Digital marketing is relatively new on the scene, but there is no question that this form of communication is already making its mark. Since the late 1990s, marketers have been tasked with figuring out how to blend e-mail, live chat, social media, and mobile technologies—all while adapting to the dominance of the Internet. Each new channel brings with it an opportunity for marketers to learn, adjust, and grow alongside the consumer. Print service providers must be doing the same thing as they build and formulate strategies that will take them into the future.

Print service providers and marketers alike are clearly struggling to keep up with today’s dynamically changing technology landscape. While some have embraced the need for constant innovation, others are hesitant to invest in new technologies because they are an unknown factor. Although there is always some risk, new technologies represent a chance that is worth taking. Traditional print remains a key communication channel in today’s market, but maintaining a competitive advantage demands integrating today’s emerging technologies with that print component. Perhaps the single largest driver in today’s market is the cultural change that is occurring among end consumers. To this end, savvy marketers are developing strategies and embracing new technologies to reach Millennials (also known as the Millennial Generation or Generation Y) as well as the upcoming Generation Z.

Although there are no precise dates for when the generation starts or ends, The Pew Research Center categorizes Millennials as individuals born between 1981 and 1996—ranging in age from 18 to 33. According to Pew, the youngest Millennials are still “in their teens” with “no chronological end point set for them yet.” In March 2014, the Pew Research Center issued a report discussing how “Millennials in adulthood" are "detached from institutions and networked with friends."