Every year since 1999, Pantone’s Color Institute has selected a shade to capture the cultural zeitgeist, helping designers and businesses anticipate upcoming trends. This annual announcement influences everything from fashion to interior design. That includes your print marketing materials. For 2026, Pantone has chosen Cloud Dancer, a balanced shade of white with equal parts cool…
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In a mailbox full of standard postcards and plain envelopes, texture wins. Weight wins. Shine wins. If you want your printed piece to get noticed, opened, and remembered, embellishments aren’t just nice to have. They’re your competitive advantage. The Touch Factor Human beings are tactile creatures. When someone runs their finger over raised foil, feels…
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It seems like everyone is using artificial intelligence to create content these days. And why not? Depending on the study you read, anywhere from 43% to 88% of marketers do. AI is a powerful tool for brainstorming, reformatting content for different channels, and saving time. But it can also result in copy that sounds bland…
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Small businesses often shy away from print marketing, not because it doesn’t work, but because writing good copy feels intimidating. What should you say on a postcard? How do you make a flyer persuasive without coming across as pushy? That’s where AI changes the game. With today’s tools, you don’t need to be a professional…
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Want to make your print materials stand out without overspending? Specialty finishes can add texture, beauty, and depth, often in surprisingly affordable ways. Here are five budget-friendly finishing options that enhance your print while keeping costs under control. 1. Spot gloss accents. Spot gloss adds a high-shine coating to select areas of your piece, creating…
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Can generative AI be a powerful asset for illustrating your marketing communications while simultaneously requiring caution? Yes. Both can be true at once. Creating AI images can be a lot of fun. With a few prompts, anyone can generate a spectacular image of a dog wearing sunglasses and riding a skateboard through the sky. But…
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When it comes to capturing attention and driving engagement, nothing matches the power of a visual image. However, not all images serve the same purpose. When you understand the different categories of images, you can select the best type to achieve your goals. Let’s take a look at five image categories you should be familiar…
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Every time you send a marketing campaign, you have a choice: print or digital. So when should you use print? When should you use digital? Both print and digital channels have their pros and cons. Digital is a great choice when targeting younger buyers or when you need rapid or real-time engagement. Print channels work…
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There is little more comforting for many than a cup of silky, creamy chocolate mousse. Even looking at a picture of this delightful treat can make you hungry. Perhaps it is not surprising that Pantone’s Color of the Year 2025 is Mocha Mousse 17-1230, a creamy, velvety brown that looks like it belongs swirled in…
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