Exploring the Power of Print

The amount spent on advertising reached £20bn in the UK, for the first time in the year, where more than 60 per cent of the investment was made into digital platforms.

The report by GroupM found the spending on traditional media will fall by 0.7 per cent in 2019, which includes the combination of TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, and other ads.  Individually, a rise in investment in radio ads by 7 per cent (up to £535million) has been forecasted. Outdoor advertising expense is expected to grow at a rate of 2.7 per cent, and cinema will increase by 1 per cent. 

Some companies, such as Procter and Gamble, reduced their spending on digital media, cutting millions in digital ads as they found it unproductive. Unilever is the second-largest advertiser where its marketers find - digital media advertisements are no better than a swamp. 

Digitalisation made changes to the way people access to print. Both online and paper-based flyers are similar in purchasing behaviour, while one can select the best of two depending on a number of factors such as cost and reach. 

Print vs Digital

• Research by the Journal of Advertising Research (JAR) found the impact of online promotional communication, e.g. online flyers and print, on buyers' memory or purchase behaviour was analogous.

• The strategies for e-commerce websites should target new buyers rather than reduce costs.  

• Marketers have shifted to online media, but most high-profile marketing strategies include videos, social media, websites, and printed booklets, where booklets are offered to executives during conferences and exhibitions.

• Such printed materials are published and distributed to people who control spending.  

• In many significant cases, brand managers and agencies will provide documents, notes, and prints worth more than online marketing banners or other tools.

• Such material is extraordinarily versatile, practical, and malleable. People mostly keep such items to read during leisure, where a lot of information validates the use of print media. 

Most organisations are shifting to digital marketing, but some exciting opportunities are available through traditional media. The use of emerging technologies and choosing the right path can help growth. Many brands realise that only digital marketing strategies can limit their audience and scope. Therefore, all marketing campaigns should balance available technologies and include multimedia, the internet, and other strategies. 

Last year, 3.6 million people used paper information, which is considered the most trusted. It helps foster relationships with the buyers and offers exclusive information where some complex information can be easily absorbed into the brain. 

Although online media is growing, print has a staying power where it makes up for longevity and shareability.  In addition, it can captivate readers and offer better engagement where one can find the in-depth analysis on a single topic and spend hours reading the same at the same time; some digital ad messages provide hurried messages that are distracting, disconcerting, and vague. 

For more information, contact Mont Digital at www.montdigital.com or email info (@) Montdigital.com.