7 Print Design Trends that You need to Embrace now!

Let's deep dive into the latest print design trends, the revolutionising print industry and the brands that are already embracing this change.

While most designers have been putting all their effort and attention into the digital boom, they have completely missed out on the transformation and innovation that is offered by the printing industry. The advancements of printing technology today are perhaps every creator's dream, allowing for flexibility and unimaginable possibilities. Apart from this, the overdose of digital exposure, leading to rising digital fatigue, shows that a tactile experience involving all our senses is going to be the way forward.
A small segment of the design community is already capitalising on these new advancements taking their work and their customers' experience to a new and immersive level. In fact, few are strategically complementing the digital creation with the physical experience of sharing unique print applications to their clients and their consumers.


Let's have a look at some of the developments from the printing world that can transform every designer's career.

Print Design Trends that are Here to Stay

1. Personalization

A personalised experience would any day win over a made-for-millions experience. And now we see brands custom-making their products, campaigns, and print designs to connect with the specific expectations of their customers. The potential of this trend is explosive since designers can now create multiple variations for a few in a very seamless, efficient, and cost-effective manner.

Personalisation is no longer a novelty; it's the future of print design. In today's world, consumers crave unique and individualised experiences that resonate deeply with them. Here are some exciting ways brands are embracing personalisation in print design:

  • Variable data printing - This technology allows designers to create print pieces with unique variations based on individual customer data. Imagine a brochure that addresses the recipient by name, features products they've shown interest in, or even includes a personalised discount offer. This level of individualisation creates a powerful connection that makes customers feel valued and seen. 

    You can even use this option to create customised birthday badges, adding a special touch to any celebration. Imagine a badge with the recipient's name, age, or even a custom message. This level of individualisation takes birthday celebrations to a whole new level. Explore a range of birthday badges online and see how variable data printing can bring your creative vision to life. 

  • Interactive print design - Print doesn't have to be static anymore. Augmented reality (AR) and QR codes allow designers to create interactive experiences that engage users in a whole new way. Imagine a piece of marketing material that comes to life when scanned with a phone, revealing hidden content, exclusive offers, or personalised messages. This interactive element adds a layer of surprise that enhances engagement and extends the life of the printed piece.

2. Medium Agnostic Approach

Traditional printing has been limited to a handful of mediums apart from paper. However, with the advancement in printing capabilities, it is possible to print on virtually any medium, like wood, veneers, ceramic tiles, plastic, and so many more. This means designers can now reimagine the possibilities of their ideas creating innumerable tactile experiences.

3. Seamless Integrated Experience

The overexposure to digital platforms has created a disconnect in the real and virtual world for most people. But now a rising trend is to close this gap by creating a seamless experience that extends from the digital space to the real world. It is no more about digital against print, but about both realms working hand in hand complementing each other. We already see explorations of AR/VR extending into print collaterals.

Print Technologies that are Solving Some of the Most Common Challenges

Some solutions in digital print technology have emerged as clear winners in addressing the essential market concerns, along with designer and brand needs. These technological advancements have greatly supported the design community.

4. Versatility & Scale

This technology breaks the barrier of size, quantity, medium and colours; making it possible to print for short runs as well as customized large-scale projects. Now print becomes far more accessible in spite of the option to print fewer numbers and instantly when required. Similar accessibility is seen with the versatility and options of a material and exhaustive range of colours available. This is a great way to make a bold statement, for brands to stand out in their communication, and achieve all this on a smaller budget and shorter turnaround time.

5. Security and Counterfeit

Today every design or creative illustration is so close to a designer's heart that losing the work due to an error would be quite painful. Fortunately now, the technological advancement in printing can help secure these valuable designs and intricate artworks. The innovation in technology provided helps preserve the special colours, patterns, variable data printing and more, aiding the designer in creating their best works without any limits.

6. AI Enhanced Printing

Operational is probably one of the biggest frustrations for designers who can't wait to see the creativity in print as soon as possible. AI and ML have now touched the printing industry as well, revolutionizing the entire execution process. With its features of security, reduced error, self-monitoring, smart algorithms and so much more, designers can now focus on the important stuff.

7. Cloud Support

Like most industries, cloud storage and sharing have become a part of the advancement in printing technology as well. This makes the printing execution very efficient and convenient.

How are Brands Embracing this Change?

While we do have an understanding of the trends and technologies, it can be challenging to
imagine the possible use cases for this. Fortunately, many brands are already riding this wave, showing us how designers can capitalize on this opportunity as well.

1. Zooboo Story

Zooboostory.com is a personalised storybook venture based out of India, that specializes in creating custom-made storybooks for little ones, to give each child a personal experience. The Zooboo books are based on the idea that 'every child becomes the hero of their own story, and aims at sparking the curiosity of young minds through engaging relatable storybooks.


Parents simply need to log into their website, feed in the name of the child and their gender, and a story is picked from the multiple options, thus resulting in a personalised storybook.

This priceless reading experience is made possible by the innovative personalization feature in printing technology.

Personalizing a cooking experience hits all the right spots. Especially when it is a gift. Nestle Mexico created a limited edition of personalised recipe books, where customers throughout Mexico created their unique recipe books, by adding their names, short messages and even selecting the cover of their choice. The recipe books were later sent out as gifts, giving the gifting experience a very personal touch.

This is another example of how the flexibility of printing opportunities has great potential in the gifting industry.

Conclusion

The future of branding and design is now breaking many physical barriers. Size, material, cost, operations, all these factors will be insignificant as we begin to see larger than life brand communication and design possibilities. The use cases are countless right from exhibitions and marketing campaigns to limited editions and personalised experiences. This is a great time for designers to go back to exploring their love for print.
Stay tuned as we bring more insights and fascinating updates from the powerful world of print, in the month of October with a series of "Innovate Possibilities" virtual sessions.

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Creative Gaga
www.creativegaga.com