Print is about so much more than headed paper and flyers. Supercharge your brand and get noticed, with these creative, cost effective ideas

As brands compete to cut through the noise in an increasingly crowded marketplace, they seek new ways to stand out. Thankfully, modern print advances have exploded the boundaries when it comes to affordable yet innovative ways to drive engagement.

Brand expert Madelyn Postman, from communications consultancy Leidar, says: “We are constantly bombarded by messaging and adverts, so to get noticed it’s essential to get a new angle on things and show people something a bit different. Print advances have given us more options when it comes to promoting a business; you just have to be creative about how you use them.”

From vast vinyl floor coverings to invisible inks and eye-catching promotional gifts, we bring you five inspired ways that print can help you promote your brand.
 

Get personal: Digital printing techniques have opened up the world of personalised marketing, because short runs and customised prints are now a cost effective possibility. KitKat took advantage of new digital technology and created memorable experiences with their inspired 2017 #HaveABreak campaign. Lucky winners were able to have their images and a personal message printed onto their own, unique KitKat wrapper.

Robin Sturmey, Chief Marketing Officer at Solopress, says: “Thanks to new technology and the growth of digital printing, this is easy and inexpensive for a brand to do, whilst attracting a lot of attention on social media and in the press.”
 

Make your floor work harder: When thinking about branding, don’t forget the space beneath your feet. Thanks to modern advances, removable stickers and bespoke vinyl flooring provide an inexpensive way to shout about your product. They can be printed with your logo, photographs or designs and made to fit any space.

Madelyn says: “When one pet store wanted to promote their Frontline anti-flea products, they covered the bottom floor of a shopping centre with a vast, 225 metre square sticker, showing an aerial view of a yellow retriever, scratching itself. When shoppers looked down on the image from the levels above, the customers scurrying across the dog looked like fleas, crawling about. From above, the flooring was clearly emblazoned with the message: “Get them off your dog.””

Brand points of contact: Robin from Solopress says: “With advancements in technology, from printers to inks, you can pretty much brand anything.  We’re currently looking at sails for boats through to deck chairs.” 

Madelyn adds: “Every point of contact with potential customers is a chance to communicate your brand. One of our most successful yet cost effective, advertising campaigns was for a local college. We printed purple disposable coffee cups with the logo and information on an open day, and arranged for local cafes to use them. The website and social media saw an immediate spike in mobile traffic, and our only cost was printing the cups.”
 

Get creative with cards: Robin explains: “Business cards are an absolute must, and there’s now a vast array of different stocks, enhancements and finishings to reflect your brand. Consider using velvets, spot UV and embossing to deliver impact. For example, a mobile phone screen repair company recently used Spot UV on their business cards to create the screen effect – one side of it was shaped to look like cracked screen and the other side was smooth. The varnish added a sheen that, coupled with light blue background, made it look like a realistic phone screen. There’s so many other finishes that have an effect on colour, texture, thickness and so on. It’s practically limitless.”
 

Launch playful promotions: It’s easy and economical to print bespoke designs onto a huge range of surfaces, from water bottles, to sunglasses and even straws. Trying to cut through the noise? Be imaginative. When pet food manufacturer IAMS wanted to broadcast the health benefits of their canine food, they gave away branded silver dog frisbees, which were printed to look uncannily like 10kg barbell weights. To promote World Water Day, Green Belgium Mailing created a water-powered letter, which could only be read when submerged in water.
 

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