Interest in Cross-Media Work Up in Graphic Arts

According to data gleaned from the TrendWatch Graphic Arts Summer 2002 survey of creative markets, the term "cross media" is becoming fairly well recognized among graphic arts firms, as evidenced by an increasing number of companies taking on projects within this realm.

Among design and production firms (a category that includes graphic designers, ad agencies, corporate design departments, and commercial photographers), the study indicates that 53% of the firms surveyed do cross-media work. Among publishing firms (which includes magazine, catalog, and book publishers), 61% of survey respondents work on cross-media projects.

But among Internet design and development firms (which includes ad and PR agencies, Web design and development firms, and corporate Internet departments), just 37% of survey respondents handle cross-media projects.

The findings suggest that those firms most entrenched in print work do the most cross-media work, while those most removed from print do the least. Half of publishing firms (49%) said that cross-media projects are strategic to their business survival. Slightly fewer design and production firms (42%) reported as such, and only a fifth (19%) of Internet design and development firms found cross-media strategic.

Thus, the bulk of cross-media work being done involves going from print to some other medium, primarily the Web. Clients desirous of this kind of work want at least a Web site or some other type of Internet presence, while some savvier customers are pushing the envelope with wireless and other new media.

However, those firms that already are ensconced in new media are not going to print. TrendWatch doesn't anticipate that print will fall under the category of "other media" any time soon, but it does see non-print media taking on increasing importance among printers' clients.