22 December 2014

A world of print

Look around you now. How many printed products can you see? The pile of paperwork to the left. That book you're reading to the right. In the fridge, you might have a pre-packed sandwich for lunch and nearby some type of snack to beat those mid-afternoon cravings. You'll almost certainly have a carton or container of milk in the fridge for tea, coffee, hot chocolate or whichever beverage you desire at this time of year (me, I'm a tea person).

My point is that while you have to be reading this using an electronic device – desktop, tablet or mobile – print is all around us, and remains a backbone of communication.

For the labels and package markets, printing is an indispensable component of daily life.

Branding, on-shelf appeal, OPRL, nutritional information, product quality – they are all defined and delivered through print, and will continue to be all the while access to the internet, connectivity, next -gen technology and e-retail become more prevalent around the world.

For consumers, printed packaging is what gets the taste buds working or entices them to try something new. Or draws the eye to that new brand of pet food/toothpaste/health-enhancing yogurt drink (Lactobacillus casei anyone). Or if you're a parent, pester power kicks in when your child sees their favorite character depicted on a pack of cereal/biscuits/crisps.

Even the packaging for that new iPhone/iPad many are hoping to find under the Christmas tree later this week is a printed product.

While it is true that the world of print has changed and market shares are more widely spread, it is also true that print, in all its forms, is an indispensable resource with so much history and ingrained innovation that it will continue to find ways to be relevant in today's increasingly online world. The use of QR, AR, NFC on packaging and in publications are testament to this.

As a case in point, this year has been another great year for Labels & Labeling, with 2015 promising to be just as good if not better, supported by events punctuating the calendar throughout the year like Labelexpo Asia 2015, Labelexpo Europe 2015, Label Summit Latin America 2015 and Gulf Print & Pack 2015.

Suppliers from across the label and package printing supply chain similarly expect big things of next year, as you can read here.

From myself and everyone else on the Labels & Labeling team, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in 2015.