Digital is baked into everything we see and do, so it’s no surprise many consumers are now experiencing ‘digital fatigue’. But how do you differentiate yourself from the digital noise without impacting your overall marketing efforts? The answer is simple: print.
In fact, 92% of 18- to 23-year-olds find it easier to read print over digital content, meaning if marketing in print can even hold sway over the digitally dominated Gen Z, you’re in for an easy win.
Print: Profound, Prosperous and Progressive
Print marketing offers many benefits to those who utilise it. It continues to hold its weight against digital competitors and offers your customers a breath of fresh air — giving them a tangible product to hold that evokes strong emotions.
By combining print and digital marketing, you can increase the success of your online campaigns by 400%.
But how is print so effective in a world consumed by digital? Print can charm its consumers in many ways that digital can’t. Let’s look at the unique ways print can steer your marketing campaigns to success.
Tangibility
Print materials are a physical presence that can leave a lasting impression. By using compelling imagery, the consumers’ sight is stimulated and you can ignite the senses through touch by carefully selecting the right paper for print. This multisensory approach helps improve your brand’s memorability.
Targeted Reach
Print marketing can benefit local businesses or those looking to conduct geographically specific campaigns.
Your campaigns can be highly targeted to send direct mail to specific demographics or geographic areas, helping you reach your preferred audience.
Less Competition
Marketing in print allows you to stand out in a less crowded space. Digital ads are everywhere and can be overwhelming, whereas print media can be a welcome break for those bombarded with digital clutter.
Engagement
Print materials hold attention and drive engagement much better than digital content. In an online space, digital ads can be quickly scrolled past or ignored, whereas readers may spend more time with printed materials, giving them time to absorb the message you’re promoting.
Don’t Forget About Digital
Although print marketing is a powerful tool in its own right, the fusion of print and digital can propel your marketing efforts to the next level.
But how can you tap into this? There are a lot of smart, out-of-the-box tactics marketers can use to pique the interest of potential customers.
Let’s take a look at some quick wins using print marketing.
QR Codes
One of the most useful marketing assets print marketers can use is QR codes. QR codes seamlessly bridge the gap between print and digital by allowing potential customers to use their devices to unlock unique content.
Social Media Integration
By including information about your social media platforms on your printed materials, you can encourage potential customers to engage with your brand on a more personal level, helping increase brand trust and recognition.
Are you running a competition? Perhaps you’re promoting the use of a brand-specific hashtag. Shout about it using print marketing.
Landing Pages
Create specific landing pages on your website for print campaigns. Include a call-to-action on your print materials that directs readers to these landing pages for more information or special offers.
Bridging the Gap
The success of print and digital marketing campaigns can be seen far and wide, with many industry leaders adopting this approach to maximise their reach and influence.
Looking for some inspiration? Here are some of our favourite creative campaigns that have left an impact.
McDonald's Monopoly
It's the time of year McDonald's fanatics wait all year for. The restaurant chain's Monopoly promotion combines print and digital elements perfectly, by having customers collect printed game pieces from their food packaging and then enter their codes digitally to potentially win prizes.
It works perfectly. Customers purchase food, collect their print pieces and actively continue purchasing to try and win big prizes. In fact, some influencers have created challenges on how much they can spend as part of this campaign in the hope the prizes are worth the investment.
Share a Coke
Another popular example of a huge brand successfully combining print with digital is Coca-Cola's 'Share a Coke' campaign — an iconic campaign that integrates print with digital advertising. The brand printed common names on their cans and bottles, sending fans into a frenzy to find their names. Once they did, they flooded social media to share their experience and created a huge buzz with their user-generated content.
IKEA's Augmented Reality Catalogue
IKEA created a memorable experience for its shoppers by combining its printed catalogue with augmented reality. Readers could use the IKEA app to scan specific pages in the catalogue, allowing them to display 3D models of furniture in their living spaces before purchasing. This interactive experience is a perfect example of bridging the gap between print and digital by demonstrating IKEA's products practically.
These three examples are just a few memorable ways brands have combined print with digital. If you want more inspiration on how you can do the same, there are 10 more examples in this blog to inspire you.
Uncover the Secrets
Delve into our comprehensive playbook, where we uncover the best print materials you can use through every stage of the buyer’s journey and offer top design tips to make your print materials stand out from the crowd.
