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Our daily lives are now saturated with every form of digital marketing imaginable – some of it engaging, creative and informative, and some of it alienating, irritating and even misleading. The digital world is fast-paced and impactful, yet also totally ephemeral and forgettable.

This is a real danger for companies who have put all their eggs in one basket, and are now struggling with customer acquisition and retention online. Add to this the increasing cost of digital marketing in pay-per-click terms, and the new data protection rules under GDPR, and it’s unsurprising that big brands are taking another look at that most retro of marketing channels; paper and ink.

Over the last few years there has been increasing interest in the brand publication as the counterbalance to transient online culture. To create a last impression – for example marking milestones or celebrating legacy projects – or to demonstrate their core values and purpose-led principles, major brands are increasingly turning back to the analogue world of the printing press to create beautiful publications which have an aura of craftsmanship, value and longevity.

Brand magazines offer quality editorial content and eye-catching design without an overt sales agenda. They tell stories around the periphery of a brand and build a sense of community buy-in. Some are so successful that they have gone on sale and become collectable coffee-table essentials. So, if brands like Kodak, Facebook, Red Bull and Airbnb are doing it, should you?

Here are some examples of brand publications from Cornwall and beyond…

Fathom, The National Maritime Museum

This annual journal delves into the museum’s permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, sheading light and revealing unexpected connections with essays and illustrated articles by historians, curators, journalists, poets and artists.

Watergate Bay Magazine, Watergate [...]

Last week we announced that, in order to fulfil our ambitions of further growth and expansion this year, we have taken receipt of three new pieces of high performing kit and associated software; a total investment of over £200,000.

The purchase of a brand-new Duplo booklet maker and perfect binding machine, and a Morgana creaser, folder and perforator will help our hard working team keep up with orders from current clients, as well as attract new business in the year ahead.

The new equipment will allow us to produce a wide variety of booklets and books with improved speed and efficiency, to an extremely high standard. The machines will integrate perfectly with our existing litho and digital printers, and are extremely versatile pieces of kit.

The arrival of these top-of-the-range machines and software reflects sustained growth here at Nationwide Print, as we continue to fulfil orders from our local customers – including the Eden Project, St Austell Brewery and Made For Life Organics – as well as global brands including Armani and Rolex.

As MD Julian explains, print still forms an important part of the marketing mix for our clients:

“The firms we work with are extremely adept in all forms of digital marketing, yet they return to print to reinforce their brand. For example, when browsing luxury watches or choosing a special spa treatment, customers still like to hold a high-quality, beautifully designed brochure in their hands.”

Nationwide Print has withstood tough times for the printing industry thanks to committed innovation and investment, and a focus on environmental sustainability. The future looks bright and the new machines – run on clean energy – look set to be busy for many years to come!

Meet our Production Manager, Mike Pascoe! Mike has been in the trade for over forty years. He is on a mission to motivate the next generation to join the print industry, and reveals that it is far from a dying trade…

I was 16 years old when I started out in the printing trade… By chance I took a job packing boxes at a printing firm in Truro, and before long I was promoted to Machine Minder on an old Letterpress Printing Machine. The industry was very different back then and individual jobs took a lot longer, but I found the whole process fascinating. Right from the start I loved creating something out of nothing, and the fact that every individual job is different.

I’ve moved up through the ranks, and diversified… The first part of my career was spent as a Machine Minder, both at printing companies and in various in-house positions (these days printing equipment is so specialist and expensive that most organisations – even the largest – outsource it.) In the second half of my career I took a step sideways; I’ve been working on the production side of things for 20 years, the last four with Nationwide Print.

I’ve seen incredible changes in the industry over the years… I’ve seen Lithograph presses replace Letterpress machines, and the rise of digital printing – which has quickly become a dominant force. I’m always ready to embrace change, which is lucky as the print industry is evolving faster than most! It’s exciting to see the spirit of innovation – led by companies like Nationwide Print – take hold and transform an industry through new products and ideas.

Digital printing is helping smaller businesses compete with the big [...]