Over the past few years, I have been hearing more and more that print is a dying medium and that it is slowly being replaced by advances in digital technology. Companies such as Google and Toshiba have launched national campaigns to go paperless by switching to digital means of marketing communication and recent studies in print advertising have shown that current revenues are at their all time lowest. But does that mean print will one day be a “dead” medium? Far from it…
When was the last time you’ve stumbled upon an article on the web and thought, “this would be much easier to read if it were in print”? Holding that tangible copy in front of you and being able to feel it, smell it, and observe it is all part of the print experience (You can taste it too, but I wouldn’t strongly recommend it). Not to mention, you start to go cross-eyed after reading from a screen for more than a few hours. There are things that you can achieve through print that is not possible when viewing something online.
As for print marketing, this idea also holds true. While we rely on websites, banner advertising and social media to market our companies, print marketing can be just as effective if done correctly. With print, you are able to reach a different audience or demographic that you may not encounter on the web. And you give that audience the physical satisfaction of holding on to and retaining the information you’ve supplied them, whether that be through a brochure, postcard, business card, or packaging.
Since print and online marketing will always have their strengths and weaknesses, I do not believe print will ever be a dead medium. Although you have the ability to immediately update, modify and target online marketing, print has a tangibility that customers are looking for and will always want. Marrying the two is what creates an extremely effective integrated marketing campaign.
At Force 5 we offer graphic design services for all of your printing needs (business cards, brochures, letterheads, etc). We can also work with you to develop an integrated marketing campaign that can tie your website and print material together as one. If you’d like to see examples of our work, check out our portfolio. For more examples of effective print marketing, you can also check out sites such as For Print Only and Print Magazine.
Small Facts about Print:
- CO2 emissions from making a cd are 4 times higher than from printing a 100 page, 4-color annual report (ED #13, Balance, NewPage)
- 76% of small businesses state that their ideal marketing mix is a combination of print and digital communications. (Pitney Bowes Survey/Choose Print)
- Printing is the only medium with a one-time carbon footprint – all other media requires energy every time they are viewed. (2010 PrintCity report on Carbon & Energy)
- 63.5% of all paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered and recycled in 2010. Paper recovery and recycling has increased 77% since 1990. (Ibid/Choose Print/AF&PA)
