For a while we’ve been talking about how print marketing is changing and so we thought we’d review whether print really is back in fashion.

Print can have a bad reputation for being bad for the environment, especially when compared to digital channels, but sometimes digital just can’t offer the cut through needed and simply isn’t the answer. Print also doesn’t have to be bad for the environment. In fact, as print has evolved over the last few years there are now lots of eco- friendly options which can enable you to make any printing carbon neutral, helping us to put our environmental concerns aside.

Is print now a worthwhile channel to invest in?

Although some see print as a bit old fashioned, in fact it’s quite the opposite! Following the introduction of GDPR, and with digital marketing reaching saturation point, we’re seeing a renaissance in the use of print. Print is highly effective, and unlike digital communications that can be fleeting, ignored or potentially untrusted, print is often looked at, remembered, valued, kept and most importantly trusted.

How does it perform versus other channels?

The statistics for print are strong, for example, printed direct mail research shows that it is 33% more engaging than email and 35% more engaging than social media advertising. Print also has a far longer recall than digital forms of communication, with research suggesting it will be remembered up to 30% longer than social media for example.

But what about budgets?

Budgets can be a sticking point for some marketers who have long since diverted valuable print budgets to cheaper digital alternatives. Our recommendations are to be clear on why you’re choosing to print, and to make the effort to ensure your data is as good as it can be. Think carefully before you print, making your content as evergreen and long lasting as you can by removing information that dates quickly. Print can sometimes be an expensive commodity, but if the engagement and conversion rates are higher than other channels it can also offer a valuable return on investment.

So, when is print the right channel to choose?

That will ultimately be dependent on many factors but it’s worth considering if you’re:

• Warming up a cold channel
• Trying to increase trust levels for a brand with low awareness
• Trying to penetrate a hard to reach audience with low digital skills
• Providing information that needs to held on to or referred back to
• Demonstrating to an audience that they’re valued and important
• Wanting to grab attention in a busy digital landscape
• Looking to drive engagement

If you’ve overlooked your print channel, it’s probably time to give it some love and consider carefully where it might fit in your overall marketing mix, talk to us for some inspiration.