International Print Day is an annual global celebration of print every October and it got PG thinking about the role and relevance of printing and writing paper in marketing. Where does printed collateral fit in the marketing mix, in today’s digitally-obsessed world? Holly, PG’s Marketing Assistant picks up the topic in this week’s blog…
Paper & Print in Marketing – is it still relevant?
You can take it as read that in our world of digital media, even the most screen-obsessed among us reach a point of saturation in our day-to-day lives. Now, we’re not saying that digital is dead. In fact, far from it! However, the idea that millennials, although immersed in the digital age, enjoy the use of print media alongside their ‘around the clock’ digital world rings true for many of us. So, it’s no surprise that Omni-Channel marketing, with the inclusion of print marketing, presents itself as a key driver across multiple industries.
So with our ‘paper’ hat on (excuse the pun), as we look at the marketing mix, there is an endless variety of paper types at a marketeer’s fingertips which are ideally suited for the creation of promotional print materials such as flyers, brochures, leaflets and catalogues. These include the likes of C2S, also known as art paper, which provides a variety of high-end finishes such as gloss, silk or matte. Another popular choice is lightweight coated paper (LWC), super calendared A and B (SCA/ SCB), and improved newsprint.
Top retailers continue to integrate print catalogues within their marketing mix, in order to drive sales, even those with a huge digital presence. A great example is the online retail giant, Amazon. The company released their first-ever printed toy catalogue for Christmas 2018 in the USA and not only that, they issued it by direct mail to millions of homes. By taking a step backwards towards traditional advertising as opposed to towards the latest digital trends, Amazon made the headlines (digital, of course!)
A Tangible Difference
Although very much dependent on the business type, traditional print marketing hosts a variety of other benefits. One of which is its tangibility. We’ve all heard of the traditional ‘Paperback Vs. E-book’ debate, hey, we’ve even debated it ourselves here at PG! However, it has been suggested that reading from paper inspires our senses and through touch, smell, sight and sound of the paper we absorb more information and are more likely to remember it. Nats Sijanta, Director of Global Marketing Communications at Mercedes-Benz said: “To hold something in your hands that is physical, has a certain importance, will give it a flavour and extra touch”. It’s that element of tangibility which differentiates print from its digital counterpart. A 2015 study by Quad/Graphics highlighted that millennials do pay attention to print advertising and suggested that “content delivered in paper form is more stimulating than content delivered in virtual or digital form”. This was linked to the idea that tangible materials were perceived as “more genuine”.
An Extended Shelf Life
Alongside this tangible factor comes the longevity of print marketing. How many of us have received a voucher code to use in the future and kept it in our bag, a brochure to read at a quiet moment at home, or perhaps received a quality business card from our favourite restaurant and added it to our wallet for future reference?
Our multilingual team at PG Paper can support all of your prime and Warehouse Stock paper and board requirements across a wide range of printing and writing papers such as C1S/ C2S, LWC and newsprint paper, as well as speciality boards including; embossed boards, laid woven boards and pearlized boards, which are ideal for creating products such as business cards. We’re here to help provide an effective solution for our customers across the globe.
For more information on our printing and writing papers visit our product page here: http://bit.do/fgmv5 and reach out to a member of our sales team to discuss your requirements.