Hello, Print in a Digital World 2018. Last week we launched our latest greatest trend report at Canada Post’s 10th annual Think INSIDE the Box event. In constructing our recent trend report, we quickly came to realize a new reality has now taken hold – the way consumers engage with brands has dramatically morphed. They can access products and product information instantaneously, and they can intermingle with a brand in a cacophony of ways. You have to be a storyteller in this connected world and understand how to merge marketing, content, and technology in bold and exciting ways. The consumer has indeed become the new CEO and is rightly in the driver’s seat.
We are in an information revolution, powered by the intersection of two of the most commanding knowledge transfer mechanisms of our time – the Gutenberg Press and the Internet. This means that the period in which we now live is unique as we benefit from the mixing and intermingling of print AND digital. In our constant pursuit of clicks, likes, subs, and retweets, successful marketers look past solely digital content and develop fully-integrated campaigns to create engaging, full-sensory experiences for consumers.
As Brands continue to create cross-channel experiences, bringing together the tactile, sensory nature of print with the real-time technological wonders of digital, the gap between both channels becomes significantly reduced. Innovative print techniques are turning ads into art with craftsmanship, creativity, and design. And ink is no longer simple droplets on a page. It makes music, it monitors our health, and it enables us to make the world a better, more caring place.
To illustrate and help guide you on your transformational journey, we have identified three core trends that impact our marketing multiverse today:
Art, Not Ads. From smartphones to desktops and tablets to wearables, we cannot escape real-time digital experiences. Real disruption goes beyond swipes and taps. It comes from creating a wider sensory and immersive experience.
Beyond the Page. The emergence of new channels and technologies is creating new opportunities for marketers. Virtual reality and augmented reality are bridging the gap between print and digital like never before. Downloadable apps can be easily introduced to campaigns, while more sophisticated brands are integrating these technologies into their own mobile platforms.
Far From Traditional. Thinking of print as ‘traditional’ is an old way of thinking. Paper and Ink are innovative. Consumers can cook, monitor their own health, and connect physical and digital channels thanks to a printed piece. These are the types of interactions that are meaningful to consumers.
We have scoured the globe to bring you this new trend report with potent examples that will hopefully inspire you to mix, match and marry the worlds of print and digital… to find your own marketing nirvana. Welcome to Print in a Digital World 2018.
Enjoy the ride – things are about to get interesting.
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It’s Here: Print in a Digital World 2018
Download our 2018 Print in a Digital World trend report for over 70 global examples to mix, match and marry the exciting worlds of print and digital and find your own marketing nirvana.
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Michael
Michael Chase, CMO
St. Joseph Communications
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