Awakening the Undead: The Rebirth of Print Marketing

Our lives seem to be increasingly lived online, and as a result, a lot of marketing has followed suit and now primarily exists digitally. As we navigate through a landscape inundated with video ads, social campaigns, and marketing emails, it’s easy to overlook the enduring power of the tangible and tactile printed advertisements. Many continue to debate if print marketing is dead, but you only have to look around you to realise print is still very much alive and kicking.

Print marketing is often associated with adverts in newspapers or glossy magazines, but print marketing is so much more than that. Print marketing includes any tangible item that promotes your business. This can consist of anythingfrom business cards, leaflets and posters to billboards, flyersand merchandise.

Unfortunately, due to the rise of digital marketing, many have neglected print marketing. However, just because print marketing is not as widely used as it once was does not mean that any of the benefits of using it have diminished. Here are some of the many advantages of utilising print marketing:

Print is trusted

When it comes to trust and purchase, print advertisements are highly trusted by consumers. In fact, 82% of consumers trust print advertisements when making a purchase decision. Print marketing is very well established, and it’s due to this that consumers feel they can trust information in print. We all know the saying ‘don’t believe everything read on the internet’. Today many more people are aware of misinformation online, which automatically makes them slightly cautious of online content.

Audiences have developed digital fatigue

Today, many of us are constantly exposed to digital marketing. The internet can sometimes feel crowded, and it feels more challenging than ever to cut through the noise of the constant stream of online content.

Consumers today are much savvier at detecting paid adverts online, which means they are better at ignoring ads. Online marketing can be scrolled past, deleted from emails, and refreshed without hesitation.

Less competition

Contrasting to the online noise, we are now exposed to less print marketing. This presents an excellent opportunity for your brand to stand out. People receive far less physical mail than in the past, and this means your marketing material is much more likely to grab their attention.

Yes, people do throw out mail without even looking at it, and this is why print marketing should always be used in tandem with other channels to ensure your audience is constantly being exposed to your brand, wherever they are.

Your audience might not be online

If you want to target an older audience, then print marketing might be the best option for your business. It’s easy to assume that everyone today is glued to their phones or chronically online, but that’s not always the case.

It’s important to remember people have different preferences on how they want to consume information. Some of your audience may prefer to find out about your business from a video but others may prefer to read about you. To maximise your brand awareness, your business needs to exist both digitally and physically.

Print is Tangible

Print marketing has a unique advantage in that it offers a physical presence that’s hard to miss. This tactile experience creates a lasting impression. Physical marketing lingers around our homes or businesses. This can be in the form of a business card pinned to a notice board or a flyer that we leave by our pile of mail by the door. Digital marketing is much more fleeting in comparison, and this is why we often use retargeting ads within digital marketing strategies to continuously expose consumers to our brand.

Irreplaceable charms

We live in a time where we have nostalgia for all things physical. Over the last decade, there’s been a rise in the sales of physical books and records. We all seem to yearn for a time when not everything existed in the digital realm. This may be one of the reasons print marketing has made a big comeback lately. Print media seems to possess an irresistible charm for consumers, and many people proudly display prints of marketing material around their homes as decoration. This shows just how sentimental people feel towards print marketing.

Print is Engaging

Print adverts are highly engaging, with88% of people taking the time to look through the print advertisements they receive. Research has also shown that information is easier to process and retain when it’s in print.

Digital content has to be much more concise to hold an audience's attention, which means that we often have to condense a message when it goes out digitally. In contrast, print can maintain the attention of an audience for longer and therefore, it can make it a great option when you need to include more detailed information.

Print works perfectly with digital marketing

Your print marketing campaigns don’t have to exist separately from your digital campaigns. In fact, print campaigns can serve as a bridge to connect offline audiences with your online presence. One of the easiest methods to blend print and digital is by using QR codes. Marketers can incorporate QR codes on printed materials to encourage consumers to delve deeper, learn more, or make purchases. QR codes can be printed on just about anything, from flyers to merchandise, and can be linked to a variety of destinations. QR codes have the power to direct users to a website, prompt app downloads, unlock special offers, or leave reviews. If it can be done on a smart device, a QR code can make it happen.

Successful marketing campaigns adopt an omni-channel approach to reach audiences at every touch point and drive results. Print and digital campaigns should be cohesive and should both exist to achieve the shared goal of your marketing campaigns. When print and digital strategies are combined, it has been proven to make digital campaigns 400% effective.

Print marketing has never died and it is in fact still a powerful tool that businesses can use to their advantage, even in a digital age. Print marketing has truly stood the test of time and continues to win over audiences with its tangible and engaging qualities.

Are you looking for help with your print or digital marketing? We are here to help you. Our mission is to gain a deep understanding of your customer base, enabling us to tailor our approach effectively, whether through digital channels, print media, or, for optimal results, a cohesive multi-channel campaign. From strategic planning to development, creative design, and seamless distribution, we offer comprehensive assistance at every stage of your marketing campaign. Get in touch with us at hello@ewe.agency or call us on 01943 872505.