The democratization of digital tools has turned many sectors upside down, and printing is no exception. Canva, a flagship graphic design tool created in 2012, has broadened its scope by offering online printing solutions accessible to all. While this initiative seems promising to appeal to a public new to print, it leaves professionals accustomed to demanding standards perplexed.
An offer not adapted to customers who already buy print...
"Simplicity of use" is Canva's mantra. However, this minimalist approach seems to overshadow the fundamental expectations of seasoned print consumers. Product specifications are often unclear: how do you select a precise grammage when the choices oscillate between 118 g/m² and 148 g/m², or between 148 g/m² and 216 g/m²? For a glossy coated finish, Canva offers glossy paper with no additional details, a level of approximation that's hard to accept in an industry where precision is a guarantee of quality. On top of this, prices are prohibitive: almost ?1170 for 1000 copies of an A5 double-sided flyer.
This offer, while innovative for an amateur audience, clearly doesn't meet the expectations of today's print buyers. Professionals, looking for reliability and precision, will not find an answer to their needs.
Making printing accessible to a new audience
What sets Canva's offer apart is its ability to attract a young, rather digital population, digital natives, unaccustomed to consuming print media. This audience, often made up of freelancers, web marketers or small businesses, generally limits its marketing strategies to the purchase of digital campaigns. With Canva, they discover the pleasure of holding a printed creation in their hands, which can lead to a renewed interest in physical media.
What's more, Canva offers an opportunity to make these new users aware of ecological aspects that are often underestimated. Contrary to widespread belief, the environmental impact of paper can be mitigated through recycling, positioning print media as a viable alternative to the ecological consequences of all-digital technology. Finally, Canva also demonstrates that print, far from being obsolete, can offer performance indicators (KPIs) and return on investment (ROI) just as effective as those of digital campaigns, reinforcing its relevance in hybrid marketing strategies.
This process fosters an increase in skills that could, in time, enable them to collaborate with print professionals on more complex projects. In this way, Canva acts as a bridge between amateur use and a more professional approach, revitalizing interest in print in a world dominated by digital technology.
What if Canva's offer enabled a population that had lost the habit of consuming printed media to rediscover them and gradually integrate them into their marketing mix? This asset revitalizes interest in physical media in an increasingly digital world.
Is the Canva model a threat to printers?
With its business model based on partial free access and high value-added paid options, Canva has made its mark on the world of design. Sales in excess of $2.5 billion demonstrate the scale of its success. By tackling the web-to-print market, the platform is attracting user profiles that are different from those of printers.
Clearly, Canva is not going to upset the established order in online printing. The major online players, already well established, continue to dominate the sector, thanks to their ability to offer products tailored to professionals and to maintain high standards of quality and service. This raises a fundamental question: between Canva and these online players, which will have been the least destructive of value for the traditional printing industry?
By targeting web-to-print, Canva attracts users who, in the past, might have shied away from print due to lack of knowledge or adapted habits. The platform offers a simplified experience, enabling these newcomers to familiarize themselves with the possibilities of print and gradually explore its integration into modern marketing strategies.
If Canva doesn't fulfill the expectations of professionals, it does open new doors for the print industry. By making print accessible to a digital audience unfamiliar with traditional tools, the platform could encourage a rediscovery of physical media.
