Enhancing Print Projects with Luxury Foil Finishes

Humans have used metallic foil to create luxurious effects for thousands of years. There’s just something about the luster and color only foil can provide – we can’t help but be drawn to it. Perhaps that’s why luxurious foil printing has become the go-to solution for marketers, publishers, packaging designers, and more who want to cut through the visual noise. It’s proven itself to be one of the best ways to draw the eye, fast.

If you’re interested in this compelling print finish but aren’t exactly sure how to use it, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll go over the specific benefits foil finishes can provide. Then, we’ll take a closer look at the most popular applications for this eye-catching effect. By the end, you’ll know exactly why it works, how to incorporate it into your designs, and even what to look for in a top-quality foil printing partner.

Benefits of Foil Finishes

The available options for foil finishes have grown a lot over the years. With so many colors and patterns to choose from, the benefits of this technique will vary depending on how you use it. The most common perks our clients report to us include:

Foil Gets a Viewer’s Attention

Glittery, gleaming details stand out in the world of print materials. Foil catches and reflects light in a way even the highest gloss finishes can’t match. So, when a publication needs to catch a customer’s eye or when a product’s label needs to stand out from its shelf mates, foil has become the go-to enhancement to get the job done.

Foil Evokes Stronger Emotions

Depending on the type of foil, your design, and the associated subject matter or products, you can evoke different emotions with foil printing. For example, holographic foil graphics on toy packaging are a fantastic strategy for building excitement, while gold foil letters on the cover of a business portfolio will evoke confidence and prestige.

Foil Increases Perceived Value

Say you have two gift cards worth identical amounts. However, one has foil details, while the other does not. The foiled card looks and feels more valuable to customers, despite both having the exact same monetary value. Shining, lustrous items instinctively seem precious to us, and foil allows you to attach that sense of preciousness to your print product.

Common Applications for Foil Printing 

Of course, maximizing the benefits of foil finishes requires more than just slapping on a few haphazard, shimmery details. Different applications require different approaches. To illustrate, let's break things down by print product categories, and look at examples of how foil can be leveraged in each case.

Custom Packaging

There are several proven approaches for using foil printing in product packaging. Using gold or silver foil details is a shorthand for communicating luxury. More intricate and delicate details can make your product seem more elegant, while bold, clean lettering makes a more stately impression.

On the other hand, colorful and holographic foils can be useful to emphasize a product’s playful or futuristic qualities. Bigger, more whimsical graphics are well suited to products for children, while simpler, sleeker designs are good for products targeting adult customers.

Brochures and Catalogs

Foil text and logos on covers can help draw a viewer’s eye, helping your content stand out even in visually cluttered contexts like brochure stands or mail piles. Classic gold is useful for communicating that your products and experiences are upscale, while colorful foils can be used to enhance your brand identity.

However, if you’re hoping to print an intricate logo or small text in foil, it’s important to know what foil process your print partner uses. You’ll specifically want a printer that uses cold foil instead of hot foil, as the cold foil process is better at reproducing delicate details.

Labels

Similar to packaging, using classic metallic foil colors for text and logos on product labels is an easy way to convey luxury and increase perceived value. Certain colors can also be useful for drawing customer attention to seasonal or promotional items, such as red or green foil for holiday-themed products.

Event Materials

Using foil for headers and logos on invitations, stationery, programs, menus, and more can help elevate the perceived gravitas of the event. They’re especially useful when guest impressions are critical, such as at investor meetings and professional conferences. Foil can also help highlight critical details about the event, drawing the reader’s eye with borders and simple call-out graphics.

Marketing & Promotional Materials 

Because foil elevates the perceived value of print items, it’s useful for getting recipients to take a few extra moments with your marketing and promotional materials. The finish can be incorporated through text, logos, graphics, and even backgrounds for maximum dazzle.

Foil is also useful for promotional materials that specifically target high-end clients. In these cases though, it’s often better to apply the treatment selectively. Using traditional metallics on just the headline or logo adds a nice touch of refinement without risking becoming gaudy.