Personalisation: From mass production to print-on-demand

Technological advancements are driving the growing trend of personalisation, fueled by consumer demand for unique products. From packaging campaigns like Share-a-Coke to customised apparel by Nike and Adidas, and AI-powered tools, the shift from mass production to print-on-demand is evident. The SmartHub Conference at the Personalisation Experience from 6 - 8 May will explore these opportunities and challenges for businesses.

Personalisation can be seen on a daily basis – on items such as cards, banners and books, to clothing and packaging. Due to the advancements in technology, this trend in customisation shows no sign of slowing down.

Consumers are also driving the demand for personalised products with research showing that 50% of consumers expressed interest in purchasing personalised products or services.

Personalisation creates something unique for consumers, helping them to express themselves or particular sentiments, providing a deeper connection and in turn, strengthening brand loyalty.


At this year’s Personalisation Experience, we’ve launched the SmartHub Conference, which will take place across three days of the event and will support PSPs and brands at all stages of their customisation journey.

Packaging is a key segment of personalisation with numerous food and beverage brands using it to build customer loyalty and relationships. Since the Share-a-Coke campaign – one of the first large-scale examples of customised packaging – launched in 2011, more and more brands including the likes of Heinz, M&M’s and Tony’s Chocolonely offer opportunities for consumers to personalise packaging to create a unique product.

In his session, titled ‘The Power of Personalisation: Transforming corrugated packaging with right-sized, on-demand digital printing’ (Tuesday 6 May, 1pm), Kerry Sanders, VP Market Development at EFI, will explore how digital printing technology can empower PSPs and packaging professionals to meet the evolving needs of their customers.


Visitors can also hear from Richard Askam – the man behind Coca-Cola’s Share-a-Coke-campaign – as he shares his own experiences of creating personalised campaigns and products, on Wednesday 7 May (12pm).

With the popularity to create one-off products comes the move from mass production to print-on-demand! So, how can businesses turn this into a scalable approach? In one of the SmartHub Conference sessions (6 May, 2:30pm) Philipp Mühlbauer, Founder & Co-CEO of The Customization Group, discusses how integrated supply chains are cutting costs, reducing lead times and putting brands in full control of the customisation process by using real-world insights!

The apparel industry is another key market for personalisation due to demand for customised clothing to fuel consumers’ desire for individualism. Where, previously, personalised clothing was produced to support certain types of events (for example, corporate, sports or music events), mainstream brands such as Nike and Adidas are now allowing customers to create one-off personalised pieces of footwear and clothing.

In her session titled ‘Rewiring the Printed Fashion/Apparel Industry: Smart Manufacturing for DTF - DTG and Roll to Roll Applications’ (7 May, 12:30pm), FESPA’s Textile Ambassador, Debbie McKeegan, alongside guest panellists, will explore how smart manufacturing is influencing the fashion and apparel industry. She will also shine a spotlight on the paradigm shift towards on-demand printed production, lean manufacturing and material efficiency.

As with most industries at present, AI is hugely impacting personalisation by enabling brands to deliver more tailored products and experiences than ever before. For example, online greeting card and gift retailer, Moonpig, recently reported that: one in three Valentine’s Day cards created by Moonpig and Greetz featured at least one of the group’s personalisation tools, such as AI handwriting or audio or video messages. The shift doesn’t stop there; there are multiple ways brands can use AI to help with customisation.

In fact, at this year’s SmartHub Conference, Frank Piller, Professor of Technology Management at RWTH Aachen University, will discuss the transformative power of AI in his session titled ‘Mass Customisation in the Age of AI: From Bespoke Products to Algorithmic Design’ (6 May, 3:45pm). Here visitors will be able to discover how AI can enable companies to customise products and services like never before.

There are so many opportunities and examples of personalisation that exist today. In this blog we’ve just scratched the surface, there are many more products and markets benefiting from this technology.

If you want to learn more about personalisation, whether you’re at the beginning of your customisation journey or you’re exploring how to grow your offering, our SmartHub Conference will provide all the expert guidance, insights and real-life examples you need.
The SmartHub Conference is free to attend (with an event entry ticket for Personalisation Experience, Global Print Expo or European Sign Expo) and will run for three days from 6 – 8 May, 2025, at Messe Berlin, Germany.

For more information on the event and full conference programme visit: www.personalisationexperience.com