Why It's Not All About Digital -v- Print Advertising

The first thing the panel discussed was why print is so often seen as an alternative to digital channels, rather than complementing them. Perhaps the sheer number of people advertisers can reach for a relatively low cost through digital channels is the answer, but the panel thought this was a short-term view. 

 

Mistrust and familiarity are starting to make inroads into the popularity of digital channels as a standalone option. While Marketing Managers need to show short-term results, longer-term brand building is important and could see a resurgence of print in. 

 

It’s worth taking a closer look at what creativity in print offers for advertisers in a digital age. For example, an on-age QR (quick response) code in a printed advertisement can take readers directly to a campaign landing page. IKEA cleverly used a printed advertisement as a pregnancy test, which couldn’t be done in any other format. Or take a look at the apology campaign run by KFC when it ran out of chicken, which started in print and was widely shared digitally. 

 

In short, association with a print title that has a good reputation adds value and can reach beyond a single campaign. 

 

Teaming up with publications to produce editorial content that supports longer term objectives can also add value. For example, TSB sponsors the Pride of Britain awards. They worked with the newsroom at the Mirror newspaper to highlight the work of charities doing good work across the UK, with the added benefit of promoting the company’s involvement. 

 

Personalisation and measurement techniques have been developed for digital channels that are very appealing to marketers. However, print advertising effectiveness measures have a long-standing track record. There’s plenty of data to show the return on investment (ROI) for print media too. 

 

Increasingly advertisers are taking a strategic multi-channel approach, which research has shown can give brands more of a boost than using a single channel. 

 

Used together, print and digital achieve more than they can alone. The secret is to find the right mix of channels to deliver the best results. Finding clever ways to manage and monitor the use of channels so that responses can be identified and measured is a skill to develop in the future. 

 

In reality, even where brands are reviewing their spending on digital advertising it isn’t translating into a shift back to print. Publications need to make the case for a mixed media approach that can enhance results in the short- and long-term. Creativity and imagination are, as always, the keys to success in print advertising and digital channels offer a whole range of new opportunities too. 

 

We are always happy to discuss the we can support your objectives, so get in touch with the Pulse team for a chat.