Whether you are a seasoned designer looking for inspiration or a business owner looking to stay ahead of the curve, please enjoy our Printing Trends for 2024. We uncover the vibrant landscape of printing options – dynamic shifts to merge mediums, ideas that put human experience at the forefront and one that may surprise you.
Medium recently shared a piece on graphic design trends for 2024 which contained some interesting and exciting ideas if you would like to check it out.
Augmented Reality
Printed material and augmented reality (AR) can effectively complement each other, offering a multifaceted and immersive experience for users. While printed material provides a tangible and traditional means of conveying information, AR enhances it by overlaying digital content onto the physical world. By integrating AR with printed material, readers can unlock additional layers of interactive content, such as videos, animations, and supplementary information, simply by scanning the printed material with a smartphone. This synergy not only enriches the reading experience but also bridges the gap between the physical and digital realms, catering to different learning styles and preferences.
QR Code Integration
We expect QR codes to continue playing a prominent role in printed materials, providing a convenient way for customers to access additional information, special offers and interactive content using their phones. We see the relationship between printed materials with QR code linking to video content as an area of growth.
Digital and Print Marketing Join Forces
Digital and print marketing have always worked strongly together, they leverage the strengths of each medium to create a more comprehensive and effective marketing strategy. Print marketing, with its tangible nature, offers a sense of credibility and permanence that digital mediums sometimes lack. It can engage audiences on a physical level, providing a tactile experience that leaves a lasting impression. Digital marketing provides a strong reach, targeting capabilities, and the ability to access analytics. By integrating both digital and print into a marketing campaign, businesses are reaching a wider audience across different channels and touchpoints, reinforcing brand messaging and increasing brand recall. Together, they create a cohesive and multi-dimensional marketing approach that maximizes impact and ROI.
Sustainability
We preface by saying that the print industry has some of the greatest sustainability credentials of all industries. The bad wrap we were given when the world was moving digital was inaccurate, but still, we strengthened our position, made changes and decreased our impact. As we see supermarkets swing back around to paper bagging options we wish we had listened to decades ago, so much damage could have been avoided. 300 million tonnes of CO2 is generated by email a year, while paper is a renewable, highly recyclable, reforestation-positive product and stores carbon for the entirety of its life. Businesses now understand that consumers care deeply about sustainability, we see companies taking more consideration to their overall impact, and reaching out to seasoned print professionals to guide them through the process. While this trend (let’s hope it is more than a trend) rises there will no doubt be many who will ‘green wash’, so be savvy about it.
Tactile Experience – Paper
Tactile experiences leverage the sense of touch to create a deeper connection with the brand, product, or service being promoted. There is no question that we are experiencing ‘digital fatigue’, and are craving a tactile experience, by incorporating tactile elements into sales and marketing efforts, businesses can enhance brand perception, increase memorability, and drive engagement. Tactile experiences appeal to the senses, allowing customers to experience the product or service firsthand and make a more informed purchasing decision. For example, providing product samples allows customers to touch, feel, and even taste the product, which can significantly influence their perception and likelihood of making a purchase. Making a simple change to use textured paper stock is a powerful way to connect with customers on a sensory level, drive engagement, and differentiate the brand in the marketplace. Textured marketing materials can include items such as product samples, promotional collateral, brochures, packaging, and interactive displays.
Personalisation and Customisation
The demand for personalised and customised print products continues to rise. With advanced digital printing technologies, it’s easier than ever to tailor products to individual preferences. Whether it’s customised packaging, personalised greeting cards, or tailor-made business materials, the ability to create unique, one-of-a-kind items is a key trend in 2024. Personalised printing offers several benefits for businesses looking to enhance their marketing efforts and engage with customers more effectively, it enhances the overall customer experience by making customers feel valued and appreciated. When businesses take the time to personalise their communications, customers perceive them as more attentive and customer-centric, fostering loyalty and positive brand associations. It is a powerful way to connect with customers on a more personal level, drive engagement, and achieve better results from their marketing efforts. By leveraging the benefits of personalised printing, businesses can create more impactful and effective marketing campaigns that resonate with their target audience and drive business growth.
Special Effects and Finishes
Yes, printing with special finishes remains popular and continues to be an effective way to enhance the visual appeal and perceived value of printed materials. Special finishes such as embossing, debossing, foiling, spot UV coating, and metallic inks can add texture, shine, and dimension to printed pieces, making them stand out and grab the attention of recipients. In 2023 we produced a lot of custom die cuts which we believe will continue. We also predict the use of neons will gain popularity in 2024.
Targeting Local – The humble Letterbox dro!
I hope you were sitting down when you read that. We absolutely mean it! We see how effective letterbox drops are nearly every week when dealing with clients seeking to target their local business area. Letterbox drops are highly effective for local marketing for several reasons:
Targeted Reach: By distributing flyers or brochures directly to households in specific neighbourhoods, you can target your desired audience geographically. This ensures that your marketing materials reach people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.
Tangible Presence: Unlike digital marketing methods that can not be guaranteed to reach everyone in a specific area, letterbox marketing makes it more likely for recipients to notice and engage with your marketing materials.
Cost-Effective: Letterbox drops can be a cost-effective marketing strategy, especially for small businesses with limited budgets. Printing flyers or brochures is relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising.
Local Brand Awareness: By consistently delivering marketing materials to households in your local area, you can increase brand awareness within the community. Over time, this can help establish your business as a trusted local provider, leading to increased customer loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.
