Technology rules our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From our attention spans to our economies, it influences everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heck! With Elon Musk trying to get a chip inside our brains, technology may just eliminate the boundaries between the physical and the digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, in such a world, what role does print design play?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is it still worthwhile for businesses to invest in brochures?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What good are billboards when you can reach thousands, if not millions of potential customers via Google and Facebook ads?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Haven\u2019t websites and social media made print design a thing of the past?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We know it\u2019s tempting to answer these questions with a \u201chell yeah!\u201d, but the reality is just not that simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is print design the behemoth that it once was in the mad men era? Surely not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it still has tons of gas left in the tank, and we\u2019re going to argue why that\u2019s the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fascination with physical objects is a core part of the human story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ever since our hunter-gatherer days, we\u2019ve had an innate desire to interact with the physical world and to uncover the possibilities that it offers. We rubbed stones together and created fire. We used fire to forge better tools than we had. Then, we interacted with those tools and created entire civilizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There has always been a physical component to the inventions and transformations we\u2019ve had over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even the digital world has become hyper accessible because of physical tools i.e. our smartphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, we\u2019re not saying that digital experiences are not their own thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The point we\u2019re making is that tangible and physical experiences form our history, and perhaps the affinity we have for them is encoded into our biology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why a global study found that\u00a073%\u00a0of people find reading a printed magazine more enjoyable than reading the same thing on a screen. And that\u2019s why we\u2019re certain that print design isn\u2019t going anywhere. It\u2019s only developing with the times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have online mediums democratized advertising more than before? Sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do online ads have greater targeting options? No doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are digital spaces devouring the bulk of marketing budgets around the globe? Of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, none of these developments signal that print design has suddenly stopped bringing in returns or conversions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If not for direct-mail advertising (a medium that would cease to exist without print design):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Technology has made the print design more workable than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With modern printing technology, designers can translate their creative prowess onto the page in a way that\u2019s the most affordable it has ever been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though not perfect, print mediums transcend many limitations that websites have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The biggest example of the same is how web design is constrained by the infamous \u2018fold\u2019, and how to print mediums are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, that\u2019s just a metaphor we\u2019re using to make a larger point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike web design, print design doesn\u2019t have to parse through technical layers like CSS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn\u2019t warrant the involvement of a frontend developer to bring a designer\u2019s vision to fruition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, digital tools have enabled print designers to work more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Print designers can accomplish a lot by harnessing powerhouse solutions like the Adobe Suite and piggyback the same into physical mediums using cheap print tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tech is catalysing print design\u2019s metamorphosis, not expediting its downfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the current global crisis has been any indicator, we share a love-hate relationship with the digital world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though the connectivity that social platforms offer is a godsend amid a pandemic, that connectivity can also lead to its own \u2018hangover\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of the content that we subscribe to or choose to see, we\u2019re bombarded with advertisements that merge seamlessly with our \u2018doom scrolls\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In such a landscape, print design is an obvious escape that we don\u2019t even realize we need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s probably why consumers still deem print ads as the most trusted form of advertisement that exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contrary to digital ads, print marketing efforts don\u2019t feel like they\u2019re constantly trying to slip underneath our skins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Print ads wear their intent on their sleeves, and never feel as intrusive as, let\u2019s say a YouTube ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, print design can serve as a cure for the helplessness-cum-annoyance that being glued to our screens makes us feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s face it. We share a symbiotic relationship with the tech we use, and that\u2019s unlikely to change in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, it\u2019d be sensational, if not deceptive, to claim that digital mediums don\u2019t enjoy a greater pie of our attention than their print counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, there\u2019s no denying that digital is more accessible, eco-friendly, and scalable than print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, screens still can\u2019t replicate the thrill and comfort of experiencing words and images on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why the future of print is one that\u2019ll merge with digital. , we\u2019re likely to see brands adopt a hybrid approach to content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The print design will surely continue to survive in verticals like packaging, hoardings, business cards, frosted windows, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But traditional mediums like brochures, flyers, and magazines aren\u2019t going anywhere either. They\u2019ll just integrate with digital experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, creators and brands can easily supplement print experiences with AR-based content by inserting something as simple as a QR code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With sustainability becoming a driving force in the business world, print experiences will no longer be designed for scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019ll instead become luxury items that embody sustainable design practices and accomplish more with less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The print design will keep it and become pivotal to making digital experiences more meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We shape the tools we use and are shaped by them. That\u2019s just the way of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, print design is a tool that we\u2019ve shaped for centuries, and it has returned the favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re wired to perceive print design as a vehicle for authentic, and impactful interactions. The near future isn\u2019t likely to change that. That\u2019s why Creaa Design<\/strong><\/a> takes great pride in having a mastery of print design fundamentals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re excited about the hybrid print-digital future that the design world is facing and are more than prepared to thrive in such an ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPrint design is far from dead (from a business standpoint)<\/strong>
Print design is getting better, not worse<\/strong>
The print design offers a respite from digital fatigue<\/strong>
The future of print design<\/strong>
Conclusion<\/strong>