Peering into the future for print as a leading advertising medium: John Blyth
17 August 2024: John Blyth, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe, analyses whether the continuing eclipsing of print is a foregone conclusion or there is life still in this cherished medium.
Print’s place among the top tier of advertising channels is under threat. The inexorable rise of digital media has been pushing print to the margins for some time.
Is the continuing eclipsing of print a foregone conclusion or is there life in this cherished medium still?
Ulbe Jelluma, the director of Print Power, has recently given a thoughtful interview in which he explored the prospects for print in this digital age. Noting that less than five percent of advertising expenditure in Great Britain is allocated to print, he highlights the headwinds buffeting print’s position as a major advertising channel.
These include measurability (there are simply more data points available from online media) and the youthful specialists who create media plans, as “digital natives”, are steeped in the online realm and its metrics. Ulbe says: “This generation has less understanding of print’s role, making the qualitative element less relevant. Often, print is overlooked in media plans and many important facts are missed.”
Clients too are often Millennials or Generation Z, and it is easier to convince them to invest in a social media campaign as opposed to a magazine advert.
And it’s true that measuring print and online media with the same metrics for direct comparison purposes is not very viable, but there is no shortage of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of print as an advertising medium. Ulbe cites the 2024 ThinkBox study where print delivered the best profit return on investment over both 13 week and two year periods. And research by Ebiquity which also showed print’s effectiveness compared to other channels.
It seems that the compelling findings are being ignored though, and the downbeat prognosis for print’s advertising role feels about right.
However, Ulbe spotlighted a big consideration set to positively affect the adoption of print as an advertising medium. It’s the growing dissatisfaction with social media, especially as a source of reliable information. Fake news, AI-commodified content, and the drift towards sensationalism in pursuit of shares are breeding mistrust among consumers. Two recent American studies (Pew Research and University of Florida) show these trends and their contribution to consumer scepticism.
In this febrile environment, there will be, Ulbe asserts, a return to trusted brands and quality journalists. Printed magazines and newspapers from reputable publishers will benefit from this flight from uncertainty.
There is another major factor that will drive increasing print use, and this is its proven superiority for information retention.
International research that substantiates this declaration includes 2024 research from America using EEG measurements which indicated deeper reading and learning from paper. As a result, some countries such as Sweden have returned to traditional textbooks and have prohibited mobile phones in classrooms.
So, there is hope for print, as the bullish assessments of drupa by leading vendors would also imply. Educational applications are poised to flourish, although the marketing arena, as Ulbe says, is not fully embracing the benefits of print advertising. The decision makers here have not yet absorbed and acted upon the persuasive data highlighting its unique value in enhancing comprehension, retention, and overall engagement that is out there.
This is where we all have a role to play – evangelising the special power of print among those leaders – many of whom, whether from agencies or brands, are your clients. We should all take any opportunity to help them to see that print can be the smart choice and a magic ingredient to elevate a campaign to another level.
www.ricoh-europe.com
