For years, we’ve been told the same story: digital is dominating, print is dwindling fast, and the future of marketing is all online. And yet, in 2026, the data suggests otherwise…
Some of the most exciting, disruptive, fast-growing brands in the world are proving that print is where the marketing magic happens. While legacy brands focus on doubling down on their digital output, challenger brands are finding success with a different approach.
Modern-day marketing campaigns need to hit the numbers, but also deliver on something a bit deeper: memorability over vanity metrics, authentic brand experiences over exposure. And most brands that are challenging the digital norms are turning to print to do so.
Challenger Brand Marketing: Creativity Trumps Cost Every Time
Breakthrough brands don’t always have the luxury of massive media spend. They can’t outbid established players on paid ads to get themselves to the top of the search results, or spend thousands on flooding every digital channel with regular content.
So, instead of building campaigns centred around cost, they’re focusing instead on creativity as the true magic touch that will get them remembered.
In 2026, the reality is that a huge marketing budget simply won’t cut it anymore, and that’s why the big brands have been left vulnerable. With the all-powerful algorithm dictating engagement online, it’s no longer the case that the market will bend in line with whoever throws the most money at it. Creativity is the new currency.
And that’s the beauty of the challenger way of marketing. Yes, challenger brands might be smaller, but it’s thanks to their scale, and their agility, that they have the freedom to break conventions and do things differently; the freedom to take risks without waiting for sign-off from five groups of higher-ups, or try out new approaches that are untouchable to the household names. They’re the marketing rebels, carving new paths for their creatives, outmaneuvering the brands that are stuck in their ways, and using every platform to their ultimate advantage.
Because at the end of the day, the creative aspects of any campaign are the part that gets remembered. The more insightful, relatable, standout, or emotionally resonant the creative messaging and visuals, the more shareable those campaign assets become — increasing impressions, without driving up the budget. As pointed out by Rolling Stone, “The ROI difference between a forgettable ad and one that sparks conversation isn’t 10 percent. It’s exponential.”
When all those eyes are turned towards your brand, it doesn’t just build awareness, it builds brand equity on a much broader scale. The digital dominance of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has taught us that anyone can buy a click, but it takes something truly special to create a fan. Answering a search query with a paid placement might work out for the short-term, but will those PPC engagers remember your brand six months or a year down the line? The challenger brands who are making waves have shown us that, more often than not, creative that resonates on a human level - celebrating storytelling, humour, education, or emotion - is what performs well, sees audiences grow, and develops loyal customers.
Why Print Gives Challenger Brands an Edge
Print doesn’t just level the playing field for challenger brands — it gives them a distinct advantage, enabling them to stand out, be remembered, and make a lasting impact where digital often falls short…
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Print Drives Brand Engagement and Creates Memorable Brand Moments
Challenger brands thrive on recognisability. They need to be instantly identifiable: visually, emotionally, and culturally.
Print enables this in a way digital often struggles to replicate. Printed materials break marketing messaging free from the screen to find people in the real world, and their tangibility allows for deeper memory encoding as a result. The data backs this up: according to recent research, there’s a 77% higher brand recall for print ads vs. 46% for digital ads.
So when you’re working on a bold new poster, an engaging piece of direct mail, or a tactile, beautifully designed insert or brochure, these aren’t just marketing assets. They’re physical expressions and extensions of your brand, and when done right, they’ll be recognised, shared, and remembered.
Learn more about why print outperforms digital when it comes to memorable brand moments.
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Print Combats Digital Fatigue
Modern-day consumers - especially those in younger audiences - are overwhelmed by digital content. Whilst the actual number is difficult to quantify, experts estimate that the average person sees somewhere between 4,000 and 10,000 ads every day, and thanks to digital fatigue, fewer than 100 of these are consciously registered. In fact, consumers have become so accustomed to being bombarded with ads and sponsored content that most choose to actively block it out.
By contrast, print commands significantly more attention. Studies show that physical media requires 21% less cognitive effort to process than digital. And if Gen Z is your target audience, the research suggests that 92% of 18-to-23-year-olds find reading print more manageable. (Learn more about why commercial printing is a secret weapon for youth marketing in our latest blog).
This easier processing is likely one of the reasons why readers spend significantly longer engaging with printed content vs. digital, racking up minutes as opposed to mere seconds. This extended engagement, encouraging undivided focus away from the temptation of the scroll, is another reason brands who invest in print are more likely to be remembered.
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Print Encourages Action
This is where the stats on print’s performance really come into their own. Not only are brands able to share their message and be remembered through the power of print, but it turns out that that engagement and memorability delivers real-world ROI, too. In fact, studies show:
- Print ads generate a 20% higher motivation response; even more so if they engage multiple senses
- Consumers who see print ads also tend to visit the advertiser’s website (up 27% from 12% in 2009)
This speaks to contemporary opinion that a combined approach is key. To really make waves, brands should leverage the best of both channels.
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Print Amplifies Creativity, Not Just Distribution
Digital marketing often rewards scale, whereas print rewards ideas. When executed well, print campaigns don’t just match digital’s performance — they can come out on top.
At global creative awards like Cannes Lions, many standout campaigns still rely heavily on print or out-of-home formats. Some of the most awarded campaigns in recent years have used print to deliver bold, visually striking creative that captures attention instantly and builds emotional resonance.
For challenger brands, who rely on creativity to compete, this delivers a major advantage. These are the brands that understand that print isn’t simply a distribution method: it’s a cultural tool they can leverage not just to promote, but to participate. Think about campaign-led print that becomes part of the conversation, packaging that feels collectible, or out-of-home ad placements that stop people in their tracks (and even encourage shares and selfies). Moments like this showcase the power of print in moving beyond marketing and into culture, which is where challenger brands thrive.
So, What’s the Best Way for Challenger Brands to Make Some Noise?
We may have proven that commercial print is still alive and kicking, but it’s important to acknowledge that digital still has its place in the success of modern brands. The truth is that neither digital nor print completely dominates when it comes to delivering maximum ROI — the real power comes with a combined approach. At least, that’s what the stats suggest:
- Online campaigns are up to 400% more effective when combined with print advertising
- Customers buy up to 250% more frequently when you advertise to your audience across multiple channels (vs. just one channel)
The narrative that print is dead definitely doesn’t hold up, especially when challenger brands are using it to stand out, build culture, and create meaningful brand moments when attention is harder to capture than it ever has been.
The brands that are winning today are the ones that are willing to do things differently, so commercial print isn’t dead: it’s a valuable tool in the strategist’s toolbox.
