Renewed appreciation for print, particularly among Gen Z and millennials

The first thing that strikes you about a printed magazine or catalogue is the feel of it. Very few things compare with holding a beautifully crafted magazine or a meticulous­ly designed lifestyle catalogue in your hands. Feeling the weight of the paper and flipping through its pages is an experience unlike anything else. Each page a work of art, from the photography and art direction to the typography and the written word. The texture of the paper, the quality of the print, the sound of a page turning, and even the distinct smell of fresh ink are sensory delights that en­gage you in a very different way compared to digital. Don’t get me wrong, I love digital equally, and from a very early point in my career, it has played a pivotal role in my life. But there is something very special about print and how it makes us feel.

There have been many loves in my professional life, but my first, and the reason I ultimately do what I do today, is print. Growing up in a pre-internet era, magazines were my window into the world outside, where I found my inspiration, and it was print that helped fuel my dreams. It was through print that I learned how to design and art direct, understood the importance of typographic rules and when to break them, and where I saw my first article published. Print saw me through the early stages of my career and gave me the oppor­tunity to move from my native Stockholm to London, and into the offices of Vogue and Wallpaper. To this day, it still plays a big role in my life, both at work and at home.

Over the past two decades, I have been fortunate to work with some of the most successful and influential brands in the world, with clients and people who continuously inspire and keep pushing me forward. Much of my work has been focused on lifestyle brands, mainly within fashion, beauty, and luxury – from high street to su­per premium. From Patek Philippe and Chivas Regal, to Rimmel and Boden, and throughout this journey, magazines and catalogues have always been omnipresent.

I spent six years as the executive creative director on the board of Hotel Chocolat, building the brand into one of Britain’s best-loved brands and most quoted success stories, and at M&S, I helped to cre­ate its new digital flagship while being instrumental in introducing daily publishing and a groundbreaking editorial model. Admittedly, my career has had a strong focus on digital, but there has always been an equal focus on print. Hotel Chocolat would not be the business it is today, nor have grown as fast and big, without its many catalogues. M&S borrowed its digital publishing model from the pages of fash­ion magazines, but they still relied heavily on its catalogues, to the point that they were part of my remit as the digital creative director.

After many years of seeing the decline of print, and magazines in particular, prompted by a shifted focus towards digital channels, keywords, and optimisation, I’m absolutely delighted to see how the tide is yet again turning. There is a renewed appreciation for print as a medium, particularly among Generation Z and millennials. Much like the revival of vinyl records and other tactile experiences, younger generations are rediscovering the joy of physical media, appreciating the tangible connection and the sense of ownership that comes with holding a beautifully crafted magazine or catalogue. I believe, print holds a timeless quality, a sense of importance, and a promise of longevity that makes it truly unique.

Article first appeared in Fine Print, published BY COUSIN