The Importance of Print

In this day and age of increased consumption of information through digital media, the importance and relevance of print media always seems to be in question. As a multi-channel marketing firm, Chartwell is always looking at our client’s communications needs and the best outlets for their message. We strive toward balancing old and new media. This, nearly always, includes print.

We know that older and global audiences more consistently engage with print. What this says to me though, is that there is a great opportunity to engage younger demographics with print, as it is a less noisy medium with this group. Also, in this day and age of digital media, there is a certain credibility to printed content. There is a sense of care and thought that is perceived with the printed word.

Is this a defense of print as a medium? No. I think it defends itself. This is more of a reminder of its contribution and worth. In trying to find an analogy of how I feel about print and its importance to marketing, I came to this conclusion: It’s like the difference between reading a book and watching a movie. I rarely hear someone say they liked the movie better.

Here are some reasons print is still important in your communications:

It’s Tangible

Print, by its physical nature, demands that you engage with it. This increases the amount of time that someone spends with your marketing. The ability to hold, touch, feel and engage with something, tends to immediately give that thing a sense of value and permanence. Its physical form, in turn, opens up a world of possibilities for presenting itself. This leads into the next subject of its ability to enhance your brand.

It Enhances Your Brand

From a simple postcard to a multi-piece, explorative, dimensional mailer, the level of physical engagement with print is endless. Your brand is immediately heightened by the choice of papers; the use of matte and gloss varnishes; the use of die cuts and folds. You have a control over your brand that you just don’t get with digital media. You can accurately control color, fonts and layout. All of these things can contribute to creating a premium brand experience.

It Has Longevity

Print has the tangibility and ability to create a premium brand experience and lends to its longevity. It has real presence in contrast to the ephemeral nature of digital media, that is more: Here today. Gone tomorrow. As opposed to print, which I think of as: Here today. Then on your counter. With print you have created a physical reminder of your brand and message. An artefact, to be kept and valued.

 It Helps You Reach Your Target Audience

Leveraging good data and demographics to know where your customer is looking is the first step to determining how to reach your target audience, and we have that information more now than ever. Print also gives you the ability to focus your communications on specific audiences large and small, from placing an ad on a billboard for the general public, to an ad in a niche trade publication. That’s what gives print its punch.

It’s Always On

Print has no reliance on device or battery life. You can take it with you wherever you go. Maybe even pass it along. (No internet connection required.)