In today’s modern age, it seems digital media has completely taken over. However, taking a deeper look into the subject, it becomes clear that print media is still very much alive. Not only is it alive, it is thriving, and has many clear advantages over its digital counterpart. Many huge brand names continue to use catalogs and magazines. A big downside to digital advertisement is that it is a nuisance. Almost everyone will immediately click off an ad on a website without even giving it a single thought. In a magazine, advertisements give consumers something else to look at, and they can look at the ad on their own time, at their own leisure.
Whereas, a website, advertisements take away from the content visitors are trying to see, creating a negative attitude towards ads. This is why many big companies, such as Ikea, still use catalogs. The format allows consumers to look at their products when they want to and browse advertisements for enjoyment.
Another benefit of print media is that it creates a tangible experience that is much more attractive to the human brain. Conversely, digital media fails to fully captivate people’s attention, usually due to the other tasks being done simultaneously. Often today, people look at websites while listening to music and working. This creates a considerable attention split that takes away from digital media and advertising.
Print media has a much easier time captivating an audience, as more senses are used to consume it. Simply flipping pages or feeling the paper helps bring attention back to the media.
A final benefit of print media is the opportunity for repeated exposure. Many times, a magazine or newspaper sits on a table for a few days. In an office, this means that many people will have the opportunity to read its contents.
Often one piece of print is shared with multiple people, which is unlikely in digital media. It has been proven that repeated exposure will cause the media to stick with the viewer. Additionally, physical media takes up real estate. It gets left on the coffee table or countertop for someone else to view, or for the same person to view again. In digital media, it takes additional effort just for the content to be viewed a second time.
Although it may seem that digital media has completely taken over the 21st century, print media still has clear benefits over its virtual counterpart. It seems likely that print media may never extinct, as a screen cannot provide the same experience as print.
Written by Joseph Nelson
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Macromark: What Are the Advantages of Print Media Over Electronic Media? By David Klein
Partner Press: The Benefits of Reading Newspapers
AB Print Group Limited: Why is print media important?
Forbes: Print is Dead? Not so Fast.
MODERNLITHO: 6 REASONS WHY PRINT MEDIA IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Multnomah Public Library’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Ed Kohler’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License – Creative Commons License
