Science Tells Us Print Marketing Is Still the Best

They say that when someone can hold, touch, and interact with something, they’re more likely to remember it than just seeing a picture of it. That’s what researchers concluded in a 2014 study published by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. The researchers analyzed human memory regarding 3D versus 2D objects. What does this mean for marketing? When you print something tangible, customers are more likely to remember your brand or product over digital ads. Here is what the science says.

Print Marketing Offers Better Brand Recall and Trust

Sight, touch, smell–the stimulation of senses can help us recall information. Research has shown that this is why information consumed on paper can be remembered more easily than other kinds of media. Just being able to touch something physically reacts differently in our brains when processing its information.

A lot of messages get lost amongst all the “digital clutter” we have surrounding us–in TV, online, from email, on social media etc. One statistic reports that almost 80% of households either read or scanned direct mail ads, with 44% saying that they then visited the brand’s website.

People tend to view print ads longer than digital ads because of these reasons. Print allows us to connect on a more personal level than digital, which works well if you are aiming for an emotional connection. 56% of people generally believe that print marketing is more trustworthy than other kinds of marketing. Overall, they prefer more traditional marketing formats.

ROI Tells the Story

The return on investment for print is still strong, but print and digital marketing are even better. Pairing as the two can result in campaigns that are up to 400% more effective. It’s not about working against digital marketing but using the whole picture to your advantage. The use of QR codes, landing pages, and other technology can capture your audience with print, then send them to digital avenues.

Even though they may start with print, going to something like a landing page from a print ad can help marketers track their audience’s buyer journey. This can help build a list of leads or customers where you can segment your audience or use personalized marketing to engage with them.

Print as Part of Your Marketing Strategy

No, print is not in the past or “old school.” 92% of 18–23-year-olds report that print is easier to read than digital content. Here are some print ideas to add to your marketing mix:

• Marketing boxes for new hires or prospects
• Collateral for meetings, tradeshows, or conferences
• Direct or intelligent mail
• Exterior signage with QR codes
• Promotional items for events

That said, print is surely still a valuable part of your marketing strategy, no matter which demographic you are trying to reach. If you’re wondering how you can combine both your print and digital efforts in your marketing and sales strategy, reach out and we can help with a solution.