As the world slowly begins to venture back out again, print is once more being used to help attract the attention of travelers, commuters, shoppers, and anyone who just wants to get out of the house for any reason. But with so many brands all vying for the same eyeballs, finding ways to make a printed piece — and the brand attached to it — stand out can mean the different between a successful campaign and happy clients, or one that barely registers at all.
And that’s where print embellishments come in.
Whether it’s adding foil, varnish, die-cutting, UV coatings, or more, there is an embellishment technology out there for everyone. But knowing how to use it — and what’s hot right now — can help you advise your clients on ways they can jazz up their pieces to get better, more engaged responses. Here are a few to keep in mind.
1. Door hangers. As consumers are starting to travel again, that means they are once more sleeping outside of the home. Door hangers are a staple of hotel life — how many of your have used that Do Not Disturb hanger? — but they can be used for so much more. And with a clever use of die-cutting to create interesting shapes, you can make it truly stand out from the crowd. Everything from a promotion for the hotel’s room service, to partnering with local brands to help promote must-see attractions, door hangers that use embellishments to help them stand out can help get people moving again.
2. Invitations. After years of no contact, as events start to heat up again, people are looking for ways to not just invite attendees to come visit, but do it in a way that really captures the imagination. UV coating and foiling are both excellent embellishment options for this application, since both can be used either separately or together to create some truly unique looks that make people stop and pay attention — and make them far more likely to RSVP.
3. Personalized packaging. No, not the kind you find on the grocery store shelf, although that market is heating up as well. This is the kind of small run, specialty packaging used to send samples to influencers, sales kits, or to say thank you to great customers. They can include a wide range of items, but the outside is just as important to create a luxury feel, and this is where die-cutting comes in, allowing you to form delicate filigree, interesting shapes, and more. UV coatings, foils, and varnish are all also great options for these applications, giving you an excuse to create one-of-a-kind boxes that the receivers will want to keep right alongside whatever items were packed inside.
4. Direct mail. Yes, it is still an incredibly lucrative space, one that still gets the highest responses of any other marketing medium. But it is increasingly difficult to stand out in a crowded mailbox, so print embellishments can make all the difference. Unique shapes, foils, coatings, varnishes, even specialty inks like metallics, can all take an average mailer and transform it into the kind of thing consumers want to hang on their fridge and share with friends. Four-color isn’t eye-catching anymore, and even basic personalization like putting someone’s name on the piece has become routine; for those who want to keep their mail relevant, print embellishments are the way to go.
5. Wrapping paper. Have you thought about printing specialty wrapping paper? This is an exciting niche market that not many are targeting, and it is a fantastic place to stretch your creativity and show off your print embellishment pedigree. Create bold designs with metallics, use embossing and coatings to create tactile designs that make people want to run their fingers over it, even use die-cutting to layer several sheets to create bold and unique designs with windows, filigrees, and more. For those printing digitally, this is even a chance to offer personalized or branded wrapping papers, giving brands another unique offering.
And these are just a few of the potential applications that benefit from print embellishments right now. In reality, there is likely not many jobs your shop is producing that wouldn’t be improved with some sort of embellishment, but many print buyers simply aren’t aware of what print is really capable of today. This is where a consultative shop can really stand out — just be sure to bring lots of samples!
DENISE GUSTAVSON
Guest Blogger
NAPCO Media
DENISE GUSTAVSON
Guest Blogger
NAPCO Media
