We received a direct mail piece from Marriott promoting summer vacation ideas. The mailer did a good job by using textured spot printing for the sand so the piece engages multiple senses.
However, it could have been much better in a few different ways…
Raised UV Texture
The texture of the sand was raised slightly but it was fairly smooth so it didn’t feel like sand. Had they used raised UV screen printing, they could have opted for a higher profile for the sand. We could have also printed it with more granularity, so it would feel more like the actual coarseness of sand.
Scented Printing
The addition of scents for the sand, as well as the surf, would have made a stronger impression by engaging a third sense: smell. In fact, engaging smell in a printed piece could have provide a much stronger connection to past beach vacations because of the neuroscience and psychology involved.
Catalog Printing
The catalog that came inside the mailer was disappointing by comparison with the envelope. While there were many bright and appealing photos, they weren’t printed with any special effects. They could have gone with high gloss for the water, scents for the food, texture for the dolphins,
and glitter for stars.
Inline Flexographic vs. Special Effects Screen Printing
The Marriott mailer appears to have the textured printing done inline, perhaps on a flexoprinter. Commercial printers like that they can add textured printing all in one pass instead of sending us sheets to print on a silkscreen. However, because we can higher profile textures, add scent, create a courser feel more consistent with sand, and we can print anywhere on the mailer. Yes, it would cost a bit more and take a little more time, but it likely would’ve gotten more attention with a lot less being tossed into the trash…
Contact us to learn more about raised UV and scented printing so you can be Anything but Ordinary
