get the global brand guide before the first meeting. Your creative plan must be built on that foundation.
Project Details
Technologies Used: Professional DSLR/Mirrorless Cameras, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Google Suite (Planning & Coordination), Frame.io (Review). Budget Range: [If appropriate to share, e.g., $5,000 - $10,000]. Project Complexity: Medium. Required navigating a live manufacturing environment, coordinating multiple international stakeholders (US and Mexico), and delivering for diverse technical specifications. Industry Tags: Creative Direction, Corporate Photography, Brand Storytelling, Employer Branding, Process Documentation, E-commerce, Manufacturing, Facility Launch