Print Media Isn’t Dead

The communications professional is no stranger to the decline of print media.  The demand for faster information has radically changed the way people get their news and view our advertisements.

What if, however, the return on investment of print media is still worth our attention?

In a recent cross-media study by GfK Panel Services, 10 diverse campaigns were studied, including advertisements for coffee, a travel agency and a few major players like H&M. The study reports the varying performances of traditional print media, magazines, radio, TV and online banners.

Results of the study show that traditional media platforms are not a thing of the past. Print advertisements had the highest success rate among the campaigns with an ROI of %120. That means advertisers can expect to earn back the cost of advertising and earn an additional 20% when using the print platform.

Magazine advertising was an equally surprising success. Magazines had an ROI of %130, which was the highest across all studied media channels.

Despite the increased dependence on technology, there are still reasons to trust your message to print media. Print gives the advertisement a longer lifespan and allows the information to reach several groups of people. The fact that print is a tangible method of communicating resonates with people and is likely to be seen as more concrete and credible.

This contrasts to the brief moment that online, radio or TV media could offer an advertisement. All it takes is the click of a mouse or the change of a channel to end a consumer’s interaction with your message.

At the end of the day, trust the platforms that have sustained major brands and organizations for the majority of their lives. Remember that advertising in print media is most lucrative, followed by online banners. Radio and TV can stay behind.

(photo credit: http://themediaonline.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/18232.jpeg)