Social media, apps, banner ads, search engines – the internet brings a new dimension to the world of advertising. But does it spell disaster for one of the world’s oldest marketing forms? At Bigwave media, we say a resounding no.
This media form is as relevant and popular as ever. Here’s why.
People trust printed marketing
According to a Nielson study, 67% of consumers trust editorial content such as newspaper articles*. Statistics show that it’s the second most trusted source of advertising, after TV.
We can vouch for this. Printed advertising makes up a large percentage of the marketing we produce. Why? Because it’s so effective that our clients continue to use this service.
People trust print advertising because they trust the outlets that they sit in. Outside of this, there is a degree of effort required to organise and distribute print marketing, such as brochures and flyers, compared to the ‘click-and-go’ culture of online advertising.
Printed marketing can be targeted
Eager marketers often fall foul to the ‘spray and pray’ tactic which sees messaging shot out with reckless abandon in the hope that at least some interested parties will be suckered in. Whilst this method shouldn’t always be written off, print media doesn’t always have to be that way. It can be targeted.
More and more, people are using in-depth demographic data to determine the best postcode for their audience. If, for example, you’re running a student offer, then you can target student housing for leaflet drops.
Other examples include adverts in niche newsletters or well-placed brochures in the waiting rooms of relevant organisations, ready to be scooped up by lingering customers.
Print is hard to ignore
Whether it lands on your doorstep or is housed on a billboard next to you in a traffic jam, people simply aren’t as susceptible to ‘blindness’ with printed advertising as they are with other media forms.
This is partly because printed marketing is tangible. On a subconscious level, you build a relationship with things that you can physically feel. This is furthered by a Millward Brown study on the neuroscience behind direct mail**. Whilst the paper makes for a complex piece of reading material, their conclusion is quite simple:
‘The “real” experience that the physical media provides means it’s better at becoming part of memory. It generates more emotion, which should help to develop more positive brand associations. The real experience is also internalized, which means the materials have a more personal effect, and therefore should aid motivation.’
SO…does this mean you should use printed marketing for your campaign?
Abso-bloomin-lutely! Print marketing should be a core facet of any marketing campaign wherever possible. From flyers and posters to vinyl, you would be doing yourself a disservice to miss out on one such an appealing advertising form.
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Bigwave media is a creative growth agency with offices in Exeter, Plymouth & Torquay, Devon. We provide innovative and cost-effective marketing, design and digital services for companies large and small with a focus on excellent results.
We offer a complete range of in-house resources tailored to all marketing needs for effective online and offline campaigns. Take a look at some of our fantastic creations here.