Will print media become obsolete?
Has print media become obsolete already? Since the arrival of the Internet, people have been waiting for the death of print media. Does it still hold a place in the future of advertising? Members of Forbes Communications Council share their thoughts on the future of print advertising.
Will print media become obsolete? These experts DON'T think so.
- Print will continue to be valuable where there is a physical customer presence. - Dave Matli, Parasail Health | Matli Consulting LLC
Print makes sense when there is physical contact with your customers such as a retail store or event. For example, medical payment plan products make sense in a doctor's waiting room. And direct mail is the most effective way to reach senior citizens.
- Luxury consumers will still value tangible ad platforms.- Ashley Murphy, Stribling & Associates
Glossy magazines and major publications hold a certain value that online doesn't. This tangible platform resonates well with luxury consumers and clients.
- Print will allow brands to rise above the digital racket. - Brandon Ortiz, Salesforce.org
The ubiquity of digital media has given print media an edge. The feeling that comes along with a written letter as opposed to an email. If you're trying to target a C-level audience, you may want to forget about email. It may just be deleted. However, what would happen if you take your e-book, print it and mail it to the exec's office? In that case, it might get to their desk and leave a lasting impression.
- Print will need to complement and encourage digital interactions. - Jeannie Ruesch, xero.com
If your target audience reads print magazines as a regular part of their day, then print ads should be a part of your marketing mix. Print ads will be more effective when they are complemented with existing digital campaigns and entice readers to interact with your brand online.
Will print media become obsolete? These experts DO think so.
Print ads won't make sense in our dynamic screen environment. - Courtney Dale, ICM Consulting and Media CorporationPaper does not provide the features that the future of advertising will depend on. The moment something is printed, it's frozen in time. Audiences want to see vivid, immersive, dynamic displays that are time relevant down to the minute.
- Paper will become cost prohibitive, killing the last print campaigns. - Stephan Baldwin, franchisegator.com
Eventually, newspapers and magazines will only be found in museums. Direct mail will be the last of print, as a physical mailbox will be the only place that print can reach that digital can't. With everything online, the cost of paper becomes cost prohibitive.Our opinion? Marketing Keys believes in a perfect blend of online and offline media. We feel there is still a place for print media and utilize this strategy for our clients in various ways through sticky notes on the cover of publications, cover strip ads, inserts in publications, display ads, targeted direct mail campaigns etc. Print is still relevant to reach aging baby boomers and the over 55+ demographic and can also be effective to drive your target online.