CEWE commemorates two decades of the CEWE PHOTOBOOK

Survey by CEWE and Civey: Photo facts at a glance

• 52.5 percent say: Printed photos – for example, in the CEWE PHOTOBOOK – help to keep special experiences alive.

• 73.8 percent of people now take photos almost exclusively with their smartphones.

• Top motives are family and friends (58.9 percent), as well as holidays (56.2 percent) and pets (47.1 percent).

• Around two-thirds of Germans have already created photo products.

Two decades ago, CEWE launched the CEWE PHOTOBOOK as a response to the growing popularity of digital photography and the desire to capture personal moments not only digitally, but also as high-quality, printed keepsakes. In the first year alone, 100,000 copies were ordered, and two years later, the millionth copy rolled off the production line. With continuous development, new formats, and paper options, the CEWE PHOTOBOOK has constantly evolved in terms of both creativity and quality. Today, it is Europe’s best-selling photobook, with around six million copies sold annually.

“On the 20th anniversary of the CEWE PHOTOBOOK, many people have an enormous archive of digital photos – most of them taken with their smartphones,” adds Thomas Mehls, CEO of CEWE. “Nevertheless, printed images still hold significant emotional value. Flipping through a bound book, perhaps one documenting a recent trip, a wedding, or an entire year, means something to people.”

73.8 percent take photos with their smartphone – yet printed materials remain central

What has changed most significantly in the past two decades is the way people take photos: Smartphones are now the medium of choice for 73.8 percent of photographers. 27.2 percent of respondents say they take more photos now than before. The digital photo archive is therefore growing rapidly. But the desire for tangible memories, created from the most important moments of the year, remains. According to the latest survey by CEWE and Civey, photo products are particularly popular among 30- to 39-year-olds, and especially among women. Here, 84.6 percent and 71.9 percent, respectively, state that they have already created photo products at least once or even several times. Photo products are especially popular at Christmas: More than half of Germans can imagine giving a photo book as a Christmas gift. 47 percent would put a calendar with personal photos under the tree.

Photography focuses on family, friends, travel, and pets; for most, a family photo is the most important picture in their lives. If they could only keep one photo, over 50 percent of Germans would choose a picture of their loved ones. Travel memories – landscapes, skylines, encounters – come in second place, often immortalized in large-format CEWE PHOTOBOOKS.

“Every CEWE PHOTOBOOK is as individual as the people behind it – with our products, we want to enable memories not only to be preserved but truly experienced and shared. We ensure that both major life moments and the small, everyday moments of happiness are given a special place,” explains Veronika Zarecki, Product Manager at CEWE. “With all our innovations, we always keep the needs of our customers in mind.” Current examples: For images that deserve to be told in a grand way, there’s the panorama page in the CEWE PHOTOBOOK XL – the double-sided, fold-out page, with a width of over one meter, offers ample space for spectacular photos. And the memory bag keeps the small mementos of a trip, such as tickets, maps, and notes, right where they belong to the story.