Market Drivers for Surface Enhanced Papers, 2002 Metered Size Press Forum

There are a number of factors that must be addressed regarding the health and viability print communication. Advertisers moving away from print may not be a major threat now, but could grow into a very significant issue with the proliferation of digital television and Internet penetration into our daily lives. Print is a communication medium that the largest demographic in the US (the baby boomers) relies on the heaviest. Magazines and catalogs must adjust to the needs of this demographic - one whose eyesight is changing. Lastly, one of the direst situations in publishing today is the distribution channel for magazines. The United States Postal Service is raising postal rates, and publishers are considering alternate methods of delivery.

While coatings and surface treatments alone will not solve any of these issues, understanding the advertisers’, the readers’, and the publishers’ issues will enable you to design better products for them. This paper discusses these trends, how they affect the customer, and some considerations for the product development process.