Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "2020 Projected Print Marketing Trends," takes a look at the forecasted 2020 trends in print marketing. While some experts believe that 2020 will likely resemble a continuation or an extension of 2019 , there are several factors to consider that could potentially open up new opportunities for the print marketing world.
For one, it is a common misnomer to place print technology on the back burner, particularly since the IoT (Internet of Things) has emerged as the future of marketing and device communications. The IoT's claim to fame is that objects are now able to communicate with other objects in the digital space. What is interesting is that print technology has long been the forerunner of IoT with the ability to communicate with a variety of other objects before the emergence of IoT.
Print Technology
According to some tech pundits, we have evolved to the 4th Industrial Revolution, if you want to call it that. Still, moreover, even these tech pundits allude to the fact that technological advances are moving faster than people can manage. Looking ahead, we can expect the commercial printing industry will most likely evolve with new printing technology and hardware that is driven by AI. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely considered to be among the most transformative technological evolutions of this day and age.
That said, AI applications will continue to be offered by SaaS (software as a service) vendor platforms. However, as we have seen in 2019, most of the AI platforms are too broad for most organizations. To be truly transformative, the platforms to date require custom engineering to satisfy particular organizational tasks.
Once the AI SaaS providers can offer more narrow versions that can easily be tailored for a specific task, the excuses organizations have for not using AI should drift away.
Print technology is set to enjoy the upcoming version of AI technology, which will present better workflows, more precise data manipulation, and more. In addition, as newer AI versions are introduced and adopted by print manufacturers such as Xerox, HP, and others, fasten your seat belts and get ready for a seamless print workflow experience.
The Lure
The print world is awash in the creation of marketing trends that can effectively capture the attention of an audience while simultaneously engaging them towards a purchase. That idea will grow in 2020, as the focus will shift to creating enticing calls to action that compel targets to complete that desired action.
The big idea here will be the ability to create calls to action that are irresistible to ignore. 2020 will see more types of creative calls-to-action in more places, by which the goal will be the creation of a seamless CX, from the printed version to the digital counterpart.
Colors for 2020
We typically take our color directives from Pantone every year, and 2020 will be no different. Pantone, in turn, actually makes its color decisions based on what is breaking at the top fashion houses. The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year is Classic Blue - Pantone 19-4052, which prints beautifully!
Colors affect our psyche and overall well-being. To that end, Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, offered an explanation of Pantone's Classic Blue for 2020: "We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking, challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication."
Pantone also states: "As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced."
Interconnectivity
A significant print marketing trend for 2020 is the rise of connecting digital marketing with print marketing. Now that we have arrived at the junction of seamless connectivity, both print and digital marketing will hold steadfast, and in the foreseeable future, ensuring that these two marketing disciplines are in lockstep is of primary importance. The task is to visualize that each marketing form is an extension of the other. In theory, marketers will be tasked to create printed collateral that mimics digital collateral, as in websites, social media pages, and any other digital channels that make up an organization's online persona.
Graphic Design Concepts
In recent years, we have experienced bold colors, futuristic design elements, and gradients on steroids. However, it would appear that graphic design concepts in 2020 have taken a page from Pantone's Classic Blue. "Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction."
We can expect graphic design for 2020 to be more natural, reserved, and harmonious, and more abstract. We will see softer color palettes that will be more desaturated with black, white, or a complementary color.
Gradients will be used in more unique applications, for example, inside intricate illustrations, in color filtering, and by adding depth and texture to simple graphics.
Font usage will give way to heavy bold or extra bold treatments that allow for higher contrast when used against simple backgrounds or lighter fonts.
Direct Mail Marketing
We have seen that the value of direct mail marketing has risen for the past two years. This has become particularly important as direct mail marketing can direct a prospect to a particular digital destination, such as a website landing page, or a social media channel, point of purchase location, and so on.
2020 will continue to see direct mail marketing's value increase, given the challenges that hacking presents. In an election year, the odds are good that hacking will increase, and security issues expand exponentially. It is important to remember that as technology continues, it's advancements, so to will hackers who will look for ways to compromise the new technology.
Therefore, brands must consider direct mail marketing as a hack-proof safety partner.
The Net-Net
2020 Marketing, in general, is set to evolve, and there are many other considerations regarding technology and how the emergence of new technologies will alter human behavior. Therefore, it's a good idea for marketers and brands to dedicate some time to review these new technologies that could be of value. Some may impact us immediately, while others will take time via the early adopters. What we know for sure is that both print and digital marketing are here to stay. Lastly, keep in mind that whatever digital marketing technologies are introduced, print marketing technologies will also be updated. Happy Holidays and thanks for reading "2020 Projected Print Marketing Trends."
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