New Year, and a new spirit of optimism about print’s prospects.
That’s definitely a vibe I’m feeling, not least due to a steady succession of articles from people who’ve realised that – guess what – print isn’t dead and it’s actually rather useful and powerfully effective in all sorts of applications – who’d have thought it, eh?!
These articles aren’t just written by people with some sort of vested interest, like us here at PrintWeek or print suppliers peddling their wares.
A notable example is this piece in the New York Times about Wired magazine found Kevin Kelly, and his creation of an online resource called Cool Tools that has now become a physical, printed catalogue. A catalogue that proved so popular it had to be reprinted, more or less immediately.
Another piece that caught my eye was this in The Guardian, about London’s Tech City News adding a print version to its original online offering. That’s right, Tech City News, read by all those screen-based young whippersnappers raised on smartphones and tablets.
The editor has recognised the important difference between ‘lean back’ and ‘lean forward’ media consumption (something I’ve written about time and time again), especially for people who, as Alex Wood puts it, are “drowning in a sea of tweets and social media”.
There is a very good reason why, every time I meet someone employed doing something trendy and 21st century, such as search engine optimisation, I am handed a business card that is special in one way or another, be it format, paper stock or special finishes. It’s because print provides stand-out.
Yes, I know our industry still has issues, lots of issues. That includes overcapacity and unsustainable pricing in some areas, and the notable decline in print volumes for some applications.
BUT. This remains a huge business and there is still a hell of a lot of print out there, be it in established or new applications, and be it standalone print products or as part of a cross-media mix. There are new print prospects to get one’s teeth into, and plenty of reasons to see 2014 as a year when print will prove it is very definitely not dead. It’s not even sleeping.
