Is print advertising dead? We don’t think so…

Is print advertising dead? We don’t think so…

As much as digital media has developed at light speed and has become more ingrained within our daily lives, print advertising is still very much alive and kicking, although it is hard to understand why sometimes when digital media is cheaper and more efficient in reaching a wider audience in a timely manner. But the question is, is it more effective than print?

A study has shown that print advertising left a positive impression compared to digital by using techniques such as eye tracking and biometric measurements to observe a persons reaction. It also showed that they viewed printed publications for longer periods of time.

The answer is simple – people enjoy seeing, touching, folding the page corners to save your favourite articles with a printed publication more than they can engage and interact with an online one, plus they are more likely to remember it. Furthermore, a magazine or newspaper could be kept in a house or an office desk for years whereas digital ads and publications are live for a short period of time and are sometimes instantly forgotten.

Thinking of going digital?

For communicating your brand broadly, print is the ideal medium for establishing this. People seem to pay more attention to print advertising while digital is easily overlooked on the internet. Why? Because some people purposely ignore banner ads they see online – also known as ‘banner blindness’. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use digital marketing as people are spending up to two hours a day on social media. This proves that the internet is an invaluable place to target your audience and gain potential clients.

It’s hard to deny the influence print advertising has on us when you see banners on the side of buses, posters on the high streets and in retail shop windows. It will never be replaced by digital marketing as marketers are now realising that so much content is being produced digitally that they want to stand out from their competitors and return to having a quality designed printed piece.

The importance of a quality print finish

What kind of message are you sending your audience if you are giving out business cards that feel like paper than card or a brochure that looks like it’s been printed on a standard office printer and stapled together. You can increase your sales and business growth if you make sure the finish is just as important as the design when your thinking about your next piece of printed marketing or stationary. This includes the paper stock, print quality and the print finish. Here are a few special finishes to create that outstanding piece:

• Varnishes (Machines/Gloss/Matt/Silk/UV)
• Lamination (Gloss/Matt/Satin)
• Embossing and Debossing
• Letterpress
• Die Cutting
• Foil Stamping/Blocking
• Metallic Inks
• Holographic Foils
• Pearlescent and Iridescent Inks
• Edge Printing

Facts to remember

• The brand should match the business growth
• A strong brand requires a strong design
• A business with quality services should also have quality marketing material