Industry Report
How are the print designers responding to the growth in screen-based communication? What are the long-term implications of these developments?
Acknowledgements I would like to thank those who contributed to this booklet by sharing their thoughts and experience about the industry. This includes James (Azo Print), Rob (Magma Books) Chrys Livings (GF Smith) Steve Watson (Stack Magazines) Rob Orchard, (Delayed Gratification). Please see Interviews (Appendix A) for transcripts.
Contents Introduction The Growth of Digital The Effects on Print Desire for Print Developments The Market Implications The Future
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"Print is not dead.
For all the wily charms of the digital world with its tweets, feeds, blogs and apps, there is still nothing like the pleasure created by ink on paper." (Delayed Gratification, 2011)
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Introduction The last decade has seen the capabilities of digital technology has increased dramatically, allowing users to receive and interact with communication online. With this in mind, it was forecast that printed communications would cease to exist. On the contrary, the book (and many other printed formats) has 'kept pace with virtually every technological change you care to think of' (Roberts, 2004 p6) So how has screen-based communication affected print, and how has the print industry responded to this? What has happened to the market for print, and what does this mean for the future? I gathered research from numerous resources and discussed the topic with various people involved in the industry - such as printers, paper merchants, bookshop owners and designers. I will discuss this topic in order to respond to these questions. 2
It is understandable why the decline in print may be forecast; when faced with a problem or question, the first reaction is to jump onto the internet in search for their answer, whereas in the past a book would have been their first source of information. Digital technology has opened the door to a vast amount of information that is presented to us in an interactive world at the touch of a button. The internet has plenty of advantages over print.
The Growth of Digital Communication
It is a fast, easy and efficient way to communicate, which is also dynamic, compared to static print. It can be received through developing formats on laptops and smartphones and databases enable users to search and access the information they want at the click of a button. The development of software and online tools allows the less experienced user to set up a blog or website and reach a global audience - an extremely important factor which businesses utilise to reach new customers. It is costeffective and environmentally friendly, as it is relatively cheaper than print to communicate through a web space or e-mail, and saves businesses from printing marketing material and spending on and wasting paper.
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While it is evident that there has been a decline in the market for printed books, a market for printed communication still exists at present, and has grown in size. Why is this? Richard Addis (2010 p26) states,
The Effect On Print It is clear that screen-based communication has its advantages of print, which has had an effect on areas of the market for printed material. The Kindle, for example, has revolutionised the way people read and communicate, and has caused a decline in print book sales, as readers can now download books and other publications onto their device. "The market for books is undergoing a fundamental change at present, driven primarily by the steady growth of e-books and declining print book sales but also in the area of distribution, with a move away from the high street towards online channels." (Mintel, 2011)
"Even in this dazzling morning of the digital age - there are in fact more newspapers and magazines than ever before. Print is the world's largest advertising medium, over the past five years global circulation of newspapers and magazines has risen not fallen, consumer spending on magazines has increased 48 per cent in the past ten years, and on average one in twelve people on the planet buys a newspaper every day and one in three reads one - compared to one in four who have access to the internet. " It can be argued that screen has not extinguished print, but has acted as a competitor which exists as another medium for communication. Although digital technology has advanced, print and production methods have also developed incredibly, which has seen the industry change alongside the screen. Addis (2010, p26) describes the change as a 'reinvention', and argues that 'the internet has not been especially effective at killing print media because people seem to want increasing quantities of both' (Addis, 2010 p26). 4
The Desire for Print There are many qualities and advantages that printed communication does have - print designers and print lovers would certainly agree that a screen cannot deliver the same experience or hold qualities that print does. Laia Garcia, (2010 p20) of geometricsleep.com collects magazines and says, 'There is something about the experience of magazines that is highly emotional'. It is this 'experience' that many people feel connects them with print. Printed communication exists as a collection of materials - physical objects which can be held, smelt, unfolded and touched. It can be reread until the pages are torn and treasured until the pages are dusty. Rob (2011, Interviews: Appendix p3) from Magma Books says that the qualities he enjoys about books are the 'longevity, the tactile quality, and the fact that books can be more unusual...they are objects. They can be involved with different production processes like the letterpress.' 5
Books and magazines can be seen as a luxury item - they are really 'just another way for us to relieve ourselves of our disposable income, and for this reason they have always had to possess an element of seduction' (Roberts, 2004, p7). Many people relate reading print to relaxing, whereas on screen it is difficult to focus as the screen strains the eye and there are many distractions from blogs, feeds, links, and e-mails. A book or magazine follows a conscious stream of thought in a structured, logical order. "Your eyes are moving faster because they're looking for the next point of departure, the next thing to do. But when you're reading a piece of print there's not much else you can do that requires any sort of concentration. It's just you and your book or magazine, and I think that it's within those limits that people can develop a really strong relationship with the object." (Watson, 2011, Appendix p1) On screen we lose the 'associative dimension to reading, the time when our thoughts move beyong the words' (Addis, 2010 p25), and it affects our concentration and memory. Livings (2011, Appendix p2) states that 'our tactile memory response has over 50% stronger retention than the visual. There is a visceral response to the tangible'.
Although digital communication wins over some advantages, what is
Developments in the Print Industry While it may be more suitable for some to read an e-book on screen, a welldesigned business card or flyer will always cause an impact and reflect quality and personality that a website cannot, while a card or book on a celebratory occassion has more sentiment and 'personal touch' (James, 2011. Appendix p4) than an e-card. There is still a desire for high-end printed material - people will pay more for quality when it comes to buying something which is intended to be a gift. In this design conscious society, people are concerned with the quality of the content and the design, which can be very limited when sending communications on screen (for example, newspaper articles over iPhone 'apps' cannot be very flexible). Businesses keen to impress in physical form make an impact by using quality printed marketing.
evident is that as digital technologies have developed, print and production methods have also developed massively. Although low-end printers may have seen a decline in sales, printers that offer a wide range of processes can 'keep up with the trends' (James, 2011, Appendix p4). James from Azo Print (2011, Appendix p4) explains that better production methods such as lithography have enabled printers to produce smaller numbers of prints faster than before and developments of software and technology has given designers more creative control over the design process. In response to the explosion of digital communication, print designers are producing material which celebrates the fact that they are objects by using a wide range of processes such as foil-blocking, binding, embossing, thermographic printing and die-cutting. Designers can use these processes to encourage the reader to touch, unfold, and interact with the object, while the aesthetic and tactile qualities can reflect quality, personality and value. 6
Changes in the Market
"At the commodity end of the market (e.g. low cost, plain white stocks), there has certainly been a decline in printed collateral. Interestingly though, at the speciality end of this market, there is an enduring counter-balance. Speciality materials and high quality printed collateral retain and exemplify integrity and distinction. A beautifully produced printed item that can be held in our hands gives a sense of ownership that a digital image never can, and has a greater presence, instilling honesty and value. Research has shown that a tangible, printed item is perceived as having a higher sense of authority than digital." (Livings, 2011 Appendix p2) This increased interest in high-end, quality print has seen everyone from design studios, furniture stores and clothing lines publishing their own selfpromotion books and catalogues. It is easier to publish a book than in the past, and publishers have been keen to compete and utilise the diverse range of printing and production methods that are available which compliment the tactile qualities of print, ranging from the format, packaging, stock, binding techniques and special inks. 'The last few years have seen an amazing increase in the number of books being published on design. (Roberts, 2004 p61).
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Long-term Implications
This influx may seem like a great thing. Many people, however, believe that this has also lead to an overproduction of books and a dilution of quality. In New Book Design (Fawcet-Tang, 2004 p61), Nihjof Lee, a bookseller from Amsterdam, says in an interview that some publishers are 'not really interested in quality, they're only interested in meeting their production schedule.' Publishers produce large amounts of books to keep down the printing costs which leads to an over-production of unsold books which waste space and money. Whilst this dilution of quality can certainly be seen in
screen-based communication (anyone can post their opinion or questionable fact on a blog or feed), the overproduction and excess stock has a financial impact on a print designer or publisher, and on the industry as a whole. Designers and publishers are acknowledging that they have to be considered with what they publish. Steve Watson of Stack Magazines (Interviews: Appendix p1) says that 'as books and magazines are not always the cheapest and effective way of putting information infront of peoples eyes anymore, anyone doing it has to have a clear idea of why they're doing it' (Watson, 2011, Appendix p1). Dexter Sinister, a bookstore and workshop in New York, operate a "Just-In-Time" model, where a publication is printed on demand. This minimises waste production, which in turn is cost-effective as it rules out the need for extra storage space for titles which have not yet been sold. Similarly, Lulu offers a self-publishing platform for publisher hopefuls and minimises the risk of low sales by operating a print-on-demand service. 8
What is the future for print?
In summary, the print industry will continue to adapt and develop to work alongside screen-based communication. Although many see it as competition, it is essentially another way to communicate. The industry can take advantage of this by targeting new customers - Eye and Delayed Grafitication posts articles featured in their magazine online, which encourage readers to buy the printed version. Stack magazines sells independent magazines and encourage people to subscribe online, sending them a selected issue every month. Designers are also creating content which is viewable across-platform, for example on mobile 'apps' (although this restricts design). The most important factor is the quality and value of the content whether it is on screen or on paper, the viewer will choose whichever is aesthetically pleasing, good quality, and best suits their need. Printed material can evoke emotional response and will always have its place when the need is for something which is tangible, permanent, sentimental or collectible. 'As long as we are material beings, we will gravitate toward substance as a means of connection, as a compliment and counter-balance to our use of digital communication.' (Livings, 2011 Appendix p2)
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Written and designed by Nicola Yuen 2010 www.nicolayuen.com 2