In the age of digital media, the importance of print is often underestimated. But we’re experiencing a renaissance of print — thanks to digital!
The impressive scale and potential of print
Let’s look at the numbers: according to Statista, the music industry’s annual global turnover is $41 billion. That’s impressive. But it’s small compared with the printing industry, valued at over $800 billion. And digital printing in particular offers far greater opportunity for growth.
Using digital as an opportunity
The shift from traditional offset printing to digital printing is driven by a range of factors, but chief among them is the increasing personalisation of customer communications in marketing. Traditional marketing based on offset-printed collateral is costly and hard to measure. Worse, it lacks the interaction and engagement today’s consumers expect. With e-commerce growing exponentially and demand rising for personalised, on-demand production solutions, digital printing is becoming even more important.
Five macro trends shaping the print sector
To succeed in this changing landscape, print service providers can capitalise on five trends:
- Personalisation: According to Deloitte, more than 50% of customers are interested in personalised products. This share is even higher among Gen Z. A study by WP Engine shows that 75% of Gen Z respondents are more likely to buy a product that can be customised to their needs.
- Localisation: Consumers want to support local and regional businesses and know where and how their products are made. Meeting these expectations makes local production and distribution indispensable.
- Sustainability: According to PwC, sustainability is far more than a buzzword, with ESG-focused investment volumes expected to reach $34 trillion by 2026. Local, demand-driven production is becoming the norm to minimise environmental impact.
- Mobility: More and more consumers are shopping via smartphones or other mobile devices. This will further increase the importance of digital commerce.
- The creator economy: The growing creator economy offers major opportunities for locally produced, customised products. Goldman Sachs forecasts the market will double to $480 billion by 2027.
Understanding the demographic shift
The demographic shift — particularly with the rise of Gen Z and millennials — means the print sector must adapt. These tech-savvy, socially and environmentally conscious consumers expect personalisation and fast turnaround. Companies that meet these demands can tap into significant market potential.
Embracing new production technologies
New production technologies such as 3D printing and digital printing software offer unprecedented opportunities for innovation. For example, Gelato, a technology company founded in Norway, built the world’s largest on-demand production network in just a few years, enabling local production in 32 countries and connecting creative designers with billions of consumers worldwide. The GelatoConnect platform streamlines the entire production process, boosting efficiency and profitability for participants.
Sustainability and global impact
The combination of demographic change and technological progress touches every area of life, offering the print sector enormous growth opportunities. Companies can make their production smarter, faster and greener through innovation, sustainability and localisation — becoming part of positive change.
https://www.drupa.com/en/Media_News/drupa_blog/Digitalization/Innovative_digital_printing_technologies/The_renaissance_of_print_how_digital_printing_is_transforming_the_industry