DEMONSTRATING THE POTENTIAL OF PRINT

The 14th annual Power of Print seminar, organised by paper advocacy group Two Sides and the British Printing Industries Federations (BPIF), has once again given members of the industry a day of thought-provoking presentations that showcase the power, but this year especially, the potential of print.

Taking place at the Stationers’ Hall in London, Jonthan Tame, managing director of Two Sides, welcomed members, speakers, and attendees to a day promising to cover the various challenges and successes in the print industry.

First to speak was Charles Jarrold, chief executive officer of the BPIF, gave his annual outlook on the print market through research and statistics from the BPIF.

Jarrold confirmed that the association had received very mixed and negative feedback from the recent Autumn Budget which has impacted businesses with various increases in operations and taxes. Jarrold said that the association’s full report and facts and figures literature would be coming imminently to its members.

In his presentation Jarrold highlighted the continued growth of the packaging market, which could also be seen throughout the day as many use cases for print and paper were from the packaging sector with representatives from brands like Tony’s Chocolonely and Absolut Vodka.

Jarrold also highlighted the continued capacity challenges in the industry with one of the biggest “pinch points” being the skills shortage in labour. Jarrold expanded on this being talking about how the UK printing industry currently represents a 70/30 split of men and women, similar to the general manufacturing industry and the chemical industry.

Next up was another regular slot at Power of Print with a presentation from Canon. Mathew Faulkner, EMEA director of marketing and innovation for Canon Europe’s Wide Format division, presented insights from its Power to Move research which has looked at the role of print in the future of consumerism and manufacturing.

Faulkner, like many other speakers, touched on the differences with upcoming generations and the values and ways they can be communicated with. Faulkner and the research from Canon, stressed that print can represent a more “nuanced” way to target audiences and can be used as a mid-point/connector to a customer journey rather than just the first or final stage.

Canon’s research demonstrated that brands have changed, and that consumers and governments are altering in order to better fit today’s world and its needs, all of which print can react to in order to stay relevant.

Following Faulkner’s speech was a variety of presentations that hooked attendees causing intrigue and enjoyment as speakers like Justin Cairns from marketing company, Ogilvy, showcased some of the fun and creative ways print has captivated the public including inventive case studies for products like condoms, paint, and mayonnaise.

Following Cairns’ presentation, Tame said: “It is up to us to talk positively about the products that we produce.”

Other presentations from organisations such as Tony’s Chocolonely, the DMA, Touch, and NOA, all highlighted that print cannot simply be measured by one metric and that the physical effect of print and the environmental benefit of print and paper-based products can provide huge benefits to both brands and consumers.

The presentations also highlighted that marketing cannot be focused on just campaign metrics but also the impact of sales, business, and recognition. A brand like Tony’s Chocolonely highlights that brands can be much more about purpose and not profit which means that modern consumers may want to buy more from businesses that align with their values.

Neil Osment, managing director at NOA, a consultancy firm for businesses in paper-based packaging, referred to customers who value paper products as “papertarians” and highlighted the fact that the UK is far ahead of many other global countries in embracing paper packaging thanks to its embracing of branded groceries and meal kits/ready meals.

Overall Osment felt there was still a lot of R&D taking place in flexible packaging and that solid recycling streams are now key to ensuring we use more sustainable materials.

Towards the end of the day, Jonathon Porritt, CBE, founder of Green Futures, made an impactful presentation about the critical moment the world finds itself in regarding climate change. Porritt warned that freak weather in countries like the US could have huge ramifications on the insurance industry which would cause huge impacts to the global economy.

Despite the bleak outlook of rising temperatures and Porritt’s thoughts on the current US election, Porritt did assure those watching that many innovative and potentially game-changing solutions are being created throughout the world.

Porritt said that thanks to various government grants new innovations in manufacturing could replace products that contribute large amounts of CO2 such as steel and cement.

Following the speech Tame remarked “blimey”, as he like many people in the audience were wowed by the shocking statistics Porritt highlighted. Tame then emphasised the role print and paper can play in helping alleviate environmental concerns.

Rounding off the day, Tame then announced that Two Sides would continue to push its various campaigns and research projects as well as produce new initiatives like a new PrintGreen project which is bringing together various organisations to help brands and agencies better understand the sustainability of print. The initiative will provide businesses and individuals with tools like a free carbon calculator and end-to-end information on printed items.

Two Sides will also be publishing new reports in June 2025 as well as running the newly announced Love Paper Week between June 3rd and 7th of February 2025.

Rounding off the day was a drinks reception with speakers and visitors where Lindsay Robinson, managing director of Fedrigoni UK, a main sponsor of the event.

Robinson highlighted how everyone at the event had the chance to separate themselves from phones and technology for the day, an experience that printers can replicate with their products.

Speaking ahead of the event, Robinson said: “Paper and print are at the heart of everything. Supporting an event like Power of Print is crucial as it not only honours the rich legacy of the industry but also illuminates its exciting future.”

Following a day of presentations about product innovations and creative use cases for print, it’s certainly comforting to know that the industry has an exciting future ahead of itself despite the many challenges it still has to tackle.