I’m a packaging designer and brand strategist, and so my content algorithm is optimized for print, labels, design, and branding. (I’m guessing your algorithm is similar.) Over the past several months, article after blog after podcast after image has been popping up to tell me how print media is having a renaissance.
And I say, don’t believe it.
Why? Because print was never dead, and I don’t believe it ever should have been disregarded or pushed to the sidelines for digital.
That’s because digital and physical work best in tandem. When it comes to online and in-real-life brand experiences, it’s not one or the other. A brand’s best approach is an integrated, multi-platform, multi-sensory strategy.
Brands are seeking more meaningful engagement beyond what they’re doing online, and to that end, they are rediscovering that tactile, immersive print and packaging are something digital simply cannot replicate. Budgets prove it: the packaging industry is increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 3.89 percent and is predicted to reach $1.43 trillion by 2030.
Still, some people are convinced that print is an also-ran. Ever since the early 2000s, graphic designers have started becoming digital-first designers. They learned to design for the screen—for websites, UX, and social media BEFORE they learned to design for print, and that’s IF they had even designed for print. Digital-first designers (maybe you) might not recognize the advantages of print because print feels a little old-school. But trust me when I say: today’s print is NOT your grandfather’s print. And digital is NOT all that.
When it comes to online and in-real-life brand experiences, it’s not one or the other. A brand’s best approach is an integrated, multi-platform, multi-sensory strategy.
Consider the importance of prototyping, which many young designers have never done. How do I know? Because I teach packaging design at Tulane University. Most new designers have only dabbled in print, and none of them has ever created a packaging prototype in real life. But by the end of a semester with me, all of them have, and their reactions are priceless.
Each student in my class must create a label, a carton to hold the product, and a shipping box. They must also identify and create the material they use to ship the product. From start to finish, they have to design, print, cut, build, and decide which tactile finishes to use on their prototypes. That means before they construct, they have to check the printed piece’s alignment, resolution, and color space — is it a Pantone color or CMYK? (Gen X designers: Who remembers going to the printer at midnight for press checks, making sure every detail was exactly as specified; the color was vibrant but not too saturated; the registration was in line and there were no hickeys, before they ran the full job? I certainly do!)
I remind my students that they must make sure the type and point size are legible on the substrate. It’s not like working on a screen, where you can just enlarge the view. As a final step, their packaging prototype has to actually work: protect the product, stand out on a retail shelf against competitors, create a dynamic unboxing experience, and be memorable enough that someone wants to post about it. And it has to tell the brand story.
This real-life experience is completely new to my classes. Some have never used an Exacto knife; some have never thought about, let alone tested, different weight papers; some of them have never printed out their original designs! By the end of the course, these students have been pushed in directions they never even knew existed. They tell me it’s some of the toughest designing they’ve ever had to do – but they’re also enormously proud and excited to present their prototypes in real life.
Photos: (left) mahabis footwear; (top right) Harper Sunday; (bottom right) Saad Chaudhry
While print can’t do what digital does, digital experiences also can’t replicate the unique qualities of a tangible, sensory, real-life experience. Print’s “renaissance” is here to stay – and here’s why:
Touch Builds Unforgettable Emotional Connections
The digital world is fleeting. You scroll past a beautifully designed ad, double-tap an Instagram post, maybe even click “add to cart” – but you forget it moments later. Physical experiences linger. The weight of premium packaging. The texture of embossed lettering. The cool silkiness of a matte finish. Each evokes sensory memories and emotional connections that can’t be replicated through a screen. These haptic elements make consumers want to connect with the packaging and the brand that’s offering it.
The sense of touch is fundamental to connecting with human emotion. Touch stimulates your brain’s emotional centers, forging stronger associations with what you’re interacting with.
Brands are re-experiencing the power of touch and tactile engagement as a way to create deeper connections with customers, the type of connections that digital interactions often lack. A study cited by marketing analytics firm Embryo found that 71% of customers recommend a brand based on emotional connection. Tactile finishes, when added to packaging, hyper-activate our sense of touch and provide an increased emotional connection that we can’t get from online experiences.
Brands recognize that today’s consumers crave authenticity. There’s something inherently real and trustworthy about something you can touch.
Tangible Builds Trust in an Intangible World
Consumers are getting weary – and wary – of the digital blitz. With so much content online (and so much disinformation and misinformation), we don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. Brands recognize that today’s consumers crave authenticity. There’s something inherently real and trustworthy about something you can touch. The physicality of print, and premium packaging in particular, engages the senses while offering a break from screen overload.
I want to emphasize that I’m not telling digital designers to stop what they’re doing and focus solely on print. On the contrary, online design skills are essential to an integrated strategy, known as “phygital” – a multi-sensory, multi-platform, multi-design approach. However, digital-only approaches can’t build trust the way that physical elements can.
Packaging designers offer people a chance to experience a brand in the real world, to feel its authenticity, to match expectations to what the product delivers. If it doesn’t deliver, then no matter how engaging the packaging is, someone won’t buy it a second time. We can’t just design packaging for design’s sake; we must design to achieve the desired outcomes. Print’s sensory elements build connection, emotion, and trust. And high levels of trust translate into more products sold and a greater willingness to recommend a brand or product.
Physical Experiences are More Memorable
Research shows that physical experiences trigger deep memory associations. Pick up a beautifully designed brochure, run your hand over its embossed finish, read a page or two, and your brain identifies it as “real” and begins emotional processing, which is vital for memory and, interestingly, brand recall.
You feel yourself connecting to a brand’s story in a way that digital media can’t recreate. Test this for yourself: What was the last Instagram ad you saw? You may not remember. Now think about the last handwritten thank-you card you received, or a uniquely designed package that caught your attention. Physical items stick in our minds longer because they engage our sense of touch; you feel something, you are more likely to connect with it and remember it.
Distinct sensory cues, like a unique texture or tactile finish, can make a brand stand out from its competitors, which helps you remember it. These cues invite consumers to touch and explore, to “make a memory.” And when brands create memorable, tangible experiences, customers don’t just enjoy the product; they want to share that joy. Whether it’s uploading an Instagram story or creating an unboxing video, customers become unpaid ambassadors. And it begins with their first tactile interaction. A premium-feel box, an embossed note from the brand’s CEO, or a design feature that creates delight can transform a passive buyer into an active promoter.
In a competitive marketplace, tactile engagement can be a powerful differentiator that drives loyalty, brand advocacy and revenue.
Tactile Engagement Fosters Repeat Purchases
Print has a knack for developing emotional connections, building trust, and creating memorable interactions. Together, these superpowers not only influence initial purchase decisions but also drive repeat purchases and brand advocacy. Consumers who have positive, memorable experiences with a brand’s packaging or print materials and feel a strong emotional bond with the brand itself are more likely to become loyal customers. The sensory cues embedded in these touchpoints serve as reminders of the brand’s value, encouraging recurring interactions and reinforcing brand preference.
Brands that consistently deliver high-quality, tactile experiences across all touchpoints create a sense of reliability and familiarity. This consistency inspires consumers to choose the brand again and recommend it to others. In a competitive marketplace, tactile engagement can be a powerful differentiator that drives loyalty, brand advocacy and revenue.
“Phygital” Is Where It’s At
Consumers are overwhelmed with digital noise. They’re craving authenticity; something real in the real world. By incorporating physical touchpoints, brands create deep emotional connections, build trust, develop brand advocates, and perhaps most importantly, stand out in an oversaturated market. But let’s not pit print against digital; instead, think of these two experiences as partners. Physical experiences are often launchpads into the digital world, and vice versa. For creative professionals and designers, this presents opportunities. The brands that can skillfully integrate physical and digital experiences, balancing innovation with authenticity, will lead the way.
How will your next design marry digital and print? How will you create a multi-design, multi-sensory experience? Whatever you do, make sure it’s something your audience can feel — in every sense of the word.
Vicki Strull has over 25 years of experience in the marketing and design industry as a brand strategist, creative director, and packaging designer. She is recognized for her expertise in brand positioning, creative leadership, and consulting with organizations on leveraging design to drive sales and build brand loyalty. In addition to her innovative approach to branding and packaging, she serves as an adjunct professor at Tulane University and frequently speaks at industry conferences in the US and internationally. Follow Vicki on LinkedIn.
Header image by Studio Blackthorns on Unsplash.
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