CI HUB - Fotoware integration for Brand Asset Management

CI HUB is a software technology company based in Potsdam and Frankfurt. Their product, CI HUB Connector, connects files that can live in different repositories, to Adobe CC and Microsoft tools. It enables creative professionals to seamlessly work in their preferred tool and access files directly from it, without the need to change windows or tabs.

Recently, Fotoware and CI HUB became technology partners, making Fotoware available within the CI HUB Connector. We caught up with Andreas Michalski, Managing Director and Head of Sales at CI HUB,  to discuss why such integrations are crucial for seamless content production and brand assets management.

Can you shortly describe CI HUB and your mission?

In CI HUB, we know that working with digital assets, such as images, can be a pain. There are so many different systems and ways to access them, so users need to deal with lots of passwords, URLs, and restrictions. We offer a smarter way of doing it with a CI HUB Connector. It provides one access to your entire digital asset ecosystem. Our goal is to help marketing and creative users to access their assets in the fastest, most secure, and efficient way.

Learn more: DAM integrations - build your content ecosystem

Why did you want to integrate with Fotoware?

Fotoware is a well-known and widely used system that helps global customers to manage their assets. And we have heard from a lot of Fotoware users, that they would see a large benefit in CI HUB also supporting Fotoware. Therefore, we contacted Fotoware and started a wonderful partnership.

In your opinion, which users will mostly benefit from the Fotoware Connector? 

Our main users are professional artists, production professionals, and product owners working with the entire Adobe CC suite.

We support working with Fotoware assets directly in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, InCopy, After Effects, and Premiere Pro. Also, we support the most used Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, so all the Office users can get access to the corporate libraries within Fotoware.

LEARN MORE: Fotoware Plugin for Microsoft Office

What is a specific use case where the Fotoware Connector will prove particularly useful?

One of the most powerful features of the integration is the ability to search not just in the customer's Fotoware repositories, but also in a multitude of other sources. Most notably, you do not have to change the application or interface you are currently working in.

Additionally, CI HUB can be used in more host applications, such as the entire Adobe CC suite.

Which features of the Connector are especially useful?

This is not easy to answer. We already have more than 60 features that deliver general and specific benefits to the different use cases. But I can name three features that are most relevant and most loved:

1. Seamless cross-platform working experience

First, the ability to connect to all your assets wherever they are without leaving the program you work in. Let's say you are a freelance graphic designer that has to create a brochure for an agency. Then, you can access the corporate images store in Fotoware, connect to a stock resource to find and purchase photos and access the cloud storage to share the result with the agency you work with. And all of it without leaving Adobe Illustrator!

2. Search for similar images

Secondly, the similarity search. For example, you are creating a new website and need the right image. But the ones you have are not relevant anymore or overused. If so, you can search for similar images within the program you work or with one click in Shutterstock, Adobe Stock or Getty Images, there is no faster way to get the right images for your creative work.

3. Work with low-res, finish with high-res

And, last but not least, the linking of assets. This function allows you to work with low-resolution assets while you design and create, and switch to a high-resolution image or video when you start producing the print or the output file. This saves a lot of storage, transfer time, and is invaluable when working remotely.

How do you see the future of content production and brand asset management?

Users want their chosen tools to be powerful yet simple to use. Integrations and smart plugins are one important way to achieve this. The more integrations the product offers, the more flexible a tool is. That leads to increased productivity and, ultimately, to higher user satisfaction.

Every creative work starts with an asset. And, as we are rapidly transferring to remote work, remote access becomes more and more relevant. Agencies lose a lot of productive time while searching for files — and we are giving this time back to them.

Searching and switching between different programs is a task from the past — we simply can not afford it anymore. So, an integration like CI HUB is not an option, but a necessity.