Embellishment

Embellished Roll-to-Roll Labels

September 16, 2024

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

The design and production of roll-to-roll embellished product labels evolve as the buying public becomes more discerning and as pressure increases for greater sustainability in the production process. To keep up with demand, label producers must explore and embrace new technologies for creating stand-out labels while simultaneously adopting new production methods that cut costs and tread more lightly on the planet. PostPress took a look at forecasts for the label market and drew insight from players in the sector about the current state of affairs.

Market Stats and Forecast for the Near-Term

According to Labels and Labeling’s “Sustainability and digital innovation to power label market’s growth,” ¹ which cites information from Smithers’ “The Future of Printed Labels to 2029 Report,” the total global market value will reach USD 44.8 billion in 2024. A stable market should lead to 3.8% CARG through 2029, which will increase total global market value to USD 54.1 billion. Growth in sales of packaging labels will be prompted by sustainability issues and innovations in digital printing.

The Smithers report predicts that new graphic and embellishment techniques, along with connected label technology and security markings, also will drive growth. The adoption of artificial intelligence for label design and layout, and the use of advanced QC and visual inspection technologies, will continue to be time-saving positives for label production. In the largest end-use segments for printed labels – beverages and food products – healthy market growth will stem from new labeling requirements for ingredient, allergen and nutrition data, as well as the continued push for label recyclability.

Per the recent Alexander Watson Associates (AWA) evaluation of the label and package printing market, as cited in Label and Narrow Web’s “Mid-Year Economic Report,” ² significant challenges as well as plentiful opportunities will affect the industry. Emerging advanced technologies will be welcomed to mitigate continuing economic and workforce challenges.

Digital Embellishments and Labels

As digital printing technologies continue to grow for roll-to-roll label applications, embellishing labels through digital inkjet and digital toner technologies continues to grow as well. Specialty markets with smaller label runs have helped spark this growth.

Kurz has introduced roll-to-roll digital embellishment technology with its patented process where the inkjet image is printed on the back of the transfer foil, opening up applications for metallic finishes that have never been done before. The process can be used on a wide range of substrates beyond just coated label stock, including uncoated stocks and thin film materials. “This technology allows for automatic job recognition and instant order change,” commented Michael Aumann, global director – Digital Embellishment Solutions at KURZ. “This results in continuous operation with no stops for job changeover, set-up or makeready.”

Kurz also offers the versatility to apply metallic decoration to printed materials from a toner-based printing platform. The technology is based on its combination of Xeikon’s durable TITON toner and KURZ DIGITAL METAL© transfer foil applied inline on the Xeikon TX500 press and KURZ R520 embellishment unit. KURZ also has 3D inkjet technology for roll-to-roll applications, combining the spot-coating process with the application of a raised or flat metallic decoration, which can be completed in one pass.

*CARTES provides digital embellishment and finishing solutions for roll-to-roll labels.*

CARTES offers many digital embellishment and finishing solutions for label applications. These include incorporating laser diecutting with digital foil embellishments all inline, providing a complete digital finishing solution. “Our Jet D-Screen for digital foil embellishments is a state-of-the-art technology designed to create outstanding labels garnished by multi-layered effects,” explained Michael Debard, president of Diversified Graphic Machinery, representing CARTES. “This includes spot coating, complex tactile raised volumes and braille printing, as well as detailed foiling of metallic-doming transferring.”

A B Graphic International’s digital embellishment module, DigiJet, is a fully digital system for roll-to-roll label decorating either inline or offline. “The DigiJet allows for multiple processes in one pass, including spot varnishing, digital cold foiling and tactile screen effects on any size print runs with no tooling,” stated Floriana Montella, product manager. “Our technology allows users to maximize their productivity with zero tooling, zero waste and market-leading levels of efficiency. The Digijet is a module of the Digicon Series 3 and is the perfect match with Digilase, ABG’s laser diecutting machine.”

Another option for roll-to-roll label embellishments is Konica Minolta’s new JETvarnish 3D Web 400, a 100% web-fed digital embellishment solution that integrates spot UV varnish, hot foil stamping and variable data printing in a single pass. “Tailored for the evolving needs of the self-adhesive label and flexible packaging sectors, the JETvarnish 3D Web 400 enables converters and printers to reduce customers’ time-to-market, while transforming the impact of their labels and packaging on the shelf,” commented Frank Mallozzi, president, Industrial & Production Print, Konica Minolta. “It meets the requirements for short, medium and long runs by enhancing basic four-color production with digital spot UV varnish and hot foil stamping in fixed or variable data, flat or embossed, facilitating multi-runs and versioning.”

Cold Foil Transfer on Labels

*K Laser Technology offers cold foil for an array of roll-to-roll label applications.*

The use of cold foil transfer inline with roll-to-roll label printing has been popular for many years. However, in the past, there was a question on overall brilliance of a cold foil transfer compared to hot stamping the foil inline on a roll-to-roll flexo press. The quality of cold foil has improved tremendously and has its place with label embellishments.

“Brands often use foil because of its glossy, high-visibility effects. Research has shown that packaging decorated with foil rates more effective than non-foil packaging,” remarked Gary Bibler, director of new creative business for K Laser Technology (USA) Co. “The use of cold foil on roll-to-roll can be less expensive for production than other applications. Roll-to-roll also can be beneficial for certain jobs, reducing waste as opposed to sheet-run projects.”

Bibler added that cosmetics packaging is a highly competitive market, and the luxury component is key. The cold foil – even in a minimal application – adds distinct value. Cannabis and the CBD market have become increasingly powerful as well. The use of foil embellishment, combined with creative artwork for packaging, has allowed for higher consumer awareness.

Another advantage of a cold foil transfer unit is the ability to use it to apply Cast and Cure. The Cast and Cure process provides a clear holographic pattern over the label and can be applied in a similar manner as cold foil, using a clear adhesive that then is UV-cured inline. The main difference is that nothing from the film carrier is applied to the label stock and the Cast and Cure film can be used several times.

Hot Foil Stamping for Roll-to-Roll

Although there has been tremendous growth in both cold foil transfer and digital foil technologies in the decoration of labels, more traditional hot stamping still is popular for many roll-to-roll label applications. Hot stamping is being performed both inline on a flexographic press using an engraved brass rotary die or offline on a dedicated roll-to-roll hot stamping press utilizing flat engravings.

The advantage of the inline process certainly is the ability to add the foil and embossing in one pass. The advantage of the offline process, where flat dies can be used, is that the overall tooling costs are much lower. The size of the label job usually will determine the best approach.

Telstar’s Interprint Die Station is an inline option for most flexo printing machines and bridge-mounts above any two flexo print units. Die frames match the dimensions of the parent machine so that all press tooling is interchangeable. The servo drive features auto and re-register capabilities. The hot stamp system features a digital touchscreen control unit with recipes for steel, brass and magnetic dies. There also are various anvil coverings available for improved performance on hot stamping, heat sealing and embossing.

“[With] many applications for high-end labels, including wine and cosmetic labels, the brand owner still wants the crisp hot foil stamping look,” stated Tom Kirtz, president at TelStar Engineering, Inc. “In addition, many wine labels are produced on an uncoated, textured stock. Hot stamping is the best choice when adding a metallic finish.”

Future Trends with Label Embellishments

Paragon Label, Petaluma, California, offers high-quality labels for the wine, beauty and food brand markets. The company offers a variety of printing and embellishment options for its clients. Jeremy Jolly, general manager for Paragon, has seen embellishments and other specialty techniques continue to grow for label applications.

“At Paragon, we offer rotary screen, flatbed foil stamping and embossing, as well as decorative laser cutting, with decorative laser cutting being our newest addition,” stated Jolly. “The spirits market is doing the most interesting things with embellishments currently. We are seeing a wider range of stocks and methods being used there vs. other markets.”

“More and more, manufacturers are beginning to realize the opportunities that digital embellishment technology allows – such as instant order change,” remarked Aumann. “The ability to combine multiple label jobs on one roll and instantly change from job to job based on automated job recognition can result in higher levels of production efficiency and time savings in the digital embellishment process.”

Aumann also explained that combining digital embellishments with conventional embellishments can produce stunning effects mixed with variable imaging and versioning.

Woodcock has seen a rise in the need for embellishments on fast-moving consumer good labels. “The rise in popularity of fitness supplements and protein powders has required more premium labels to rise above competition and look more appealing on supermarket shelves,” he said.

“Every day, it becomes more important to preserve the image of products and guarantee that their quality is consistent with market requirements,” added DeBard. “To this end, companies in constant competition always seek to differentiate their products with special features like foil embellishments to make them stand out on the shelf, so that consumers feel identified as much as possible.”

“Consumer-attention timespan is at an all-time low,” explained Bibler. “Beyond shelf appeal, foils and embellishments can be utilized as a more affordable security feature. Social media has revolutionized how we shop; it isn’t only about buying the product anymore. It has become about the entire experience of shopping, purchasing and unboxing. Eye-catching, unique labels and packaging can make or break a product.”

The future for roll-to-roll label embellishment looks bright, with plenty of fresh, new effects, techniques, consumer accessibility enhancements, advances in sustainability and technologies for streamlining production.

For more info, visit www.kurzusa.com, www.abgint.com, www.coldfoil.com, www.paragonlabel.com, www.dgmna.com, and www.telstareng.com.

References

“Sustainability and digital innovation to power label market’s growth,” Labels and Labeling. August 1, 2024. www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/market-trends/sustainability-and-digital-innovation-power-label-market%E2%80%99s-growth.
Greg Hrinya. “Mid-Year Economic Report,” Label and Narrow Web. August 1, 2024. www.labelandnarrowweb.com/issues/2024-07-01/view_features/mid-year-economic-report-852946/?widget=listSection

The Neuroscience of Touch

September 16, 2024

*This example of elegance uses four-color process printing with a spot reticulating varnish, gold pearl UV coating and a rainbow foil.*

How the sense of touch creates physical and emotional experiences that engage customers, drive sales and build brand loyalty.

By Vicki Strull, design strategist, Vicki Strull Consulting

As designers, marketers, printers and converters, most of us can’t help but think about the power of touch when we think about the essence of print marketing and packaging. Over the past several years, the latest research attests to the relationship between touch and human emotional connection. The importance of special effects and embellishments for the entire print and packaging industry can be summed up quite simply: touch creates memorable customer experiences that build connection, sales and brand fans.

*To achieve credibility, this packaging, with bold typography and color blocks, is printed using a four-color process, chrome silver and a spot pearl UV coating.*

The Neuroscience of Touch

There are dozens of studies on the sensory connection of touch. Neuroscientists have discovered that more than half of our brain energy is devoted to processing sensory input. The part of the brain that receives input from our sensory receptors is called the somatosensory cortex, and a significant portion of that is devoted to our sense of touch.

Findings like these are revealed in “The Neuroscience of Touch,” an extensive piece on “neuroscience, communication, paper, persuasion and touch,” conducted by Sappi North America in conjunction with neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman. ¹ For example, one of the questions explored in the research is whether or not we remember content differently when we read it digitally (such as online or on an iPad or Kindle) vs. when we read it on paper (such as a newspaper, catalog, magazine or book).

When we consume content online, we tend to read or scroll pretty quickly. But when we read something on paper, we engage in touchpoints, such as folding down a page or marking an item or highlighting a passage. Actions like these help us remember the content better, longer and more accurately. That’s the mental sensory mapping that occurs in our brain when touch is involved. The answer is yes, we do remember content we read on paper better than content we read online.

Following that study, researchers began to wonder if the medium of paper itself could explain the memory advantage of print vs. digital. Turns out, that is exactly what makes the difference. One theory is that the physicality – the realness of print and packaging – has a powerful effect on how we comprehend and retain messages, as compared to digital mediums. ² And, because more parts of our brain are activated when we are touching or holding a printed piece or packaging, we again are creating stronger memories and remembering the content better.

Touch, Texture and Trust

This tactile research also applies to substrates, special effects and embellishments. A texture on a package may encourage someone to take it off the shelf or hold it a little longer. That kickstarts a connection to the product or brand that is both physical and emotional. It affects our perception of the product’s quality and value, too. And since research shows that 95% of our purchasing decisions are subconscious and based on emotions ³, you can see how haptics drive sales. One more important finding is that because paper and paper-based packaging have a tangible quality – that realness mentioned above – humans also put greater trust in it. And trust is essential to building brand loyalty.

Recently, Sappi partnered with Clemson University to undertake a series of custom research studies to compare premium packaging and non-premium packaging to see which sold better. For the studies, premium packaging was defined as printed on Sappi’s Spectro®, a solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard of the highest quality, and with at least one special effect or embellishment – namely metallic foil, spot gloss or embossing. Non-premium packaging was defined as printed on coated recycled board (CRB), typically used for household goods or nonfood-contact dry food packaging, such as cereal, crackers or processed foods.

To test the comparison, 60 participants shopped in a mock retail store. One data point became very clear: people overwhelmingly chose the premium packaging over the plain. They touched it, held it, turned it over in their hands. Specifically, 93% of people chose to purchase premium; they also chose the packaging with metallic foil 50% more often than any other packaging.

“The Packaging is the Product.”

Twentieth-century graphic designer Saul Bass liked to say, “The packaging is the product.” For examples, see Sappi’s Standard 7, “A Guide to Designing for Print: Tips, Techniques and Methods for Achieving Optimum Printing Results.” On one page, a brand that uses a uniquely shaped box with subtle color and jewel-like metallic foil creates a sense of elegant luxury beyond the product itself. On another page, a package with bold typography, pearlized graphics and straight-forward information offers the credibility of a high-quality brand that reassures shoppers. In another instance, a package with muted gradations and a spot gloss wave pattern evokes serenity and tranquility. All of these examples show how packaging becomes the product, how it reflects the brand and how it creates a positive perception that gives the consumer confidence, builds trust and creates a memorable customer experience so people will choose that brand. Sensory embellishment can drive that.

Although multiple techniques are both inspiring and effective, the Sappi and Clemson study showed that even just one embellishment, just one special effect, can have a very big impact on consumer behavior and conversion.

Outside the Box: From Packaging to Other Touchpoints

The data regarding the power of touch and the influence of haptic techniques also are relevant to general commercial print, marketing materials, direct mail, catalogs, magazines, hang tags and book covers. Marketers and printers recognize that these various touchpoints are all critical for creating a comprehensive customer experience of a product or brand. Consistency of design, story, color, quality and imagery across the digital and print world is imperative. Everything needs to work together as an integrated, omnichannel marketing strategy, with a cohesive look and feel, while sensory print and packaging reinforce the entire branding ecosystem and enhance the human emotional connection.

With today’s competitive marketplace, brands continually are looking for new and more powerful ways to connect with their consumers and create memorable experiences. While digital may be an early impression consumers see via e-commerce or online ads, print marketing materials and packaging drive the connection, the engagement, the influence and the sale.

Vicki Strull has more than 25 years of experience in the marketing and design industry as a brand strategist, creative director and packaging designer. She has advised both emerging and top-tier brands, such as Sappi, HP, Bayer, Coppertone, Pizza Hut and Wildfare, on how to leverage the power of design and packaging to increase sales, create new revenue streams and build brand loyalty. In addition to writing articles in global trade publications, Strull is an international speaker and an adjunct professor at Tulane University. Join fellow trendsetters at vickistrull.com or follow her on LinkedIn @vickistrull.

Reprinted with permission from Sappi.

See and feel how Sappi makes packaging come alive through “The Standard” by ordering your own copy at https://go.sappi.com/l/405492/2023-10-23/gnkx9c.

References

Dr. David Eagleman is a neuroscientist, author, and adjunct professor at Stanford University.
“How the Medium Shapes the Message,” study referenced by Dr. David Eagleman; see more at www.SappiPops.com
Harvard Business School Professor Gerald Zaltman, Working Knowledge, “The Subconscious Mind of the Consumer (And How To Reach It)”

Trading Card Trends 2024

June 11, 2024

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

The trading card industry continues on a positive trajectory. Just the sporting trading card industry alone expects to reach over $2881.7 million by 2028. The industry was strong before the pandemic, but COVID-19 sparked a resurgence that has continued today and is expected to continue well into the future. Other trends that have sparked growth include NFT (non-fungible tokens) integration that offers a novel digital experience, increases in special editions and autographs, and the overall online marketplace that has facilitated the ease of buying and selling trading cards.

At the core of the design of today’s trading cards is the use of specialty embellishments to help create differentiation and value. The creativity and application of metallics, specialty UV coatings, laminates and other embellishments continue to grow and prosper.

At the recent 2024 Print Embellishment Conference (sponsored by FSEA), one of the panels included a group of experts involved in the production of sporting and gaming trading cards. With the conference taking place in Dallas, Texas, the epicenter for trading card production in the US, the event provided a perfect landscape to bring sources together from different sections of the production process. The panel included Brandon Lesley, Fanatics; Jim Singer, Brodnax 21C Packaging; Stefan Congram, Cartamundi; and Doug Fontana, Xplor Group.

Trading cards (both sports and gaming cards) have seen a new spike in popularity in the last few years. Can you discuss why you believe this has happened, and do you foresee this growth continuing in the future?

Lesley: During the pandemic, people found new ways to spend their time and money, and people really got back into collecting. And, I predict the market will continue to increase and remain steady over the next 10 to 20 years for sure.

Singer: We have been printing and embellishing trading cards for many years. We have moved to cold foiling even base cards that are not the main collectibles. We also have been building up our digital workload and recently added 40″ digital printing and digital embellishment processes to our operation.

Fontana: I believe the pandemic certainly had a huge impact, with people staying at home and looking for hobbies. That clearly was the reason for the spike. We do a great deal of the finishing work on the trading cards, and the innovative ideas are amazing and are keeping the collectors interested.

Congram: We work on the gaming side of trading cards, and the pandemic certainly had a major impact. A lot of people who played board games in the 1990s as kids were bringing the board games back out again. And, coming out of the pandemic, there have been new licenses and new entrants in the gaming market that are sparking even more growth.

Both metallic and coating embellishment technologies continue to dominate the design and production of trading cards. Why do you believe this is the case? What drives the use of specialty effects and embellishments for cards?

Congram: It is the nature of the product itself for both gaming and sports cards. Collectors receive the cards in a sealed pack, and it is all about the chase. It is a treasure hunt. So, the nicer the piece of treasure is, the more valuable that chase card is that you’re looking for. The embellishments elevate the aesthetics of the card of that player and directly drive up the value of the card.

Fontana: Embellishments dominate the card world. It is the appeal and the hunt for the perfect card – a card that someone else doesn’t have. The trading card companies keep asking us to push the limits with specialty effects.

Singer: With new digital embellishment technology, set-up time is very quick and the tooling is zero, so we can provide all types of samples and prototypes and do a lot of innovative things with the cards. This provides the trading card companies additional choices for foils and specialty coatings.

Lesley: Collectors want to feel and touch things. We live in a digital world where everything is disposable. When people buy cards, they keep them. We discuss this with our designers all the time. You are designing something that someone can pass down to their grandchildren, as opposed to marketing materials or a digital asset. Embellishments make a difference because they create emotion for the collector as they go through packs – they are looking for something that really jumps out, as well as the texture and the shininess of it. People want something that makes them feel different as they break open a card pack.

What types of embellishments are you seeing being used on trading cards? Are you seeing growth in any specific type of embellishment technique or process?

Singer: We have invested a great deal in digital embellishment technology for trading cards, opening up new opportunities. We can create an etching effect using the raised polymer over the top of the foil with stunning effects. We also can get very fine line work with foil and spot coatings with our digital embellishment technology. We continue to try to innovate. Recently, we laid down a cold foil on a second surface so you can see through the adhesive to the foil. When you look at it from the front side, it looks like a piece of glass. The sky is the limit because our customers always are asking – what if we do this?

Fontana: We have been seeing a great deal of clear plastic, synthetic paper and other variable stocks. There continues to be R&D on different substrates and embellishments.

Congram: Certainly, different types of paper and substrates are being used. Some of our new games want a specific holographic pattern developed for them that has never been seen before. Three-dimensional holograms are making a comeback, too. I have seen new requests for registered holograms or patterns. The holograms also are important for authentication or anti-counterfeiting.

How has the increase in digital embellishment processes enhanced the growth of digital for larger runs that are done more conventionally with hot or cold foil processes?

Fontana: Digital embellishment technologies have allowed printers and finishers to be extremely creative for those special valuable cards in a pack. The lower-value cards go through embellishment processes as well – usually more traditional foil stamping, UV coating or cold foil. I believe that is where it is. The digital embellishment processes are being used for high-end, difficult-to-find cards in each pack.

Singer: Even more standard cards include cold foil and other processes, so the expectations are higher for every type of card. We, hypothetically, can run a mass volume with our traditional platform and through our digital processes, adding additional embellishments on certain cards. All the processes are working together – conventional processes with digital – creating even cooler, more interesting cards.

What types of changes do you predict for the trading card industry in the future? Do you believe embellishment processes will continue to be an important part of the industry moving forward?

Lesley: In the next three to five years, embellishments will continue to be a very important part of the trading card market – probably the most important part. You have to create value in different ways, and I think you do that through embellishments. Innovations and new processes will continue to happen. We have done more testing in the last year than we have in the previous six years on new processes and ideas and how to use them on cards.

Congram: I believe the complexity of processes will be a given. It’s not going to get simpler. We continue to have requests to make the creativity for our games and cards more exclusive. I predict more short runs and more frequent releases (drops) in the market. However, costs still will be a factor. We will have to find ways to keep costs in line. As the rarity model sort of shifts, and we want to give more people more rare cards, we are going to see the evaluation of production costs more heavily scrutinized.

Lollipop Envelope Design Encompasses Multiple Embellishments

March 18, 2024

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

Kenmore Envelope Company, located in Richmond, Virginia, specializes in high-end envelope manufacturing, which includes everything from the printing and finishes to the final envelope converting. Special finishes and embellishments always have been an important part of what Kenmore offers.

To showcase Kenmore’s abilities, the company believes creating specialty embellished envelope samples for its customers and prospects is an important part of the selling process. In a recent envelope design, the Kenmore team decided it wanted to highlight ‘scent’ coating with its newest sample creation.

“We had a meeting with about a dozen Kenmore team members to throw around ideas and came up with the lollipop idea,” said Scott Evans, Kenmore Envelope president. “From there, we discussed how to make each embellishment impactful and not only shine by itself, but as a whole to the entire design.”

The goal was to have a cutting-edge envelope to showcase the technological investments Kenmore offers without getting too busy with the look and design.

The Kenmore team wanted the colors of the lollipop to pop off the envelope design. Once the flat art was created, the team needed to determine what to add to improve the existing design with Kenmore’s available embellishments – which effects to combine, where to place the embellishments, and what design elements on the envelope to highlight.

The lollipop envelope includes cold foil transfer, 4-color process, Cast & Cure™ clear holographic and spot scent coating that smells exactly like a lollipop. The amazing aspect of the project is that the embellishment and finishes all were accomplished in two passes. The cold foil and 4-color process printing was the first pass, and the Cast & Cure and scent coating were applied in the second pass. All of these were done on a K+B Rapida 106 LED UV offset press with an Eagle Systems’ cold foil module. The final steps in the production were the embossing of the word ‘Color’ and the lollipop on the front side of the envelope and the diecutting. Both were accomplished in one pass on Kenmore’s in-house platen 40″ diecutter. The final envelope was converted on a W+D 628.

The envelope included a silver cold foil in specific areas of the envelope and then the 4-color process was applied inline for the vivid, colorful lollipop and the black background of the envelope. There also was overprinting CMYK over the silver cold foil in the ‘splash’ below the lollipop and the word ‘COLOR’ in the headline. The next pass applied the Cast & Cure film on the black background to showcase a clear holographic pattern over the entire envelope except over the printed lollipop. The Cast & Cure process was applied through Eagle Systems’ cold foil module for the second pass. The scented spot coating then was applied over the lollipop on one of the offset stations inline with the Cast & Cure. Lastly, the wording ‘COLOR’ and the lollipop were embossed in the final pass.

“We limited the amount of cold foil so we didn’t overwhelm the envelope as there’s beauty in having focused cold foil in certain areas,” explained Evans. “The combination of the cold foil and embossing also had a beautiful impact.”

The cold foil used for the lollipop envelope was supplied by Univacco, the Cast & Cure film was supplied by Breit Technologies and the scented scratch-off coating came from Scentisphere.

Kenmore Envelope strongly believes that tailored envelopes have a higher chance of being opened than ones that lack distinction. Clients have shared with Kenmore that the specialty embellishments increase their lift vs. a non-embellished envelope, including feedback from clients that the increase has been three to five times more than in previous non-embellished envelopes.

“I believe our clients and the agencies we have worked with for years have always challenged us about what’s new and next. What can differentiate them from their competitors?” Evans said. “There’s a luxury feel to being a bit different and to stand out.”

The cover of this issue of PostPress was produced by Kenmore Envelope Company, which supplied the covers through the inspiration of the lollipop envelope project.

Industries Stay Committed to Embellishments

March 18, 2024

By Hallie Forcinio, writer, PostPress

Segments of the printing industry are cautiously optimistic about the next few years. Sales revenue for commercial printing, direct mail, greeting cards, trading cards, and folding cartons and packaging is expected to grow. One contributing factor is the increased use of embellishments, particularly combinations of decorative technologies.

Brand owners like embellishments because they connect with customers. In the direct mail segment, this success is confirmed by real-world statistics. The US Postal Service (USPS) cites studies showing increases in response rates of 10–30% for mailers using some form of embellishment. Lob, www.lob.com, a direct mail platform, reported its client, Lovesac, achieved a 300% increase in sales after incorporating embellishments like foil printing and textured paper. Who’s Mailing What!, a trade publication, mentions a study where a textured cover letter increased response rates by 52%.

According to Andrew Schipke, vice president marketing and strategic sales at W+D North America, Inc., another driving force for direct mail is the USPS itself, which has been promoting usage by offering postage discount incentives (5% in 2024). Details about the Promotions & Incentives Programs for First Class® and USPS Marketing Mail® may be found at https://postalpro.usps.com/promotions.

For greeting cards, embellishments continue to drive sales and pricing as millennials look for differentiated cards that reflect who they are, as well as their relationship with the recipients of their cards.

Commercial printing

The commercial printing segment likely declined a bit in 2023, and general periodicals will continue to slide. However, 2024 should show positive growth since it’s an election year. A transition from high-volume jobs to added-value jobs also is occurring. Thus, digital finishing and embellishment will continue to be highly desirable elements because printers win business by setting themselves apart from their competition. “Marketers and brands want differentiation,” explained Thayer Long, president of the Association for Print Technologies.

Marketers also are dealing with omnichannel campaigns and looking for print support. “This is spurring a trend away from mass production and more toward mass customization – variable print, etc.,” Long said. As a result, printers continue to invest in software and workflow improvements as well as automation, especially on the finishing side of the business, to expand hands-free operation and lower labor requirements. Long also predicts a growing role for artificial intelligence (AI), which already is developing marketing collateral.

Direct mail

The USPS reports 56% of the 105 billion pieces of mail it handled in 2023 were marketing pieces. So, it’s no surprise that direct mail has paralleled the strength of the economy even though postage increases have reduced overall mail volumes in recent years.

Direct mail will continue to grow, particularly as changes in privacy laws limit how search engines use data for retargeting. With less retargeting allowed, marketers will be forced to look for other ways to put their message in front of customers. “Everyone has an address, everyone has a mailbox, everyone has to get mail every day,” explained Long.

He said this makes direct mail the ideal solution because it offers:

“High response rates: Compared to digital ads, direct mail boasts significantly higher response rates, making it attractive for marketers seeking engagement. With digital fatigue on the rise, physical mail can stand out and capture attention effectively.
Personalization potential: Advanced data and technology enable highly personalized mail campaigns, leading to increased relevance and impact. This is the next big wave in direct mail and will be driven by new AI and inkjet printing capabilities.
An omnichannel integration approach by marketers: When combined with other marketing channels, direct mail can be a powerful part of a comprehensive strategy.”

Financial services, banking, healthcare, insurance and nonprofits have been the biggest users of high-volume direct mail and rely on it for both customer acquisition and retention. Schipke explained, “With customer acquisition costs on the rise, marketers are using direct mail campaigns strategically as part of an omnichannel campaign to keep existing customers engaged with cross-sells, upsells, education and other value content that keeps the brand top of mind.”

For most marketers, direct mail delivers the best ROI, response and conversion rates of any marketing channel they use. “As we move forward,” Schipke predicted, “marketers that automate direct mail will reap the benefits of better response rates as the result of being able to create more targeted, personalized and trackable campaigns. We expect AI to play a major role in this automation.” QR codes, personalized URLs and customer activity in a given period are leading measurement tactics used by marketers who automate direct mail for campaign tracking and attribution. This means more 1:1 digitally printed direct mail pieces will find their way into mailboxes.

Greeting cards

“The greeting card industry is in a good place,” reported Nora Weiser, executive director of the Greeting Card Association. She explained, “We have a record number of small makers in the industry, and while our largest card buyers by volume, baby boomers, are declining, our largest segment by dollars, millennials, are only now entering their primary card-buying life stages – getting married, having babies and buying a house – as they are now 29-42 years old. The demand for cards has remained strong because millennials have seized onto cards as a key vehicle to further relationships with their friends and family.”

Unique, differentiated cards targeting this demographic appeal to this growing audience of card buyers. As a result, smaller manufacturers and retailers focused on millennials are seeing the strongest growth. Embellishments provide the type of differentiation they want when seeking that ‘perfect card’ to send to their ‘card-worthy’ friends. “When art, editorial and embellishments come together to create the perfect design for senders to show they were thinking about the recipients and their relationship, the magic happens – and the sale!” Weiser said.

Based on these trends and millennial preferences, she predicted, mass market card sections in major retailers (e.g., Walmart and Kroger) will shrink, but the number and variety of retailers carrying greeting cards will continue to expand. Embellishments will drive sales and pricing. “Consumers still value the tactile quality of greeting cards as a way to further their key relationships,” Weiser said.

Despite this positive trend, the greeting card segment faces challenges, with the first being to convince retailers of all sizes and types that greeting cards will sell well for them. Another major hurdle is the health of USPS, which traditionally has delivered nearly 60% of purchased greeting cards to their final recipient. However, Weiser noted, “The rapid price increases, deterioration of service and the inability of USPS to handle thicker, heavier and odd-sized envelopes with the types of unique cards today’s buyers prefer are combining to make it much more difficult for consumers to send the card they want to their friends and family. If that continues, it will put a lot of negative pressure on card sales. It is hard to envision an alternative that can deliver to any household in the US, quickly and at a reasonable price, so our efforts focus on halting the negative slide at USPS.”

Weiser concluded, “Overall, greeting card volume may remain flat or be slightly down over the next decade, but overall greeting card dollar sales likely will continue to enjoy a slow increase. In short, the next five to 10 years are a good time for small makers and the suppliers that can help them produce unique, differentiated cards for the millennial market. Small retailers that cultivate a strong base of female customers with money and taste and carry greeting cards that cater to them also will do well. As millennials fully enter their prime ‘kin-keeping’ years where card buying peaks, the changes seen over the last 10 years – more differentiated cards, more small makers and more retailers of all types carrying cards – will accelerate, benefitting greeting card makers, manufacturers and retailers alike.”

Trading cards

The trading card segment is divided into sports cards and collectible or trading card game cards. Sports cards cover all major US sports plus European football. The collectible and trading card game segment includes Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering and Marvel Champions. Both segments are experiencing healthy sales and are likely to see high single-digit or low double-digit growth during the next two to five years, according to Stefan Congram, global director – Design Centers & NPI at Cartamundi Group.

Each card type has a different audience with its own hierarchy of interest from casual to intense. On the game side, for example, casual players enjoy an occasional game. Moving to the next levels of interest, invested players spend a lot of time playing, followed by fanatics. At the top of the hierarchy are ‘whales,’ people with means who will spend almost any amount on something rare. “Rarity and the perception of value are what are driving the markets right now,” Congram said.

On the sports side, football, baseball and basketball cards are in high demand, with purchases often driven by the desire to acquire a card for a specific player like Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot, 4-inch French rookie who plays center for the San Antonio Spurs.

Embellishments, particularly foil supported by gloss or matte elements, are important features on sports and trading card game cards. “Everyone is looking for what’s next and wants something unique, particularly for ‘chase’ cards,” Congram said. In addition, he said, “Serialization is a big draw in both spaces because when you see a numbered card, you know how rare it is.” Serialization also is used for the signature of the artist who created the artwork.

“We’ve seen a shift toward digital embellishment [serialization and signatures],” Congram said, who predicted this trend will continue and gain momentum due to the large impact it provides.

Folding carton/packaging

Extended Producer Responsibility laws in the US may negatively impact folding carton volumes as marketers eliminate the use of folding cartons for some secondary packaging applications, e.g., bottles in cartons. However, any decline is likely to be offset by the adoption of renewable and recyclable folding cartons as an alternative to non-recyclable packaging. As a result, the folding carton market should see steady growth of 5% per year globally and in the US, according to Adam Peek, senior vice president of sales at Meyers, a third-generation family-owned printer with an in-house design studio.

While the market may be strong, the use of embellishments is under pressure due to cost-control efforts. So, more folding cartons are being printed standard 4-color offset or 7-color ECG (extended color gamut) printing, often in gang runs. “For a lot of brands, digital printing would be best, but there hasn’t been near the adoption rate of digital printing of cartons that we’ve seen for labels, corrugated, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging,” Peek said. However, he predicted, “Quick-turn digital will gain traction if the technology evolves.”

Either way, embellishments will continue to be an important tool, particularly for printers that can add them with minimal impact on pricing. Marketers need shelf impact to sell products; embellishments deliver that impact.

Like other segments of the industry, folding carton companies will need to focus on automation, workflows and building relationships up and down the industry (suppliers and customers). Peek said such efforts will be imperative to withstand the economic turbulence on the horizon, which is being driven by China’s aging population and the US debt.

Scodix SHD and ART

March 18, 2024

Edited by Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

Scodix Inc., with US headquarters in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, has released two technological breakthroughs for digital embellishments that offer finer detail and a wider range of usable substrates: Scodix Smart High Definition (SHD) and Scodix Anti-Static Reflective & Transparent (ART).

Scodix SHD

Scodix SHD gives users the ability to achieve quality and detail that rivals conventional foil stamping and can be applied underneath lamination.

“Scodix SHD tops off our offerings, giving customers more effects in a single platform than any competing technology on the market today,” said Paul Furse, director of channel sales, Americas. The ‘Smart’ in Smart High Definition utilizes a unique artificial intelligence to identify fine lines and edges of objects to both reduce polymer consumption as well as produce the same flawless appearance as could be expected from analog methods. Furse said what this means for customers is finer detail at a lower cost.

Scodix ART

Scodix ART expands the gamut of usable substrates by opening up synthetics and thick laminates (anti-static); reflectives, such as foil board, metallic laminates or substrates that already are metalized in some way; and synthetic transparent (clear) medias.
“With Scodix ART, customers can utilize Scodix embellishment technologies as they would any other substrates in the production process when using medias that would be exceptionally laborious to impossible with other digital embellishment technologies or conventional stamping methods,” Furse said.

Overcoming challenges

Because of the heat, pressure and overall process of conventional analog stamping technologies, Furse said it is exceptionally challenging to hot foil stamp both small text or thin lines as well as large surface areas in a single run.

“With digital embellishment technologies, this has been virtually impossible, requiring multiple passes as well as additional polymer and foil usage to ‘balance’ the sheet, with hours of set-up to even attempt it. Scodix SHD uniquely offers the ability to do fine lines and large solids both in a single pass on both B1 & B2+ sheets, at a lower cost than historical digital embellishments,” he added.

Scodix SHD produces high-margin work in print economically, productively and sustainably through minimal polymer usage, no dies, plates or screens and with significantly reduced set-up and run times.

Working with plastics and PVCs is challenging, and working with transparencies can be even more challenging. Adding conventional embellishments to metalized surfaces is common but challenging for digital systems because of reflectivity back into optical sensors, cameras or scanners.

“Scodix has developed a unique sensor system that, when combined with our existing encoder and registration technologies, can achieve the same industry-leading registration accuracy our customers trust and respect on these challenging materials,” Furse said. “This opens the gamut of usable substrates in the digital process. It’s a big win for our customers and for the industry as a whole.”

Both Scodix SHD and Scodix ART are available with new Scodix Ultra presses, and Furse said there are options for legacy customers to upgrade older presses.

Customer response

According to Furse, Scodix ART officially launched in January 2024, and customers already utilizing this technology have shown that productivity of what were challenging medias has skyrocketed. Plastics and metalized substrates now are being run like any other conventional media in the production process.

Furse said that all Scodix 6000s, the company’s flagship B1 press, sold in the past 12 months have been purchased with Scodix SHD, and many companies have upgraded to the technology. Additionally, part of the technology behind Scodix SHD is a newly developed polymer that replaces three historically used Scodix polymers.

“For our most versatile customers, we’ve eliminated what may have been three changeovers, once again leading to even higher productivity, higher sustainability and lower economics,” Furse said.