Print media
Print media are printed communication materials such as business cards, flyers, brochures, posters, menus, letterhead and catalogues.
Even in digital times, print works: a high-quality business card, a well-designed menu or a flyer in the letterbox are tangible and often remembered longer than a post in the feed.
Good print media combine design with material: paper weight, surface and finishes such as embossing, hot foil or varnish contribute to the effect. Print files must be set up technically correctly — with bleed, matching colour values and sufficient resolution.
For Da Gino, for example, Circle designed menus with a gold logo in hot-foil embossing; for Charge Construct, brochures and business cards for management and staff.
What to look out for
- Define purpose and use: what should the reader do afterwards?
- Choose paper and finish to suit the brand.
- Set up print files with bleed, CMYK values and sufficient resolution.
- Include QR codes to matching landing pages and make them measurable.
- Check a proof before printing.
Common mistakes
- Images from the internet at too low resolution — the print becomes pixelated.
- No bleed — white edges after trimming.
- Too much text in a small space.
Frequently asked questions
An additional margin around the final format, usually a few millimetres, into which backgrounds and images extend. This prevents white slivers after trimming.
Yes, when used deliberately: business cards, menus, trade-fair and sales materials or flyers for a clearly defined region often work better than purely digital advertising.