Wide format graphics, including signage and graphics is an integral part of the marketing mix and it represents a major opportunity for print service providers. Entering the market or growing an existing business starts with understanding key trends driving buyer markets. InfoTrends’ Wide Format Printing: A Critical Element in the Communications Mix surveyed key decision-makers in organizations that provide digitally printed wide format graphics and those that purchase wide-format graphics across six vertical industries (advertising media, entertainment/amusement, events, healthcare, hospitality, and retail) in the U.S. This study, now in its third iteration, provides a critical insight into who buys wide format graphics, what they buy, and why they buy.

A key study finding is that wide format graphics are a major component of communications spending and represented a sixth of survey respondents overall marketing budget. Buyer respondents also expect to increase their wide format spending. The share of buyers expecting to increase wide format graphics purchasing in the next 12 months was 6.5 times higher than the share expecting to decrease it.

Wide format graphics providers also reported growth; survey respondents reporting volume increases outnumbered those reporting declines by 5 to 1.The survey results backed InfoTrends' ongoing wide format market forecasts, which indicate this is a growth market. InfoTrends expects the retail value of wide format printing in North America to grow at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%, reaching $23.6 billion by 2016.

This study provides a comprehensive view of the wide format marketplace because it surveyed both buyers (across key purchasing markets) and providers. Study coverage includes:

? Analysis of the key market and communications trends driving purchasing of wide format digital graphics.

? Insights into the key trends in applications, order volume, frequency, online ordering, and more.

? Evaluation of key buyer demands and strategies to reach buyers.

? Assessment of providers’ volume trends, technology use, and substrate usage.

? Examination of products and services that wide format providers are adding to better serve customers and grow.

? Comparisons to previous versions of this study completed in 2009 and 2011