Personalization: Just a fad, or “here to stay”?

Printing companies and sign and display firms are facing the question: Will personalized printing be here to stay, or is it just a passing fad? In this article, I’ll explore the history and developments in the field of personalized printing and offer a look ahead at the future of personalization.

T-shirts with the names of the graduating class, books in which your own child plays the lead role, and mugs with the first name of the “best mom”—the personalization of consumer goods, home décor, home textiles, and packaging is by no means a new concept.

Personalization Has a Long Tradition

However, the concept of personalization actually began in advertising. In fact, personalized advertising letters were already being written on an occasional basis as early as the 1920s. U.S. advertising icon John Caples wrote about this in his numerous books.

But things really took off in the 1980s. That’s when credit card companies began printing personalized advertisements on the monthly statements they sent to customers. Since the 1990s, there have been virtually no more advertising letters without personalization.

Around the turn of the millennium, electronic advertising via email—and later via messaging apps—was introduced. Around the same time, “tactile advertising”—that is, promotional items—began to gain popularity. At first, promotional items such as pens, lighters, calendars, and similar giveaways were simply branded with the advertiser’s logo.

The concept is exceptionally effective: According to figures from the German Promotional Products Association (GWW e.V.), 98% of all people living in Germany over the age of 14 own a promotional item. Today, advertisers can not only tailor the colors and designs of promotional materials and merchandise to their corporate identity, but also personalize them with individual customer names.

The term “personalization” is interpreted very broadly today . It refers to the fundamental adaptation of products to individual needs, including the production of products according to customer specifications (“customization”). This can include consumer goods such as home textiles and fashion, as well as B2B applications such as loyalty programs or specialized packaging in small batches.

Without technological advances, there can be no personalization

Digital printing has made the large-scale personalization of industrial products and communications possible for the first time. This is because with analog processes such as screen and offset printing, a template must be created for each design. This is time-consuming and expensive. As a result, without digital processes, one-off items and small print runs simply aren’t attractive to a broad customer base.

Technically, however, personalization would also be possible using pad, flexo, screen, or offset printing. For large print runs or designs with high opacity, however, analog processes are often significantly more cost-effective than digital printing. For this reason, manufacturers of personalized goods often use hybrid processes today. Solid color areas, primers, or coatings are typically applied using screen printing. Digital printing is then used to add logos, names, or other customizations requested by the customer.

Hybrid and digital printing for personalized items has become more cost-effective and sophisticated in recent years. This is primarily because reliable and affordable technologies—such as UV-curable inks for rigid media and the DTF process for textile printing—have become available on the market. They work on many surfaces and all commercially available textile fibers.

Personalized products are valued more highly than mass-produced goods. This also benefits the environment. Photo: Sonja Angerer / AI

Personalization and the Environment

Personalization and customization can help make the production of consumer goods more sustainable. This results in economic, environmental, and social benefits.

This is because personalized products made to order are often ordered online. Production therefore does not begin until the customer has already paid. This largely prevents large amounts of waste caused by overproduction. In addition, higher profit margins can be achieved with personalized products. This can help printing service providers keep their businesses afloat during difficult times.

The economic benefits are closely linked to the environmental ones. After all, using fewer materials also means less waste of resources. This is because fewer chemicals, raw materials, and energy are required. Since personalized products are usually manufactured close to the point of sale, there are also lower CO2 emissions from shipping and logistics.

By manufacturing close to the market, personalized products also create high-quality jobs in the manufacturing sector. This benefits local communities, making them more stable and prosperous.

Challenges and Opportunities of Personalization

It therefore makes sense for printing companies and sign-making businesses to focus more on personalization in the future. However, this also presents challenges, as it generally requires investing in new software and equipment and providing further training for specialized staff.

In addition, companies must grapple with entirely new issues, such as online marketing or data protection guidelines. These can vary significantly across the different countries of the European Union.

On the other hand, personalized printing offers enormous opportunities. Companies can set themselves apart from the competition through customized printed products. In doing so, they strengthen their brand identity and their expertise in advising clients. As a result, they become indispensable problem solvers rather than remaining interchangeable service providers for their customers.

Digital printing has made many personalized products possible in the first place. Photo: Sonja Angerer / KI

Personalization isn’t just a fad—it’s the future

In summary, personalized prints are more than just a passing fad. They offer printing companies and sign-making businesses an excellent opportunity to set themselves apart in the market.

In addition, personalization can help increase the value placed on products and curb hyperconsumption in the long term. This can be a decisive factor in reducing the burden on the environment.

Advances in digital printing technology have made it possible for a large number of digital print shops and signmakers to produce personalized products tailored to customer specifications using their existing equipment. This is contributing to the continued spread of personalization. It is safe to say, therefore, that personalization is an integral part of the future of the printing industry.