Just realized I chose the wrong paper stock for a 500-run event program

I had to pick between a glossy 100lb text for a sharp look or a matte 80lb cover for a better writing surface. I went with the glossy because the photos looked great on the proof. Half the attendees used pens that smeared on the slick surface, which was a real problem for note-taking. Has anyone else had a client complain about functionality after you focused only on the visual finish?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopherkim2mo ago

Last year we printed a thousand menus on that beautiful, slick 130lb gloss. The first week, three servers told me customers couldn't mark their changes with the golf pencils we provided. The ink just pooled and slid. You get so focused on color pop you forget people actually have to use the thing. It's a lesson in balancing looks with real world handling.

olivia_anderson672mo ago

Honestly, that slick finish is what makes people pick up the menu in the first place.

nora7351mo ago

Ugh, that's so true. I see it everywhere now. Like those fancy touchscreens in new cars that are impossible to use while driving, or sleek kitchen gadgets with hidden buttons. Designers get obsessed with a clean look and forget how people's hands actually work.