London tech startup Specle have just signed a deal with Associated Newspapers that allows any of their classified readers to upload and prepare content for press free of charge.
The deal will enable classified customers to upload files for publication in the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Mail on Sunday 2, via Specle's online ad spec database specle.net.
The Specle deal with Associated Newspapers has created a 'self service' classified portal where the sender can upload, preflight, colour convert, store and manage all their ads and in this case it's completely free for the classified sender.
The advantage for publishers outsourcing classified production is that they no longer have fixed costs in their business to handle all variety and types of PDF that come in from senders.
A publisher can now outsource to Specle, who will handle the process to ensure that only perfect files come to the publisher – with GWG job tickets – that can go straight into the flat plan.
In other Specle news, they now host all of the Guardians online ad specs. You can view the specs here.
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Harmonypark have incubated the Specle service, and are a co-investor.