Insert formats

Tip-Ons & Scent Strips

Samples and cards affixed straight to the page.

A tip-on is an item lightly glued ('tipped') onto a printed page — a sample sachet, a loyalty card, a fold-out coupon, or a fragrance strip. Scratch-and-sniff and scent-strip ads are the classic example, turning a flat page into a multi-sensory experience.

How it works: Items are affixed during finishing with removable adhesive. Fragrance strips use microencapsulated scent that releases when the strip is peeled apart or rubbed.

Loose Insert & Supplement

A separate printed piece tucked into the publication.

Loose inserts are standalone printed pieces — leaflets, booklets, samples or whole supplements — slipped between the pages rather than printed into them. They shift and fall out as the reader opens up, demanding a moment of attention.

How it works: Pieces are inserted mechanically during distribution. Because they're separate from the host title, they can use different paper stock, sizes and finishes — from a single leaflet to a multi-page supplement.

Separate stock means more creative freedom — and a piece the reader physically handles.

Bound-in

An insert stitched into the binding.

A bound-in is an insert physically bound into the spine of a publication — a card, booklet or reply device that stays put rather than falling out like a loose insert. Common for response cards, samples and subscription offers.

How it works: Bound in during finishing alongside the regular pages, so it turns like a page and can sit at a chosen position in the issue. Heavier stock and reply devices are common.

Unlike loose inserts, bound-ins stay in place and turn like a page.