In 2025, it feels like the whole world is online, and we’re constantly bombarded with brand messaging from all corners of the web. Every time we unlock our phones, browse social media, use a search engine, visit a website, or receive an email, we engage with marketing content — whether we’re looking for it or not.
So, is print marketing still relevant in our digital-first world, or is it time to ditch it? At B&B Press, we’re firmly in the first camp, and in this blog, we’ll outline our top seven reasons why we still believe in the power of print.
Read on to learn more about:
- The Antidote to Screen Fatigue
- Sensory Appeal
- Credibility & Trust
- Attention-Grabbing (and Sustaining)
- Big Impact, Low Cost
- Print & Digital Work Hand In Hand
- Supporting Your Green Initiatives
1. The Antidote to Screen Fatigue
With over 54% of the world’s population carrying a smartphone in their pocket, and over 60% of people across the globe actively using social media, it’s no surprise that digital marketing has taken off the way it has in recent years.
With so much of our time spent scrolling through social media and absorbing content from the screens we carry around with us, digital marketers have increasingly found new ways to frame their messaging and deliver content that taps into their audience’s unmet needs. From simple social posts and targeted ads through to viral video campaigns and TikTok trends, digital marketers have never had as many tools in their arsenal to achieve their marketing goals.
But how does this look on the flip side? Well, it’s safe to say, it’s not always positive. A 2022 report revealed that 49% of survey respondents felt they actively suffered from digital fatigue, with those aged 18 to 34 amongst the most affected.
The impact? As consumers, we often find ourselves pulled in by the algorithms, passively encountering digital content on platforms that are so oversaturated, it’s easy to get lost in the endless scroll. Whilst for marketers, the challenge of making their brand stand out from the crowd and deliver something meaningful is becoming harder and harder every day.
The answer? Supplementing an engaging digital campaign with a purpose-driven offline marketing strategy — in print! With all eyes turned to the screen, messaging that’s delivered in print and arrives through the letterbox is now even more impactful, especially when complemented by an online experience that helps people to interact with your brand.
2. Sensory Appeal
When it comes to effective marketing, the more senses you can invoke, the more likely you are to create a memorable experience for your audience. And as it stands, print is the only channel that can help you to achieve true multi-sensory marketing.
Think about it — with print, you can feel the quality in your hands, you can smell the pages hot off the press, or even apply a specific fragrance to the printed material that your audience will learn to link with your brand. Impactful visual designs pull the attention and stand out on the page, made even more effective when produced by a quality printer. With a physical advertising channel like print, you can even invoke the sense of taste by providing individually packaged samples for your recipients to try.
3. Credibility & Trust
It’s a simple fact that people need to trust your brand before they’ll buy into your products or services, and print marketing is amongst the best ways to build brand trust.
In fact, research published by the Harvard Business Review indicated that 82% of customers rely on print ads when deciding what to buy, with other traditional marketing methods far outranking social media advertising: TV ads (80%), direct mail (76%), and radio ads (71%) are all generating greater brand trust. (Source: Social Shepherd).
This data suggests that brands can develop trust and credibility with even the most skeptical buyers by leveraging the power of print marketing.
4. Attention-Grabbing (and Sustaining)
With so much online content for us to browse and be entertained by, it’s no surprise that our attention span is reducing every day. The challenge of creating scroll-stopping content is greater than ever, and marketers need to find new ways to cut through the noise and make sure their messaging stands out.
Print can provide the perfect solution to this challenge. When you create an impactful piece of print marketing - something that looks great, feels great, and reads well - not only is it more likely to encourage audience engagement, but the time spent engaging with your content will be longer. In fact, a study conducted in 2022 revealed that readers spend on average 20 minutes engaging with a print publication.
Add this to the fact that something as tactile as print can be passed around, kept on a desk, or displayed, and you have a solution that provides endless opportunities for getting your brand in front of people.
5. Big Impact, Low Cost
Quality impressions are difficult to generate solely through digital channels, and digital marketing is no longer the cheapest or most effective option for reaching your potential customers.
The boom in digital’s popularity over the last 15+ years has brought marketing budgets firmly into play, and those with bigger budgets tend to be bigger winners in the digital space. With more to invest in paid advertising, better-designed platforms, and comprehensive online campaigns, it’s easier for larger businesses to dominate across all channels, while smaller businesses are left struggling to stand out and compete for online attention.
Incorporating an effective print campaign into your marketing strategy doesn’t need to cost the earth, and can be a great opportunity to deliver your messaging to audiences who are harder to reach online.
6. Print & Digital Work Hand In Hand
When it comes to selling a product, service, or experience, there are some details that simply can’t be fully demonstrated when reduced to pixels on a screen. For some, the best way to communicate a sense of luxury, quality, and sophistication is by designing a piece of print that fully showcases what’s on offer.
That being said, digital content can encourage audiences to immerse themselves in whatever you’re selling, through interactive experiences and opportunities to create expansive customer journeys.
Both marketing methods have their pros and cons. By adopting an omnichannel approach that combines digital content with traditional marketing approaches, you can design an effective strategy that draws on the best of both.
This is the path a lot of modern marketers are following, with excellent results. Printed materials are a great way to grab audience attention and stop them in their tracks, whilst also providing an opportunity for customers to engage further and continue their journey online via QR codes and personalised URLs.
This way, you can continue to build connections with interactive digital content that’s regularly updated, while still delighting your customers with printed materials that showcase what your brand is all about.
7. Supporting Your Green Initiatives
In 2025, green is a big deal. Today’s consumer no longer makes purchasing decisions based purely on the brand’s name or product; they’re looking to develop deeper connections with the brands they buy from, and are actively seeking brands whose values and practices align with their own.
As printing technology continues to develop, brands are now able to provide personalised experiences in print while demonstrating their sustainability values by partnering with a Carbon Balanced Printer.
Find out more about how you can take steps to lower your carbon footprint and protect the planet, while delivering impact in print.
Set Your Brand Apart with a Strategic Omnichannel Strategy
Using just one marketing channel could mean you’re missing out on reaching potential customers. A strategy that combines well-planned digital content with well-designed, high-quality print can help you maximise your marketing opportunities and generate greater results for your business.
Download our comprehensive guide to learn more about how you can level-up your marketing by leveraging the power of print. |
