In the contemporary digital era, print booklets continue to hold relevance for a multitude of reasons.
Here are five compelling reasons for their continued significance:
Tangibility: Print booklets offer a tangible and tactile experience that digital media cannot replicate. The physicality of a booklet allows for a more immersive and engaging reading experience.
Accessibility: Not everyone has access to digital devices or the internet, making print booklets a more accessible option for those, particularly many older people, who may not have the means to access digital content.
Quantitative research from Age UK shows that the most common reasons households do not have internet access is because they say they do not need it (53%), they lack skills (32%), and due to the cost of equipment (12%) and the cost or access through broadband or telephone (11%).
According to Age UK there are still almost two million over-75s who are not using computers at all.
Branding: Print booklets allow businesses to showcase their brand and messaging attractively and memorably. The physicality of a brochure can leave a lasting impression on the reader. They make great handouts for business presentations.
Convenience: Print booklets are portable and easily carried around, making them convenient for on-the-go reading. Many supermarkets and Argos still use small print brochures, although the more extensive print brochures have been cut due to printing costs.
Nostalgia: For many, print booklets evoke a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality. They connect to a generation and can be cherished as keepsakes or collectables.
Print marketing has higher brand recognition rates.
It means that when someone picks up your leaflet, brochure, flyer, or other printed media, they are more likely to remember your brand than if they were looking at your website.
Each side has its pros and cons; while there are several reasons why print booklets are still relevant, another argument is that they aren’t good for the environment because they use up paper and printing costs more money.
Some of the best campaigns are made up of both print and digital, and with this in mind, many of you will see the benefits of using both alongside each other.
You may be surprised to hear that data from a YouGov survey of UK and US consumers, it was revealed that roughly half of each readership prefers reading magazines in print, with just under a third preferring to read digital.
It also polled more than 111,600 consumers in the UK and nearly 56,000 in the US; YouGov found that 58% of UK readers prefer print magazines, while 47% of Americans get more enjoyment from reading magazines in print. This is compared to just 18% of UK readers and 29% of US readers preferring to read the digital version.
In the UK, just 10% of those aged 55+ preferred reading a digital magazine, which only increased to 32% for those aged 18-24. The figures for respondents stating they chose print were 70% and 39%, respectively.
Famous print and digital campaigns include McDonalds, Ikea and Fanta.
McDonald’s decided to show off a box of their famous fries which were carved out carefully and directly from the very ingredient they’re made from – a potato. The popular outlet toned down their usual approach to match their messaging that everything they do is fresh and not frozen.
Ikea advertisement which stepped out of the box doubled up as a pregnancy test. Where the paper actually acted as a pregnancy test.
The unique difference with this print ad is that Ikea offered potential mums a half-price crib if they used the paper as a pregnancy test and if they tested positive, they’d make a huge saving.
One of Fanta’s most creative campaigns saw the Coca Cola drinks brand boast the title of the first ever tastable print advertisement. Fanta claimed that if you tore off a piece of their advertisement and placed it in your mouth, you’d actually taste the orange flavour like their signature soft drink.
This is what makes print marketing so unique and important in comparison to digital marketing as you can’t physically achieve the same result. You can try tasting Fanta orange off your computer screen or phone, but it probably won’t have the same taste as the real thing!
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5 reasons why print booklets are still relevant in today’s digital age
