Ruby Levy was attempting to send an e-card celebrating the 90th birthday of an old friend named Richard, and thought nothing of using his shortened name – “Dick” – alongside a message reading “Many happy returns on your significant birthday.” However, the Marks & Spencers website refused to allow the name be sent through its e-card service.

When Ms Levy complained to the store, she was told it was the use of the name “Dick” which had caused offence, and was advised to instead use his full name as they would not be changing their policy.

Speaking about the service, she stated: “‘I send e-cards because it is a nice and easy way of doing things. I usually use an American site, but none of their cards were sober enough to send to a 90-year-old. They were all far too brash and lively,” and said of the complaint: “After I wrote to M&S to ask what I had done wrong, I could not believe it when they sent me a prissy letter saying it was because my friend is called Dick. It is political correctness gone absolutely mad.”

Marks and Spencers commented: “We understand that the customer did not intend to cause offence,” adding, “We must ensure our system is robust to protect our content standards”. Ms Levy has since sent a hand-written card to her friend Dick.

One poster is based on truth, highlighting the use of invisible test gases in the subway system as part of a city-wide anti-terrorism experiment – however, the gas mask illustrations and urges to “stay calm” present the activity as a far more risky assessment process than it really is. Another poster warns travellers: “New York City sits 28 miles away from the most at-risk nuclear reactor in the country. Stay calm and do not panic.” The additional tips, such as “Beware of southerly winds” and “Avoid breathing” should have been an indicator to the authenticity of the warnings, but that didn’t stop several members of the public contacting police and subway authorities.

The posters have been linked to local activism groups, as the timing coincides with a meeting about safety concerns in the nearby Indian Point nuclear power plant. Subway workers are now working to remove the notices and reassure travellers.

However, we’re most interested in the less mainstream uses for the 3D printer, as demonstrated by a handful of designers and printers across Europe who have come together to produce some more unusual printed inventions.

Hailing from ELAt – the Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle spanning Belgium and the Netherlands that prides itself on its hi-tech reputation – three printing companies have moved into London recently to coincide with the release of a new 3D-printing magazine. One of these companies is Freedom of Creation, headed by Alan Nguyen, who recently designed and printed a pair of shoes with an iPhone holder in the side.

Mr Nguyen said he produced the item to test copyright laws around 3D printing, and added: “We are like DJs, because they take other people’s things and make something completely new.” He referred to the shoe as a “mash-up”, taking the designs of several items and combining them into one.

According to the statistics, trade magazines including the Hollywood Reporter and Progressive Grocer saw more than a ten per cent increase last year – while international publications such as The Wall Street Journal have been busy investing more cash into their print presence.

Print was also a major talking point at the American Business Media (ABM) Annual Conference in Florida, where survey results showed that a huge 96 per cent of media users turn to print sources for industry-related news – matching that of digital media users, with a large amount of overlap.

President and CEO of ABM, Clark Pettit, commented on print’s newfound role in media, highlighting print’s importance as a statement of brand authority, and adding: “The role of print in an integrated media business has transformed… It is a critical part of the mix and, properly managed from a cost basis, it enables the other profitable growth businesses to have the validation and support that positions them to win.”

Based on a photography exhibition in Texas earlier in the year, the book documents all aspects of modern war throughout the ages, in crystal-clear detail. Chair of the voting panel Zelda Cheatle explained that while the award was mainly down to the insightful content, the printing and design played a large part.

The book was printed using a heavy-stock paper which allows the pages to be well-handled without showing signs of wear and tear. Author Anne Wilkes Tucker stated that the primary reason for this was to convey the weight and importance of the content, and to ensure the high-quality photo prints did not deteriorate over time.

Printing techniques also had to take into account the times in which the photographs were taken – sometimes decades apart – which meant that the quality varied throughout the book. Ms Cheatle felt that this challenge was overcome, adding: “It is beautifully printed. Some of the images are Russian war photographs so the negatives of the print were in very bad shape to begin with, so it wouldn’t have been an easy job.”

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The posters contain a secret message visible only to those under a certain height, containing a helpline and a message stating “If anybody hurts you, call us and we’ll help” alongside a picture of a child with bruises that are only visible alongside the message. The campaign was designed to prevent potentially abusive guardians dissuading children from calling.

The posters were created using lenticular printing, a form of printing which has had widespread use over the years as “holographic” stickers; however this is the first time it has been used as such a fundamental part of an outreach attempt. It is hoped that the posters will help to give children confidence to call and ask for help, without worrying that the adult suspects them.

Largely associated with grassroots movements from communities across the board – most notably in music and activism – zines were a popular way for people and small groups to connect with their wider communities, before there was a chance for everybody to host their own blog. The Brooklyn event hosted creators of zines ranging from completely self-made and printed, to those written and processed by third-party printers.

The overriding atmosphere was said to be one of hope – not just for their communities, but for print as a form of media. One creator, student Jamie Theophilos, reflected this attitude perfectly at a similar event in Massachusetts, stating: “There’s something about making and designing your own zine and holding it in your hands that you can’t get from something online.”

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