Design Recognizes Vitality of Paper

In the movie “Ghostbusters.” One of my favorite lines is when Harold Ramis as Dr. Egon Spengler turns to Annie Potts and deadpans, “Print is dead.” Five years ago, Sports Illustrated President John Squires repeated Egon’s proclamation and added, “Get over it.”

I’m not ready to get over it – and neither is the rest of the world. Print in general and paper specifically are finding new life thanks to designers who recognize their lasting value. Dull and one-dimensional? Not any more. In the past year, we’ve employed processes that combine offset with thermography, silk-screening, laser engraving, stamping and embossing. We’ve used textured papers to add the sensation of touch and lenticular printing for motion. There’s good reason not to abandon paper. According to the Direct Marketing Association Insert Council, campaigns that combine direct mail and Internet yield up to 25 percent higher responses than Internet alone.

Print isn’t dead. It’s evolving. It was a joke when Egon said it back in 1984, and it’s still a funny line today.