Individualization Is the New Black for Digital Printers

AT THE BEGINNING of my career, the industry talked a lot about personalization as a hot selling point for digital versus analogue print methods. Today, personalization is still a great way to build your customer base by converting lookers to buyers. However, I’d like to suggest a more evolved term that better describes the value for an evolved buyer. We’ve gone from the era of mass personalization to consumers on TikTok exploring new microtrends to express their uniqueness. Focusing on individualization – and leaning into Gen Z – is the sweet spot for our businesses.

We’re all familiar with using online web-to-print companies to personalize blank T-shirts and mugs. However, what’s exploded in recent years is the creator economy. Also a byproduct of the pandemic, this shift reflects more people seeking ways to leave their nine-to-fives. According to Shopify, “An estimated 50 million influencers, artists, curators, and community builders make up the creator economy” as of November 2021.

Have you noticed national commercials for Etsy and other online marketplaces? Or how many licensing deals between influencers and manufacturers are popping up across the interiors market? It’s hard to keep up with the application possibilities, which range from peel-and-stick wallpaper to digitally printed rugs produced via noncontact color-injection.

Meanwhile, shifts in how we use space and design interiors reflect the impact of the past few years on how we live, work, and rest. Residential builders’ latest floor plans suggest the home offices of the future will include Zoom rooms, social media studios, and podcast recording areas. The result could be new opportunities for custom projects: exclusive backdrops, removable wallcovering, and branding in the form of neon lights or channel letters, to name a few examples.

Nonetheless, you might be wondering, “How do I offer a sense of individuality to my customers when I’m printing a job for a commercial space?” Although you might not have control of the design content you’re printing, you can still brand your business in a way that reflects your alignment with the current market, where nearly anything can be created on demand. According to a recent Arch Daily article on workplace culture and design, Gen Z appreciates “spaces that feel authentic, dynamic, safe, and rooted in a meaningful message or branding. Because they’re such an ethnically diverse generation, designers will need to consider the way that people experience communities and how that ties back to different cultures and traditions.”

Take stock of your marketing campaigns and come up with creative, cost-effective ways to promote your business to attract new customers. While you’re thinking about 2023 being a time of economic uncertainty, remember that if you’re able to provide value to your customers, anything is possible while working in a lean environment.