Image courtesy of karen horton’s photostream
You have heard it before, and you will probably hear it again: the ‘experts’ say print is dying, and with the Digital Age not slowing down any time soon, printed items may one day be extinct.
While it is true computers, smartphones and every other piece of technology make our lives easier and save some trees along the way, it is inaccurate to say print is going to be irrelevant in the future. In fact, print serves as a great complement to technology. Barbara Pellow, Group Director at InfoTrends and former CMO of Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, seems to agree with this statement. In January, Pellow conducted a webcast introducing her 2013 Top 10 Trends for the Printing Industry.
In her Top 10, no less than five of them directly related to how technology is changing – and improving – the print industry. Web-to-Print, she predicted, will be very popular, allowing for more online, on-demand printing opportunities. Mailers will be personalized more than ever before, including PURLs linking to content customized for each recipient.
Pellow also said she thinks mobile marketing will be at all-time high, with mobile codes printed on packaging, brochures, etc. so they can be scanned by mobile devices. Social media will be integrated with direct mail campaigns, the goal being that the two together will generate a better response. And digital printing (another advantage of technology advancements) will be making it all possible, with projects being quicker, easier and more cost-effective to complete.
Without a doubt, Pellow is right: 2013 will be a year where print evolves, and technology will play a large role. Some may say print is on its way out, but after looking at Pellow’s trends, it appears as though print is here to stay… and is only getting stronger as technology advances.
Pellow’s complete list of Top 10 Trends for the Printing Industry this year can be read here.
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