Turning the page: The revival of print media for home and fashion brands
It’s a bright world out there
The move to online shopping over the last few years has revolutionised our buying habits, offering unparalleled convenience and choice. But however convenient it is to have an entire product catalogue available at your fingertips, there is one problematic issue that persists: the inaccuracy of colour portrayal on digital screens. In our busy, daily lives we’re surrounded by a huge number of screens – TVs, laptops, desktop computers, phones, tablets, digital billboards, electronic POS in stores. The quality and settings of these screens differs vastly, and this discrepancy results in a mismatch between the product we’re seeing and the one that arrives in our home delivery parcel. In fashion and home décor, where colour is a key factor in decision-making and purchase commitment, it's an acute and challenging issue that needs to be addressed.
Renewing the reliability of print
Print media offers the solution, with its ability to reproduce colours with exceptional quality and precision. For industries like fashion and home décor, where even a slight variation in shade can hugely influence purchasing decisions, the fidelity of print is invaluable. By utilising high-quality printed materials, brands can offer wary customers a more reliable preview of products.
We all know that accurate colour reproduction in print bolsters brand trust. By providing consistency between the printed portrayal and the delivered products, you reinforce a brand’s reputation for reliability and quality, a crucial factor in these competitive markets.
“Research conducted by the European Journal of Marketing showed that a staggering 58% of consumers would not make future purchases from a brand after experiencing colour inconsistences.”
Accurate colour depiction in print also dramatically reduces the rate of returns. When customers receive products that align with their expectations, satisfaction rises, and the frequency of returns diminishes. This not only delights the consumer but also benefits businesses by cutting down on the logistical and environmental burdens of returns.
Screen time vs Me time
Another aspect to this resurgence is the fact that engaging with print media provides a sensory experience that digital formats cannot match. The act of browsing a high-quality catalogue or magazine is tactile and immersive, fostering a deeper connection with the product and brand, and potentially influencing purchasing decisions. The feel of the page, the smell of the paper, the richness and depth of the imagery – this multi-sensory engagement nurtures aspirational thinking. With more people working from home, printed materials have become a constant, unobtrusive presence in households. Unlike digital platforms where brands compete for screen time, print publications are often picked up and browsed at leisure. This passive engagement means that brands are always 'switched on' in the home, subtly influencing purchasing decisions.
The evolution of the symbiotic UX
It’s not all black and white though, quite the opposite. It’s long been discussed how print and digital can work synergistically, and there are now multiple ways to merge the two for a complete customer-led user experience. QR codes in print materials can link customers to online stores, merging the tangible appeal of print with the convenience of digital shopping, whilst AR can enhance the sensory landscape of print, with embedded audio and video content. In this way, the resurgence of print in the home and fashion industries is more than a nostalgic nod to the past; it's a strategic response to contemporary challenges. By providing accurate colour representation, reducing returns, and enhancing the shopping experience through symbiosis with online platforms, print media can remain an essential tool in today’s market. As we continue to embrace remote work and multi-channel marketing, the integration of print and digital is poised to offer even more innovative solutions, especially for sectors where colour and design are paramount.