In an era dominated by digital media and short attention spans, print campaigns are experiencing an unexpected renaissance among luxury beauty brands. Refy, Loewe, and Jacquemus are a few brands that have hopped on this resurgence. While social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok continue to rule, brands are rediscovering the tactile charm, aesthetic appeal, and lasting impact of print mediums—from curated magazines and branded newspapers to personalized postcards delivered straight to the doors of customers. This renewed interest signals both a nostalgia-driven movement and a strategic marketing pivot that underscores how traditional formats can uniquely engage consumers and reflect brand values.
Nostalgia, Novelty, and the “Cool Factor”
At the heart of the print resurgence is the dual interest and allure of nostalgia and novelty. As Effie Asafu-Adjaye, a beauty brand consultant and founder of beauty consultancy company Beautiful Sparks, notes to BeautyMatter, “For Gen Z and millennials, the idea of reading something physical—whether it’s a coffee table book or an indie newspaper—feels alternative and intellectual. It’s niche, not mainstream, and that gives it a certain cool factor.” For older millennials, the resurgence of print recalls childhood rituals of flipping through glossy magazines or seeing newspapers delivered daily, creating a powerful emotional connection.
This trend is particularly resonant among younger generations like Gen Z and Gen Alpha, for whom print is not a “return” but rather a fresh, novel experience. “For these audiences, consuming an image for many seconds—rather than milliseconds on a screen—is a very different mental experience. It’s collectible, tangible, and carries a sense of permanence that the digital lacks,” Katherine Cartwright, Principal of Criterion Global, an international media buying agency, tells BeautyMatter. In essence, print transforms temporal content into a treasured keepsake.
Unlike traditional print ads in magazines, many luxury beauty brands are now creating their own branded print products. These campaigns aren’t simply about selling—they’re about storytelling, deepening customer relationships, and curating an immersive brand experience. Asafu-Adjaye points to Flamingo Estate, a beauty and lifestyle brand that recently launched its own book featuring interviews with individuals who align with the brand’s ethos of green, clean, and minimal. “This kind of slow, thoughtful content resonates deeply with consumers, especially when a brand has a strong lifestyle identity,” she explains.
Camilla Purkis-White, a fractional CMO with over a decade and a half years of experience working with the likes of Unilever, Cult LDN, and Soho House, shares similar insights, recalling a successful campaign where Sculpted by Aimee—another brand under her repertoire—produced branded newspapers to support its store opening in November 2023. “We built physical newspaper stands in stores and delivered copies to journalists as part of press releases. It was both nostalgic and unexpected—an approach that really delighted customers and media alike,” she shares with BeautyMatter.
Measurable Impact: The ROI of Print
Despite its resurgence, questions linger about print’s return on investment in an increasingly ROI-driven marketing landscape. “Brands see a 15-30% spike in traffic when they put a direct mail piece in home, depending on how many they mail,” Polly Wong, President of Belardi Wong, a privately held direct marketing and creative services agency with a specialty in direct mail and digital media, says to BeautyMatter. “Site conversion improves even more, [between] +20%-30% due to the quality of traffic from print,” she continues. While digital media offers precise analytics, print’s impact can be harder to quantify. However, experts argue that the metrics for print success lie in its ability to drive brand engagement, create buzz, and deliver tangible value to consumers. They also opine that for physical print campaigns, brands can integrate trackable elements such as QR codes, exclusive promo codes, or limited-time offers. “With print, you can measure success through three main buckets,” Asafu-Adjaye says. “Think reach (how many people received it), engagement (how often it’s shared or mentioned online), and conversion (redemption of special offers),” she continues.
Digital-first print activations, on the other hand, amplify traction through social media. Purkis-White notes that, “The digital amplification of print campaigns gives them longer legs. Most of these campaigns are part of a wider strategy, so the success metrics tie back to talkability, social engagement, and earned media coverage.” Essentially, print serves as a physical centerpiece that sparks digital conversations, creating a powerful synergy between old and new media. “Digital channel KPIs also improve, with [about] 10%-20% improvements in AOV and conversion rates, due to how the channels work together,” Wong enjoins. “The catalog drives the consumer to the site, and [they are] then remarketed to Meta and on Google as [they] continue to shop, so we see both Meta and Google metrics improve. Direct mail responders also spend 20%-25% more than buyers driven from other channels,” she continues.
The use and resurgence of print in marketing campaigns is, in part, a reaction to the oversaturation of digital content. In the beauty industry, visuals are paramount. Therefore, the ability to stop scrolling and hold a campaign in one’s hands feels revolutionary. According to Cartwright, print is an antidote to shrinking attention spans. “Print gives brands the chance to tell their story deeply. It’s not consumed in milliseconds like an Instagram reel—it lingers, it’s tactile, and it feels real.”
Moreover, luxury beauty brands are leveraging the exclusivity of print to signal quality and permanence. Cartwright also highlights the strategic use of print to appeal to investors. “For brands preparing for acquisition or IPO, print could communicate seriousness. A beautiful, large-scale insert or catalog conveys that a brand has longevity and depth beyond the somewhat temporary nature of digital trends.”
The Future of Print in Beauty Marketing
While print is unlikely to replace digital media as the dominant platform, its resurgence highlights a growing consumer appetite for slower, more thoughtful experiences. Print thrives when used as part of an integrated marketing strategy—one that combines the reach and scale of digital with the lasting impact of tangible media. Experts emphasize that the success of a print campaign lies in its execution. “To supersede the trend, brands need to give consumers something unexpected—something that stops them in their feeds and surprises them,” says Purkis-White. Whether through visually stunning aesthetics, clever messaging, or experiential activations, print campaigns must reflect the brand’s unique identity and resonate with its audience on an emotional level.
While opinions differ on whether or not print is here to stay, the consensus among industry experts is that print’s role in luxury beauty marketing will continue to evolve. Asafu-Adjaye sees print as a trend but acknowledges its niche appeal. “For brands with a strong message and ethos, print can be a powerful expression of their identity. It’s not for everyone, but for those who do it well, it works beautifully.”
Print may no longer be the dominant medium, but it has carved out a meaningful space in the marketing strategies of luxury beauty brands. By balancing nostalgia, novelty, and modern digital integration, brands are proving that print isn’t dead—it’s simply being reimagined.
