In this day and age with the technology and advancement of web, email and social media we can reach thousands of viewers instantly with whatever digital venue we choose. We all know that you can have a campaign up and running instantly with literally with a click of a button and 1/4th of the budget.
This topic has been talked about alot in my tenure as a graphic professional so I am not digging up anything new. But the reality is - the print industry has changed. Am I saying that I think it is totally going away or that print is dying? Absolutely not... But just in the last 3-5 years I have seen a dramatic shift in print requests and direct mail campaigns.
Another strike against the print industry is the added concerns for the environment: recycling, chemical disposal and overall waste. Most printers do their best to meet eco-friendly guidelines but there is still the extra cost and work to comply with the "green" movement.
I am kind of bummed by all of this because I think print is still an effective and very creative vehicle for getting a message out. There is still something special about getting a really cool direct mail piece in your mailbox, or visiting a dealership and bringing home a glossy brochure of your favorite car. Who doesn't remember flipping through the Christmas toy catalog and bookmarking the things you dreamed to have. Even as a designer I find myself hoarding paper sample books because I think they are cool.
Look at the effectiveness of print this way:
How many emails do you trash not even looking at them because you consider it spam or junk mail or that don't even make it to your inbox due to spam filters? On the other hand... How many high quality printed snail mail pieces do you toss without giving them a once over to a least see the message or craftsmanship on their way to the trash? I know my answer to this...print is generally more effective in comparison.
Overall I think the internet is a tremendous tool, however, print is still much needed. A downloadable PDF isn't going to replace a beautiful brochure, printed on high quality paper (might cost less but not as effective). Consumer products still require packaging. Stores will always need point of sale displays. Retail still needs shopping bags, tags, and promotional items. Restaurants still need menus. Business cards, letterhead and envelopes remain necessary elements for every business. People still read textbooks and novels.
Bottom line: Print is here to stay (that is, until we find a way to market telepathically). Let us help you figure out how best to leverage both print and digital medias to maximize your message. Sometimes you need both, and other times one more than the other, but lets face reality, print is always going to be part of the equation.
Until next time,
Jeremy
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