Q: How?
A: I’ve spent my career surrounded by paper, inks and ideas, watching brands, publishers, and creatives try to cut through and be different. And in a new world dominated by digital, one truth keeps showing up again and again. Print, quite simply, stands out more than ever.
It’s not about tradition. It’s about substance and the fact that print is real.
Let’s start with new brands. When you’re trying to make your mark, first impressions count. A beautiful, printed piece, a launch magazine, a touchy-feely brochure, even premium packaging sets the tone. It tells your audience you’re serious. That you’ve thought about the impression you make. People remember that. More importantly, they trust it.
Print slows people down. It offers space in a world that’s constantly speeding up. And for new brands, growing publishers, or companies trying to stand for something, print is one of the most powerful tools they can use, yet I hear time and time again: “we have no budget for print”.
The best-performing print I’ve seen over the years shares one common theme: it doesn’t follow the rulebook. It reinvents it. We had a meeting two weeks ago with a new launch and their idea for combining print with NFC was quite unique!
Look at bespoke formats, square, oversized A4, A3, endorse folded, something that feels different in the hand and yet can be similarly produced.
In a saturated digital environment where clicks are cheap and scrolls are endless, print stands tall. It gives your content weight. I’ve worked with publishers who’ve stripped things right back to two or three editions a year, but made each one so considered and striking that they’ve seen more impact, more loyalty, and better ad sales than ever before.
And for businesses more broadly, print isn’t just a nice extra; it’s a strategic move. Whether it’s a printed niche supplement, a welcome pack for high-value clients, a journal for partners or an estate agent with a corporate brochure, print builds trust. It’s not intrusive like digital. I’ve seen clients who still have print pieces on their desks six months later, because they felt too good to throw away.
Success comes when you approach print differently. Gone are the days when a standard A4 magazine with a few ads will hold the reader’s attention. If you want results; if you want to build something commercially successful, remarkable, and long-lasting, you need to think creatively. That’s where the magic happens!
‘Look and feel’ is a well-worn phrase, but apply it strenuously. Consider cover finishes: soft-touch laminate, spot UV, foils, embossing. A tactile cover doesn’t just add quality; it adds commercial value. These are the features that allow your ad sales team to offer premium placements. A sponsored gatefold / barn door magazine cover, a branded wrap, a co-branded foil cover takeover. Brands want to associate with excellence, and when your product looks and feels distinctive, you’ll capture imaginations and avoid comparative selling. It’s real cut-through in a world where digital struggles to make an impact.
And let’s address the big topic: sustainability. The print world has changed. You can now produce premium work on environmentally managed stocks, recycled stocks, with vegetable-based inks, using streamlined, local supply chains. Print and sustainability aren’t opposites anymore. Done right, print can align with and reinforce your brand values and your environmental goals.
Print is more expensive than digital, so sell it as a premium product. Produce fewer copies, higher quality, pick the audience carefully and you will increase the overall impact significantly.
Q: What are your three top tips?
1. Make it better, but produce less: Do you need to produce something monthly? Sometimes, three to four exceptional editions a year can outperform twelve average ones. Focus on high-impact content, premium materials, and creative layouts. Create something people will not want to throw away!
2. Don’t ignore the rest of the marketing mix: Don’t isolate your print work. Make sure it ties into your wider marketing. Print is the thing that starts conversations, but digital helps continue them. Use QR codes, online exclusives, subscriber only links, competitions only for print readers etc. Increase the value and perception of print, after all, it’s an expensive, luxury item.
3. Be clear on the message you are sending: Know your audience and what they’re looking for. Print gives you the opportunity to be ultra niche so use it. Your paper stock, finishes, content can be crafted for your tribe. If it feels like it was made just for the reader, you’ve broken through!
The Manson Group produces publications for some of the UK’s smallest, and largest publishers. Established by our current owners in 1969 and based in Hertfordshire, we are dedicated to perfecting the art of printing and ensuring your publications are produced to the highest specifications.
Email: cwills@mansongroup.co.uk
Tel: 01727 848 440
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chriswills37
This article was included in the 'Celebration of Print' special, published by InPublishing in August 2025. Click here to see the other articles in this special feature.
