The Decline in Print Media
Over the past two decades, print media has declined in popularity due to the advancements in technology and the increase in digital media. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it forced businesses into using digital media as a way to market and advertise their products and services. The pandemic also transformed business priorities and ways of working around the globe, which led to more people preferring to work in the cloud due to the benefits of flexibility, the potential to increase productivity and efficiency, as well as deliver cost benefits. However, now that the pandemic is behind us, it is important to focus on a holistic way of business, rather than just through digital methods.
In an article published by Mpume Ngobese in June 2022 on TechCentral, she writes that the South African advertising industry is currently in crisis and 80% of the advertising industry in South Africa is owned by international companies. She continues to write that research has shown ads are losing their effectiveness due to people’s growing dislike of them. As content consumption has soared, marketers have become focused on short-term activations and standardisation which has hurt the creativity once associated with ads. Consumers are more brand aware and there has been an increase in demand that brands become more authentic as well as placing social and environmental considerations at the forefront of their brand values.
This begs the question, how can businesses continue to market their products and services in a way that is appealing to the consumer?
Is Digital Media really the way forward?
While an online presence in digital media, such as social media profiles and a website, is important to your brand visibility and instant interactions with your consumer, it remains imperative to have multiple channels for your brand touchpoints, which includes print media.
Print media can be a powerful branding tool as it builds brand credibility due to its longevity and memorability, according to an article published by The Entrepreneur in 2022. Furthermore, businesses should not overlook the value of print media. When consumers handle physical objects such as leaflets and brochures, there is a sensory input that occurs which makes it far more memorable than seeing a digital ad. Just think about business contact details, you can view hundreds of it online but if you get a business card from an individual, that business card will keep its lifespan longer than seeing a 2 minute ad on business details.
As digital media has gained popularity, there has been an over saturation of it in the market, whereas with print media there is less competition to grab the attention as it is there physically so automatically attention is received. Print media is more credible due to the processes that go into the production of a printed item, such as copywriting, design, proofs, samples and finally the production of the accepted item.
Similar to various other industries, the printing sector has undergone consistent evolution and transformation. According to “The Business Research Company’s 2022 Printing Global Market Report,” the global print market is poised for growth, projected to increase from $311.53 billion in 2021 to $322.43 billion in 2022, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5%. Looking ahead, the printing market is anticipated to expand further to $350.2 billion by 2026, demonstrating a CAGR of 2.1%. In contrast, the African print market is forecasted to surpass a value of US$ 235.3 million by the conclusion of 2031. These robust figures underscore the printing industry’s readiness to embrace new trends and technologies, both on a global scale and within the African context.
I’m sure you are thinking by now, what does this all mean? Well, here’s a summary.
How can businesses continue to market their products and services in a way that is appealing to the consumer?
Businesses need to shape their brands to be authentic, reliable, long-standing and run with ethics.
Authenticity
Consumers want to feel the authenticity of your business and brand. This means that your brand needs to be unique and have its own look, feel, touch and values.
Reliability
Consumers want to use products and services that they understand, relate to and can rely on. This means that businesses need to be aware of their consumers needs and wants – it means that businesses need to market their products and services appropriately and ensure that their brand is consistent in all areas.
Ethical
You need to understand that consumers want to buy from brands that are socially and environmentally conscious. Consumers want to support brands that reflect their values.
Longevity
In order to be authentic and reliable, it requires your business to be able to withstand economic shifts and consumer perceptions. While there is no guaranteed way of doing this, what is important is that the way you conduct business with your customers and suppliers that includes open communication and transparency while remaining ethical in all business conducted.
How can Spectraprint help your business to achieve this?
Spectraprint can be your business partner that helps you achieve authenticity through printed marketing material. By having print media, it can help your brand overcome obstacles such as reaching markets that do not have access to digital media. Print media can also guarantee the longevity of your marketing efforts through having a physical medium of advertising.
We have partnered with recycling companies and paper suppliers that ensure we are compliant with environmental standards. We only use paper products that are certified and all our waste is recycled, so you can rest assured that Spectraprint is your trusted partner in achieving eco-friendly printing solutions.
Benefits & Factors to Consider
As highlighted in our previous post, lithography as a medium of marketing can be summarised as per the table below as well as having the following pros and cons:
- ±10000 prints per hour
- Make-ready set up
- Time required for drying
- Upfront costs, however minimum print run required for cost effectiveness as unit cost decreases as total quantity increases
- High volume generic prints.
- Best quality prints
- Paper stock usually between 60gsm & 400gsm
- High level of colour accuracy as well as the ability to use metallic inks
- Ability to print over a previously printed item
- Capability of using prints for all types of finishing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| – Various Sizes of printing (Business cards to large posters) – Customisable colours and strengths – Various weights and finishes of paper can be used – Cost effective for large quantities – Prints can have different finishes such as laminating, spot UV varnish etc. – Prints can be die-cut – Smoother finish and no pixelation | – Expensive for small print runs – Takes more time – Not suitable for multiple designs of small runs |
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