The Rise of Coffee Table Book Printing for Brand Building

When it comes to building your brand, the most successful marketing tools at your disposal aren’t only the ones explicitly selling a product or service to your audience. Brand building is all about telling the story of your business - who you are, what you do, and why your audience should come along for the journey. Coffee table books have long been an underdog in the marketing materials toolkit, and yet the use of these vehicles for branding is on the rise. Why are coffee table books so effective for brand awareness, why should you get on board, and how do you go about designing one? Let’s find out.

The Coffee Table Book Industry’s History of Growth

Since the emergence of the coffee table book in the post-war era, these parcels of large-format storytelling have grown in popularity across the world due to their aesthetically pleasing method of communication. Thanks to advances in full-colour offset printing technology, social change and entrepreneurial efforts coming out of Australia, Britain and America, coffee table books marked the beginning of a new form of visual medium, according to a paper by Monash University. 

But what began as a way for photographers and publishers to use the large-format pages to communicate quickly, became an accessible visual medium that doubled as decor. Coffee table books aren’t just for reading or admiring the pictures held within, they’re an additional piece of furniture in the design of a beautiful home. A new book-buying market was created with the emergence of the coffee table book, and that market only continues to grow as businesses tap into this visually appealing resource as a method of brand communication. It is estimated that between 2020 and 2028 the coffee table book market will grow from USD 157.7 million to USD 192.6 million in North America. That’s all to say that despite some segments of the wider book industry wavering, the coffee table book market continues to grow at a healthy rate.

Coffee Table Books: From Cultural Decor to Secret Marketing Weapons

The essence of a coffee table book comes down to being able to curate a beautifully visual story, an experience in which many consumers are hungry for in this age of an increasingly digitalised world. For brands, generating brand awareness and cutting through the noise of the digital realm with tactile communication that stands out from all the rest is not only important but necessary for a brand to survive and thrive. Book-buyers don’t want to spend money on marketing materials, they want to spend it on a curated visual experience. Enter: the coffee table book!

Forbes reports that the rise of coffee table books is due to the same reasons vinyl records, beautiful stationery and thoughtful home decor is also on the rise. These objects offer permanence in a world that feels increasingly disposable. 

While other marketing materials like brochures, magazines and posters can be incredibly effective in communicating specific information for suitable contexts, the coffee table book stands out as a piece of unique marketing for its ability to not just make its way into people’s hands, but also people’s homes. 

The coffee table book format also masters the blending of visual design, storytelling and printing craftsmanship, creating not just an appealing vessel of brand personality for the reader, but also an aesthetic piece of furniture to keep forever. You might not even know it, but some of those coffee table books you’ve arranged in your living room are secretly marketing materials, albeit beautiful ones. With a coffee table book, brands can integrate their material into homes and offices, all while providing visually appealing content for their owner.

How to Craft a Branded Coffee Table Book

Coffee table books aren’t reserved for luxury brands or famous artists. Any person or brand can print an effective coffee table book, as long as there is a story that guides it. For a business looking to extend their brand awareness, a coffee table book could cover anything from the history of the business, a pivotal chapter of the brand’s story, commemorating an occasion, or focusing on a particular facet of the industry that the brand operates in. And while coffee table books are a great product to sell, they also make an excellent luxury gift for clients, partners or donors. 

When it comes to putting together a branded coffee table book, visual imagery reigns supreme. Beautiful photos, memorabilia and a thoughtfully designed layout with attention-grabbing type and premium paper will be what draws your reader to the product, and will make them want to display it. It’s also easy enough to self-publish a coffee table book if the brand you’re building is your own personal one. This format of book is a great method for digital creators to turn their online story into a timeless physical one.

One of the most important elements of crafting a coffee table book to consider is the printing process. Printing a coffee table book with high production quality is vital in getting the book into a buyer’s hands. As a piece of house decor and a cultural object of beauty, if a coffee table book lacks in printing quality, it will no doubt ultimately lack in sales.

Coffee table book printing for brand building is on the rise thanks to the evolving nature of integrated marketing materials into beautiful products. Now, you don’t just have to communicate your brand, you can tell its story through a vessel of aesthetically pleasing visuals that your audience will hold onto forever. There’s no better brand longevity than that.

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‍To get started on your coffee table book printing journey, get in touch with our team today. We're here to help you navigate the evolving world of printing with confidence.