Our campus poster calendars are only 2 months old, for the 2010-11 academic year, and now we have an opportunity to get a different kind of wall calendar — personalized and free!

The 11-inch-by-17-inch posters for the 2011 calendar year are from Repro Graphics — which is giving them away as a way to demonstrate the variable data capability of the unit’s Hewlett-Packard Indigo 5000 digital color press.

What does "variable data capability" mean? It means that each printed piece can be customized; for example, for your free calendar (one per university employee), you can highlight two dates per month of your choosing (birthdays, anniversaries or holidays, for example), you can choose the background color, and you can choose from among 10 UC Davis photos.

This capability is increasingly used in marketing activities where personalized publications yield higher results, said Brian Wadell, director of Repro Graphics.

Repro Graphics has set up an online ordering system for the free calendars. Orders are due by Nov. 24; a charge will apply to orders that come in after that date.

Repro Graphics launched the calendar promotion two years ago, giving away 1,511 for 2009 and 2,265 for 2010.

“The calendar was initially intended as a one-time demonstration project,” Wadell said. “But it was so popular, we repeated the offer ... and now it’s becoming something of a campus tradition. People like the personalized aspect of the calendar, and we think they also take pride in UC Davis and like to show it off.”

And, while offering free calendars, Repro Graphics also is promoting the fact that it can produce custom calendars starting at just $1 each, based on a minimum quantity of 300.

“Just send us your photos and personalized dates and we promise to get your completed calendars back to you by the end of 2010,” Repro Graphics announced.