As digital marketers, we often hear the question, “Isn’t print dead?” The answer is a resounding “no.” Yes, we are undergoing a digital revolution, but more traditional marketing, such as print design, is here to stay.
Companies that base their marketing strategy on consensus opinion, such as that print is dead, are destined to fail. What makes you stand out if you follow the pack and do exactly what your competitors are doing? As long as we need to communicate, we will find novel ways of doing so. But this doesn’t mean that traditional ways won’t endure.
At DMN Creative, we believe that a two-pronged marketing approach combining print and digital is vital.
Print Media
Print media, often referred to as traditional media, comprises physical media such as packaging, brochures, banners, physical advertisements in magazines, billboards, and flyers. Of course, not all of these are relevant for all types of marketing campaigns. However,integrating the suitable and ideal type of print design into campaigns offers advantages to marketing strategies.
One crucial aspect of print design is packaging design. You can have the most beautifully designed website with the best SEO you’ve ever come across, but if your product packaging looks unprofessional or outdated, your product and sales will be negatively influenced.
That’s why we use our knowledge and experience in form, structure, materials, colour, imagery, typography, and regulatory information combined with design elements to develop product packaging that is ideally suited for marketing each unique product.
Packaging design goes hand in hand with marketing collateral such as flyers and brochures, wall banners, signage etc. Keeping thematic elements from a product’s packaging design in other marketing materials, both physical and digital, allows consumers to quickly associate an advertisement or post with a specific brand or product.
Digital Media
Digital media includes anything from websites and email marketing to social media marketing, paid media, online shops and everything in between. Good digital marketers use a combination of different kinds of digital and print media to reach their target audience and get the most out of every campaign.
Digital media allows for ad campaigns to be scalable and more interactive than traditional print advertising; however, combining the two can lead to great things.
Embracing Innovation
Regardless of how access to online content evolves through the years, people love holding physical printed objects in their hands. Print is often used as a reliable driver to the web, giving just enough information to entice people to go online and learn more about a specific product or brand.
Over the last few years, there has also been a shift towards integrating AR and VR into traditional print media. For some, it’s as small as integrating a QR code in product packaging, which leads to an AR landing page. Others like Bon V!V go that extra step further, creating a digital storefront where people who scan their QR code can shop online through an AR vending machine.
Innovation happens every day, and print and digital can be combined in a multitude of different ways, using the strengths of each media type to each client’s advantage.
So, back to our original question: Is print dead?
Far from it. Print is constantly changing and growing while integrating with digital media and technology to adapt to an ever-changing world. It’s safe to say that print, when done well, can disrupt other digital media channels and command the attention of your target audience and compel them to explore your business, service, or product online.
