The COVID pandemic turned the globe upside down, reworking almost everything we do from how we shop and dress to how we interact with others. As vaccinations become more widespread and businesses begin to reopen, people across industries are scrambling to find their footing. For marketers, the ever-present debate between digital and print marketing continues with less data and more uncertainty.

The bottom line: digital marketing remains vital, yet do not discount print. In fact, POV Print Solution President Chris Yuhasz urges marketers to revamp their print marketing efforts to prepare for reopenings. “Videos, email, digital conferences — all of that still has its place, but people also need a break from the screen,” he says. “As things slowly get closer to normal, organizations need to be ready with the right print pieces to complement their other marketing efforts.”

Let’s dive into why print marketing is still relevant and how print marketing efforts can give you a competitive edge in 2021.

What is Print Marketing and How Has it Evolved?

A good starting point for evaluating the effectiveness and future of print marketing is defining print marketing and looking at the history of the industry. Essentially, print marketing includes all printed promotional materials including flyers, brochures, bulletins, business cards, etc., as well as any ads in newspapers and magazines.

Leading Marketing Platform HubSpot has an interesting article on the history of advertising, which dates back to 3,000 B.C. with a confirmed print ad from ancient Egypt spreading the word about an escaped slave. The first known poster was seen 4,000 years later on church doors in London, and in 1650 the first known newspaper ad was published.

In the 1700s, newspapers began requesting ads, and in the 1800s, John E Powers became known for perfecting ad copy. By the 1900s, images and advertising companies came into play, and in 1925 marketers started creating ads to appeal to emotions. Over the years, radio, television, and computers came onto the scene, yet print remained strong and continued to evolve. It is the oldest and longest lasting form of marketing, and print marketing is not going anywhere any time soon.

The Role of Print Marketing in 2021

As we emerge from the pandemic, benefits of print marketing are apparent.

Stepping Away from the Screen
It is not surprising that during the COVID pandemic, screen time among all age groups increased. A Statista study found that 62% of teens and children spent 4 or more hours a day on electronic devices over the past year. Not only are there many studies on the negative impacts on eyesight with this increased screen time, but also there is ample noise on the screen. Think about every TV commercial, Facebook feed ad, Instagram video, and email campaign that crosses Americans on a daily basis. AdWeek reported that the average person is exposed to over 5,000 digital ads each day and recommends that brands “leverage color and touch to elicit a response and create a memory” offline.

Research from the Canada Post and TrueImpact Marketing further proves the powerful impact of physical advertising compared to digital advertising on the brain. Their comprehensive study found that:
● Direct mail is easier for consumers to understand, more persuasive, and more memorable than digital media.
● People visually process direct mail more quickly than digital media.
● People are more likely to take action after receiving direct mail than they are when encountering digital media.

Bridging the Generational Gap
When was the last time your parents or grandparents logged into TikTok (Do they even know what that is)? In a recent article, ReportLinker discussed the effectiveness of print versus digital ads on both young and old age groups. It turns out, both age groups respond better to physical ads giving companies exposure to all age groups with their print marketing efforts.

If your target audience is baby boomers, consider putting most of your dollars into print advertising. MarketWired found that Baby Boomers devote 2.87 hours per week to reading newspapers and magazines and trust print ads more than online ones.

Reinforcing Your Brand Message
It takes 5-7 touches for people to remember a brand (Source: SmallBizGenius). This means it’s not that one Facebook ad or email campaign or newspaper ad that is going to make you memorable; it is the combination of them all. A strong and consistent brand voice across all platforms is essential.

The best marketers leverage all of their marketing collateral to work together. Emily Morris, PHD, VP of Marketing for Chautauqua Institution recommends using a mailer piece in conjunction with an email or putting user-friendly URLs in your print ads. “Print and digital work together tremendously well — and most often they don’t work well alone,” she says.

Need help building impactful print and digital ads that evoke action? Evoke Idea Group can help. We are a full-service design agency helping brands across all industries tell strong stories through smart marketing communications. For more than two decades, we’ve helped some of the world’s most trusted brands captivate and convert customers through impactful print and digital projects. Our experience allows us to hit the ground running on any size project. Let’s talk to see if we’d be a good fit. Schedule a discover call today by email at hello@evokeideagroup.com or give us a call at (630) 639-8985.

About Evoke Idea Group, LLC

Evoke Idea Group, LLC is a full-service design and marketing creative agency providing award-winning marketing communications and graphic design solutions since 1996. For more than two decades, we’ve helped mid-to-large size B2B and B2C companies, marketing departments and breakout companies captivate and convert customers through print and digital campaigns. We serve a wide range of clients on a national, regional, and local basis.

We are in the business of bringing awareness to brands and helping to grow companies through strategic marketing, digital marketing, advertising, web design, video and graphic design services. Our fresh, creative approaches are translated through: graphic design, logo design, website design, advertisements, infographics, digital marketing, social media marketing, web banner ads, print materials, flyers, case studies, sell sheets, posters, brochures, branding and identity, brand guidelines, packaging, trade show booths, exhibit graphics, video and animated motion graphics.

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