2012 Hot Markets : Printing in a Mobile World

This category will continue as the biggest buyer of magazine advertising. Look to anti-aging direct seller NuSkin (+78 percent) as distinct from low-growth Avon (+3 percent), both likely takeover targets for opposite reasons. Low-growth mainstays in sanitary/hygiene products—such as Unilever (+4 percent) and Church & Dwight (+5 percent)—will scramble to acquire smaller players and, therefore, optimize their supply and distribution chains.

Animal care is leaping up as consumers apparently care more about their pets than themselves. Petco (+13 percent) is the pedigreed player in this $55B category. Drug retailers CVS (+13 percent) and Walgreen (+7 percent) will continue a print-rich ad war as big-box discounters take market share. Best offerings are heatset web FSIs, coldset ROP and in-store large-format sheetfed printing. The Northeast and North Central regions dominate this 2.9 percent of total print production.

Withdrawing to No. 3 will be BANKING/INSURANCE ($3.73T, +2 percent; with $11.2B to print, -16 percent). Commercial bank re-branding is slowing, with few name changes and build-outs expected in 2012, so debit the demand for signage, forms, checks and sheetfed collateral print. Direct mail will rise as banks push “rewards” programs to encourage debit card use at the same time hidden fees are reintroduced. Regional banks and credit unions are the best prospects for promotional print, especially in the aftermath of the viral “Occupy” and “Withdraw” protests against big banks.

The charge/credit card segment is issuing prepaid incentive cards for gas and other special purposes, and will introduce new installment products this year. Mastercard (+27 percent) is outspending Visa (+13 percent) in POP signage, direct mail and, of course, card production, and Discover (+69 percent) will build momentum as it challenges the two leaders. Some money-center banks may follow; Capital One (+15 percent) in branding its own cards with heavy swipes of print.