Widthwise 2025
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irst and foremost, the squeeze on costs is real. Our own energy bills have gone up, materials cost more, freight is more expensive, and we’ve had to raise wages just to make sure our
team can keep up with rising living costs, which we’re more than happy to do, but it all adds up. Te knock-on effect is that we’re having
to work harder than ever to protect our margins, without compromising on quality. We’ve streamlined where we can, trimmed waste, and challenged ourselves to be more efficient across the board – whether that’s in how we plan jobs, use materials, or manage our time. We’ve definitely seen a shiſt in client
behaviour. Budgets are under pressure, and people are more careful about where they spend. We’re seeing less of the big, bold ‘just do it’ style briefs and more emphasis on ROI – what’s it for, what’s it achieving, and how can we measure it? Turnaround times have also got shorter. Everyone’s holding back on committing until the last minute, but still expecting delivery yesterday, which makes planning tricky. We’ve had to become more agile, more reactive, and more creative in how we get things done. Tat said, there’s still a hunger for great work. Clients still want to stand out. If
anything, they’re leaning on us more to help them find smart ways to do it on tighter budgets. Tat’s where experience and problem-solving really come into play. One positive change is that it’s made both us and our clients more conscious of reusability. Rather than printing once and scrapping it aſter an event or promotion, we’re designing things that can be reused, adapted, or repurposed. We’ve started pushing ideas like modular display systems, changeable graphics, and props that can do more than one job, which is not only more cost-effective but also ticks the sustainability box too. Everyone wins. Tere’s no denying that confidence has dipped. Some sectors have held up
Graham Pitts Managing director, KGK Genix
better than others, but in general, people are cautious. Te days of planning three campaigns ahead seem a long way off. Now, it’s more like: what’s the next thing we have to do, and how can we make it work with what we’ve got? But we are seeing signs of that starting to shiſt. Tere’s still ambition out there. People want to get back to creating memorable brand experiences. Te appetite hasn’t disappeared – it’s just had a bit of a reality check.
Internally, the cost-of-living crisis
has brought us closer together as a team. Everyone’s under pressure in their personal lives, too, and that means we’ve had to be more supportive, more open, and more honest about what’s going on. We’ve looked aſter our staff as best we can – not just through pay, but with practical stuff like flexible working, one-off support payments, and making sure people know they’re valued. We’ve always believed culture is everything, and moments like this really prove it. I don’t think we’re out of the woods
just yet, but there’s definitely a sense that people are adapting. Te knee-jerk panic phase seems to have passed. Clients are getting on with things. Teams are settling into the new normal. For us, the focus now is on being sharp, both commercially and creatively. We want to be the partner that clients turn to not just for quality print and production, but for ideas that help them make their budgets work harder. Te cost-of-living crisis has been challenging, no doubt. But it’s also been a bit of a reset – a reminder to cut the fluff, stay close to your team, stay close to your clients, and focus on what really matters.
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