VistaPrint Moves Closer to One-Stop Shop With Crello Acquisition

By Sean Norris

VistaPrint last week announced the launch of Vista, a new parent brand comprising VistaPrint, 99designs, Wix and Crello, the company's newest acquisition. Crello is a digital design platform (similar to Canva) that allows users to create and edit images for the web and social media. As part of the acquisition, Crello will rebrand to VistaCreate.

It's the latest in a line of moves from VistaPrint designed to transform the company from online print seller to one-stop shop for small-business customers. In August, VistaPrint partnered with Wix, the website-building platform. In October 2020, it acquired 99designs, a platform for finding freelancers in logo design, custom apparel, custom printed materials and other advertising services.

Crello adds to that offering with a "vast library of professionally designed, user-friendly templates" that allow VistaPrint customers to "create first-rate social media and digital marketing assets within minutes utilizing the VistaCreate website and mobile apps available for both iOS and Android devices," according to a press release announcing the acquisition.

We're proud to introduce VistaCreate. Now it’s easy to create professional and unique social content for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and so much more. Start designing today: https://t.co/DQx5BcdVCH pic.twitter.com/w1UNqXJgVq

— VistaPrint (@Vistaprint) October 27, 2021

According to Vista, Crello has millions of existing users creating more than a million projects per month. The acquisition also includes Depositphotos, a stock content platform featuring over 200 million images, videos and more, royalty-free.

“Over 20 years ago, VistaPrint invented online design and publishing tools for print marketing materials to empower small businesses to create attractive designs without having to learn complex software," said Vadim Nekhai, former CEO of Depositphotos and now vice president of VistaCreate. "VistaCreate brings the same simplicity to social media and other forms of digital design, and Depositphotos brings a vast library of high-quality imagery, videos and music. We look forward to being part of the Vista team as we continue to innovate together to help small businesses look and feel professional both online and offline.”

Above: Logos for Vista (the new parent brand of VistaPrint, 99designs and other Vista brands) and VistaCreate (formerly Crello)

Vista's lineup of products and services now includes printed materials, branded merchandise, graphic design (both freelance via 99designs and self-service via Crello), website creation, digital marketing materials and more. That reflects the broader trends we've seen occurring over the last several years in the promo industry, with customers increasingly looking for one-stop shopping solutions.

“For more than 20 years we have helped small businesses look and feel credible, and as their needs have changed, we have evolved with them,” said Robert Keane, founder and chief executive of Vista and its parent company Cimpress. “We’re excited to announce our new parent brand Vista, which reflects our ongoing transformation into the expert design and marketing partner for small businesses around the world. The launch of VistaCreate is a critical part of this journey, providing small businesses with access to a world class social media creative design solution.”

As part of a marketing push touting its new capabilities, Vista announced in June that it will be the "official design partner" for the Washington Football Team, handling the team's rebrand. And, earlier this year, Cimpress signed a multi-year deal for HP Indigo digital presses designed to grow its footprint in the online personalized print products market.