Blog Post | May 13, 2025
Elevate Your Marketing Materials with Specialty Finishes
Besides their cosmetic appeal, finishes improve a print piece’s longevity and shelf life. These specialty techniques can help enhance your marketing materials.
Response rates tend to go up when we add bells and whistles to printed pieces. These can include gloss varnish, spot UV, lamination, metallic inks and other treatments. Besides their cosmetic appeal, many finishes improve a print piece’s longevity and shelf life. Here are some specialty techniques that can enhance your marketing materials:
Varnish:
Varnishes come in a variety of finishes— gloss, matte, silk and UV. Designers often use varnishes to selectively draw attention to a specific element, such as a logo. A side benefit of varnish is that it acts as a protective shield over the ink and helps reduce rips and tears in the paper. Varnish is frequently used on corporate brochures, annual reports and direct mail.
Lamination:
Much like varnish, lamination comes in gloss, matte and satin finishes. The difference between the two treatments is that lamination is a thin layer of plastic, providing a slick tactile finish. And because it adds a protective membrane to the paper, it affords some level of waterproofing to the piece. Lamination is ideal for printed pieces that are handled frequently, like procedure manuals.
Embossing and Debossing:
There is nothing like the feel of an embossed or debossed print piece. The distinction between the two treatments is that one is raised (emboss), and the other is indented (deboss). The effect lends a high-end look to the finished piece. It is often used on corporate communications such as business cards, folders and letterhead.
Foil Stamp:
This is the epitome of the “bright shiny” object. Foil stamping has been popular for years and is a popular technique for brochures, corporate letterhead and business cards. Its highly reflective surface is the result of pressure-applied metallic foil using a metal die and a hot foil stamping machine. For a gleaming print piece, foil stamping is a showstopper.
Die-Cutting:
Die-cutting is a custom effect that is well worth the effort, from presentation folders with pockets to intricate symbols and pattern cutaways. The cutout shape provides a 3D sensibility and an opportunity to reveal a tease as to what’s inside.
For companies seeking to elevate their look – and feel – these techniques are sure to add a sophisticated touch and surprise to your marketing materials.
Varnishes come in a variety of finishes— gloss, matte, silk and UV. Designers often use varnishes to selectively draw attention to a specific element, such as a logo. A side benefit of varnish is that it acts as a protective shield over the ink and helps reduce rips and tears in the paper. Varnish is frequently used on corporate brochures, annual reports and direct mail.
Lamination:
Much like varnish, lamination comes in gloss, matte and satin finishes. The difference between the two treatments is that lamination is a thin layer of plastic, providing a slick tactile finish. And because it adds a protective membrane to the paper, it affords some level of waterproofing to the piece. Lamination is ideal for printed pieces that are handled frequently, like procedure manuals.
Embossing and Debossing:
There is nothing like the feel of an embossed or debossed print piece. The distinction between the two treatments is that one is raised (emboss), and the other is indented (deboss). The effect lends a high-end look to the finished piece. It is often used on corporate communications such as business cards, folders and letterhead.
Foil Stamp:
This is the epitome of the “bright shiny” object. Foil stamping has been popular for years and is a popular technique for brochures, corporate letterhead and business cards. Its highly reflective surface is the result of pressure-applied metallic foil using a metal die and a hot foil stamping machine. For a gleaming print piece, foil stamping is a showstopper.
Die-Cutting:
Die-cutting is a custom effect that is well worth the effort, from presentation folders with pockets to intricate symbols and pattern cutaways. The cutout shape provides a 3D sensibility and an opportunity to reveal a tease as to what’s inside.
For companies seeking to elevate their look – and feel – these techniques are sure to add a sophisticated touch and surprise to your marketing materials.