by Cassandra Balentine
We are all familiar with the embellishments and enhancements available today—metallic and neon inks, embossing and debossing, spot coating, holographic, digital die cutting, the list goes on. These features add value to a printed piece, whether it’s a label, a ticket, or a piece of direct mail.
Above: Scodix’s newest presses are designed to unlock potential for businesses and brands. The Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD and the Scodix Ultra 6500 SHD each offer the company’s range of 16 applications, including UV, foil, Braille, and embossing.
These effects catch the eyes of brand owners across several vertical markets. As digital print technologies permeate new industries, traditional means of adding embellishments to print evolve to complement digital processes.
Singing Praise
All printed applications benefit from some type of embellishment. However, adoption is driven by certain industry demands.
In today’s print market, Mark Nixon, EVP, sales and marketing, Scodix, sees an undeniable desire for businesses to connect with their customers. Embellishment is a powerful tool for elevating the consumer experience. “From bejewelled wedding invites to holographic security labels on luxury consumer goods, or adding sheen to the personalization on direct mail, to intricate foil micro fonts on beauty packaging, embellishment captivates attention, adds value, and enriches experiences. In a market that highly appreciates individuality, the adaptability to produce unique design solutions efficiently and cost effectively is greatly valued.”
“The primary driver for the adoption of digital print enhancement technology has been the value it brings to making the material output more noticeable, engaging, interactive, and sensory in nature,” seconds John Dembia, product marketing manager, Industrial Print Products, Konica Minolta.
Adding texture and foil to graphic design helps create a more dramatic, eye-catching impact.
Sharon Beeman, VP global sales, S-OneLP, agrees, noting that today’s print providers use embellishments to enhance visual appeal and tactile experience of printed materials in order to differentiate and capture attention in a crowded marketplace, helping brands stand out from the competition.
Brands and marketers understand that attracting potential buyers requires packaging and printed materials to have a visually alluring element. “Whether it be the stark contrast between a matte substrate and glimmering foil, an entire area shining with holographic imagery, or a spot polymer that draws attention to a logo, package, or printed piece must have something that catches the eye of consumers from the first glance,” comments Dragan Nikolic, manager, business development, Nobelus.
By Application
The use of embellishment helps marketers stand out in crowded markets across many industry segments. Because of this, brand owners—and the print providers that serve them—increasingly look to embellishment technologies to stand out.
Embellishments like foil stamping, spot varnishes, and textured effects are not just about aesthetics. Kevin Abergel, founder, Taktiful and Taktiful Software Solutions, believes they create a tactile experience that enhances brand perception and customer engagement.
In the realm of direct mail, embellishments are used to catch the recipient’s eye and make the mail piece stand out among a sea of plain envelopes and flyers. “It’s a strategic move to increase open rates and engagement, as the unique feel and appearance can pique curiosity and encourage interaction,” comments Abergel.
For packaging and labels, embellishments often serve a dual purpose. “They enhance shelf appeal and convey a sense of quality and luxury, which can justify a higher price point or encourage a purchase decision. In sectors like cosmetics, wines and spirits, and premium food products, where packaging is a critical part of the product experience, embellishments significantly impact consumer perception and sales,” he continues.
Embellishments are also used in areas such as book covers, business cards, and invitations to convey prestige and attention to detail, reinforcing the brand’s identity and values. “This approach is critical in an era where physical marketing needs to work harder to capture attention and deliver memorable experiences,” adds Abergel.
He also sees embellishment technologies making a significant impact in markets like trading card games (TCG), gaming, and the cannabis industry.
Specific to the TCG and gaming markets, embellishments are used to enhance the collectibility and aesthetic appeal of cards and gaming components. He explains that special editions of cards often feature foil treatments, holographic effects, and textured finishes that not only make them visually striking but also more desirable as collector items. “This tactic not only adds to the gameplay experience but also boosts the market value of these cards.”
For the cannabis market, where differentiation is key due to the increasing number of products and brands, embellishments on packaging can convey premium quality and create a strong brand identity.
“As the market grows and evolves, companies turn to sophisticated packaging solutions that feature embossed details, metallic foils, and intricate designs to stand out on dispensary shelves. This not only helps in complying with packaging regulations by making labels clear and engaging but also elevates the consumer’s unboxing experience, adding a touch of luxury to everyday products,” says Abergel.
He adds that these embellishments are not merely decorative; they play a crucial role in brand storytelling and consumer engagement across these dynamic industries.
Embellishment Tools
To achieve valuable effects on digitally printed output, several technologies exist. From high-end machinery to more obtainable sleeking devices, and the workflow that drives it all, there is a solution for every print provider looking to add pizazz—and profit—to digitally printed output.
“Many of our customers have a combination of traditional finishing machines like our Digicon Series 3 and digital embellishments from DigiJet,” shares Floriana Montella, product manager, DigiJet and DigiLase, AB Graphic International (ABG). “Our digital embellishment solution is ideal for shorter runs that are much in demand. It allows for multiple SKUs with a tool-less process and quick turnaround times.”
AB Graphics’ DigiJet is a digital embellishment solution that utilizes inkjet technology and is capable of producing a variety of effects including raised varnish, digital cold foil—with inkjet trigger image, cast and cure, variable data printing, and laser die cutting through DigiLase.
The ABG Digicon Series 3 is its flagship traditional embellishment solution, offering a range of capabilities such as hot foil, cold foil, screen printing, die cutting, embossing, flexographic printing, and fast-track die cutting.
Montella says the Digicon Series 3 is constantly developed to keep up with the demand from today’s digital printers, especially the HP Indigo V12 Digital press. “With innovations such as ABG’s patented fast track die, capable of running at 180 meters per minute and new flexographic technology, it can keep pace with evolving printing needs and provide the best finishing solutions for digital prints. Additionally, the DigiJet is capable of handling shorter or long runs with multiple SKUs, and turns jobs around quickly to meet the fast-paced demands of today’s industry.”
Konica Minolta offers a series of different models in its 3D Embellishment Solutions product lineup for sheet and roll-fed digital special effects. “The Konica Minolta AlphaJET is the world’s first single-pass B1-plus digital inkjet press from printing to finishing, with a unique combination of water-based CMYK inks with inline digital embellishment, eco-spot UV coating, and “green”-foil technologies,” offers Dembia.
Konica Minolta’s portfolio also includes the JETvarnish 3D Evolution, a B1-sized commercial printing and packaging enhancement platform, the JETvarnish 3D Web 400 narrow web label and flexible packaging enrichment press, and the all-purpose AccurioShine 3600 system.
All Konica Minolta embellishment presses feature 2D/3D UV dimensional textures and variable embossed foil capabilities for digital, offset, gravure, and flexographic materials. “All of our products deliver this and more, but on much different scales. Volumes and applications determine which Konica Minolta product is the right solution,” adds Dembia.
Nobelus offers variable digital foiling, also known as sleeking. Nikolic notes that sleeking offers graphic designers a way to enhance toner applications with foil while avoiding the costs of expensive custom dies. Sleeking also allows each printed piece to feature foil in a unique position that differs between each sheet, increasing the print’s value exponentially for customizable applications. “Sleeking can be performed on modern, single-sided thermal laminators that include the appropriate module.”
S-OneLP offers the JetFx print bar, which provides a bolt-on embellishment solution to its CatPak eBeam overprint varnish system. Plus, this solution is compatible with other eBeam varnish systems.
According to Beeman, converters opt for JetFx eBeam embellishment because it offers a uniform, instantaneous cure and an indirect food-compliant finished surface without post-cure time, and because the inks do not contain harmful photo-initiators.
The CatPak JetFx System offers personalized variable printing; digital registration; instantly cured, high-performance indirect food-contact compliant ink; mechanical speed for spot varnish up to 262 feet per minute; easy accessibility for maintenance and cleaning; and validation with CatPak eBeam flood coatings and S-OneLP flexible packaging films.
Scodix’ newest presses are designed to unlock huge potential for businesses and brands. The Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD and the Scodix Ultra 6500 SHD each offer the company’s expansive range of 16 applications. The company also recently introduced Scodix AI and Scodix MLE technologies.
Nixon says the strength of these digital enhancement presses lies in their ability to produce embellishments of the highest quality whilst reducing environmental impact, delivering new levels of automation, and reducing the cost per page for incorporating value-added enhancement into printed products.
The Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD is available in a 28-inch (B2) format and the Ultra 6500 is in a 41-inch (B1) format.
On the workflow end, Color-Logic offers two distinct embellishment solutions to printers.
The Color-Logic Metallic Color System equips print providers and designers with the tools and capabilities needed to create stunning metallic effects during the design stage. With five colors, this system enhances the visual appearance and impact of printed materials.
The Touch7 Neon Color System from Color-Logic is an accurate digital printing color system designed for neon or fluorescent inks. It offers print providers and designers a predictable system that enables them to create expanded gamut and pastel colors, according to Mark Geeves, co-founder and director of sales and marketing, Color-Logic Inc. “These vibrant hues can be seamlessly incorporated into printed marketing pieces to captivate audiences.”
Another vendor, Taktiful Software Solutions, is on a mission to “revolutionize the print embellishment industry by creating software-as-a-solution products that address the needs and challenges faced by embellishment professionals. Our aim is to help mainstream the adoption of digital embellishments by making it easy and profitable for everyone involved,” says Abergel.
Taktiful’s three flagship products include Taktify, Reaktor, and Kreator.
Taktify is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based estimating and pricing software designed to help printers accurately determine production costs. “It functions like the Kelley Blue Book for print pricing, using a combination of Taktiful’s extensive pricing database and combining it with the specific user’s historical sales data to train their personalized AI pricing model,” explains Abergel. “This allows for optimal pricing strategies that consider various factors such as client location, client verticals, job complexity, perceived value, and market trends.”
Reaktor is a virtual 3D previsualization environment where users can upload art files and experiment with different digital embellishments. This platform is designed to facilitate creative design and proofing, making it easier to visualize end products and make adjustments before final production.
Embellishment in Action
Marketers utilize embellishment tools in many creative ways across various industries and vertical markets.
“Marketers are only limited by their imagination. Our customers are using our 3D embellishment solutions to adapt to the expectations of their customers, whose needs are evolving towards delivering more impact with printing media. The impact of touch on consumers’ purchasing habits is increasingly important and many research studies support the benefits of the power of touch in print,” shares Dembia.
Nikolic’s personal favorite example is a business card that was first laminated with Nobelus’ soft-touch Karess Laminate before being overprinted and enhanced with spot sleeking. “The velvety soft matte laminate contrasts beautifully with the shining metallic appeal of the digital foil.”
Scodix devices also sit on the production floor of top-tier packaging and commercial customers. Recently new to the Scodix group are Cardston and Brodnax 21C, two prominent players for trading and collectible cards. The variety of Scodix applications available from a single press provides these companies with productivity and efficiency for fast time to market and cost savings.
Beeman says S-OneLP’s technology can also provide a sustainable element. “Using the eBeam curing system with JetFx spot embellishment reduces the need for an additional layer of substrate.”
Although manufacturers today offer presses and printers with five, six, or more colors, Geeves feels that many of the print providers operating these presses fail to utilize enhanced capabilities. “To effectively market embellishments and enhancements, print providers must produce print samples demonstrating their capabilities. Only then will brands and corporate marketers become fully aware of the power of these enhancements.”
Adding Value
With the right tools at the helm, the results are limitless when it comes to the embellishment and enhancement capabilities for digitally printed output. As these tools continue to evolve, print providers must educate clients on the possibilities and take advantage of the profit potential.
Sep2024, DPS Magazine
