Since the advent of the internet in 1989, the need for traditional printed materials has been under threat. Now almost 30 years on, print is having some what of a renaissance.
In a world with emails, tablets and smart phones, why do we even need print?
According to Bauer Media, 84% of readers said they found themselves more engaged when reading a print magazine.
A Neilsen survey also found adverts in magazines and newspapers were still trusted by more than 50% of those surveyed compared to 38% for search engine adverts and 34% for social media adverts.
So why is print seen as such a reliable medium?
With the internet breeding a wealth of fake and inaccurate news, people are turning to print magazines as a trusted source.
For years it has been expected that the next generation will use tablets and mobiles as their only resource for information and yet according to global web index in 2016, 72% of millennials say that they read a print product on a typical day.
Gen Z, the newest generation that proceed millennials also respond well to magazine display advertising with 55% of them being influenced. In contrast, this plummets to just 30% for mobile display advertising and so despite their digitally dominated media consumption, Gen Z can still be impressed by traditional media.
What we must realise is that the millennials have lived in a digital age for most of their lives and Gen Z have never known anything different, therefore traditional print is the digital detox that the new generations crave for.
Too much of one thing is never to good for anyone, so many people are now turning to print as a break from the norm. A printed magazine through the door is far more likely to get a reaction than any advert pushed through a digital space.
The limitation of space within print publications can guarantee that the content within is accurate, meaningful and highlights what you need to know, rather than you having to sift through pages and pages of information to find the answer.
I don’t think that people are going to be putting their technology in the bin straight away but there definitely is still a place for print in todays digital society and making it a part of your marketing mix maybe the thing that makes you stand out from the crowd.