Spot colors express high-value colors that cannot be achieved with process printing, thereby increasing the value of printed materials. For example, the use of spot colors for product image colors enhances brand identity and often has a significant impact on consumers' purchasing awareness and behavior. On the other hand, color matching requires a high level of craftsmanship, and challenges such as labor shortages due to an aging workforce, diversification of printing, and the pursuit of production efficiency require a transformation to sustainable printing. This paper introduces examples of digitalization of color matching and productivity improvement, focusing on the introduction of our color matching support tool, the Computer Color Search System.

In May 2023, Fujifilm Business Innovation launched the Pressure Adhesive toner (PA toner) which had adhesive capabilities, as a new specialty toner for the Revoria Press™ PC1120 production color printer. This paper shows examples of pre-and-post-printing products and services related to PA toner, revealing how the new technology simplifies and automates the direct mail creation process. We believe that PA toner can expand possibilities of digital printing in the advertising and sales promotion fields.

While the most important mission of the package is to protect 'product(s)' it is wrapping, in recent years there has been a movement toward using package design as a tool for branding and marketing to increase product value. In order to stand out from competing products and get more people to pick up the product, making the package itself that wraps the product draw attention and motivate consumers to buy it is the closest commercial means to the use and is an action that makes sense from a marketing standpoint. Although the market has been demanding a certain level of package decoration, manufacturers have been unable to respond to it with their analog solution. Now, the advent of new software and hardware, such as digital simulation of package design, digital surface decoration, and on-demand luxury box making machines, this problem is being solved. They are software-based design assistance, digital decorating machines that use digital data to enhance the surface of package, and box machines that semi-automate the production of luxury boxes on-demand. This article introduces those latest solutions.

DNP has developed the next-generation decorative panel that realized on advanced seamless design and a comfortable interior space. This panel can hide displays and operation switches and can show the images and switches without changing the color of the original light source, which was difficult with conventional technology. Mass production for automotive switch applications will begin in 2024. On the other hand, for display applications, we optimized the micropore diameter and pitch in micropore formation to eliminate moiré and glare. As a result, it is now possible to display clear images even on displays with a resolution of 200 dpi or higher. Currently, micro-LED and mini-LED local dimming displays have been introduced instead of conventional LCDs, which have high brightness and make it possible to brighten only the necessary areas, making them extremely compatible with next-generation decorative panels. As the next step, we started a feasibility study of applying haptics feeling on the surface and found the developing direction. In the future, this technology is expected to be applied not only in the interior space of automobiles but also in various scenes such as housing, home appliance industry, etc.

While the market scale of paper publications is shrinking, that of electronic publications is expanding. Under these circumstances, the purpose of this paper is to analyze consumers' attitudes and behaviors towards paper publications and electronic publications, and to make proposals for usage promotion. A survey of 900 participants was conducted for the purpose mainly through free-form text questions on the Internet. Based on the survey data, consumers were categorized into three groups: users of paper publications, users of both paper and electronic publications, and non-users. The study analyzed the perceived advantages and disadvantages of both paper and electronic publications, as well as the specific advantages and disadvantages for each consumer group. Given that they will coexist, the study focused on the “users of both” group, examining how they use paper and electronic publications differently. In addition, we analyzed the triggers of people's selection of publications based on the data. In the analyses results, the characteristics of users of paper publications and those of “users of both” are seen well. Finally, based on the analyses, recommendations for promoting the use of paper publications are proposed, such as increasing the degree of "attachment" based on the satisfaction of ownership, and by utilizing social media and videos. And measures to promote the use of electronic publications such as enhancing their strengths, avoiding their weaknesses, and expanding genres are proposed.