The Importance of Printed Materials in the Digital Age
Over the last 10 years print media has lost ground in the digital media boom, facing competition from smart phones, iPad, internet, social media and many other digital media. While that has certainly changed the printing world in many ways, it certainly hasn’t killed it. Far from it in fact. The digital age has led to huge developments into printing capabilities such as high resolution inkjet printers and print-on-demand technology. It’s also created a boom in certain areas of the industry, particularly in packaging and label printing.
Print media is tangible, tactile and portable, it can be carried with a person without the need of technology. A person can feel the texture of the paper, turn the pages of a magazine, see the brilliant colours shine on the page of a high-gloss photography book. Paper can be any size, shape or colour, it can enhance an idea and become a work of art. In advertising print can become larger than life in the form of billboards that can drive traffic to a website or inform you of discounts at the closest hotel. It can be the smallest printed teaser card to generate buzz of a new restaurant opening. Print has the diversity of being able to stand alone or work with other digital media to create dynamic and effective multimedia marketing campaigns.
There is an ease with print that you don’t get with onscreen text. Print is more permanent; it has to stand up over time, while the web is fluid; it changes, information can be rewritten very easily or even deleted.
So while many may think print is a thing of the past, there are many practical uses for print media in today’s digital world. Print has been around for thousands of years in one form or another and print will continue to be an important part of society for years to come.
Business Card Design
There’s no print material more essential than a business card. No matter how small your company is,a well-designed business card will give you instant professional credibility and lend legitimacy to your business.
In the digital age, business cards aren't about keeping track of people anymore, but they're still necessary-as a symbol of who you are professionally. It comes to reflecting your digital branding in a business card.
Stationery Design
If your business requires formal correspondence with clients, you probably need stationery. A custom letterhead and matching envelope will reinforce your brand to the client, but you don't want the design to distract from the content of the letter. Simple and organised is best for stationery.
Most business correspondence these days leads to follow-up action online, whether it's to pay a bill or to research the company on their website. When your digital branding is reflected in your letterhead, people will know they've come to the right place when they find your website.
Brochure Design
Lots of businesses need to use them frequently, including restaurants, attractions, and venues. Other businesses print brochures specifically for an event, program, or premium service - but whatever the purpose, they're an easy way to present potential customers with valuable information about your business in a small, portable package.
Brochures are kind of like blog posts; they can include a lot of information, but they have one main conversion goal. Don't forget that you want people to act on what they read, so be sure to include a call-to-action and make your contact information prominent.
Booklet Design
Booklets are a beautiful way to show off your branding - although they're meant to be informative, I find that their purpose is less about giving information, and more about influencing the reader to feel a certain way about a brand.
When it comes to layout and content, booklets have similar guidelines to brochures. Keep it clear, balanced, and legible! The one exception is that while brochures are usually focused on one conversion goal, booklets often have a broader scope.
Poster Design
Posters allow you to express big ideas in print media, so the design can be as simple or complex as you want. Posters are fun, because they don’t necessarily have to be cohesive with the rest of your branding. Posters are great for advertising events or businesses in a local area, and they can also be given out as freebies.
The purpose of a poster is to convey information through text, imagery, or both. First, find a focus - behind each poster is a core visual message or idea. Then, take your copy and break down the text into an aesthetically pleasing arrangement. You’ll need to know the hierarchy of information in order of importance; this will determine the visual order and size of the text.
Print media is still going strong, adding tangibility to the marketing and design world. Paired with your web presence, print media solidifies your brand identity, and readily engages consumers. It’s important for companies who want to be well rounded to implement print into their branding strategy. Although we have new technology, well-designed pieces of print media just don’t go out of style.
As long as you're at it...
Why not make sure your social media profiles reflect your branding too?
