We’ve heard for years that “print is dead.” Not only is this untrue, but in an age where digital information is consumed in a rapid-fire fashion, print has emerged as the steady winner. Today, 73% of adults feel reading a printed magazine or book is more enjoyable than reading on an electronic device. Additionally, paper-based reading is preferred by every generation, including millennials.*
What exactly is it about print that is so alluring? There are a number of important factors that are compelling reasons why every business needs to make print part of its marketing and branding campaign.
Trustworthy: Print media requires more time to produce, allowing for important steps like fact checking. Unlike its digital counterpart in which anyone can post “news” online within seconds, quality print media has the benefit of accuracy on its side so readers don’t have to second guess whether or not what they are reading is true. Magazine media is considered more inspiring, fulfilling, and trustworthy than websites or TV.*
Longevity: Printed material can last a lifetime. It doesn’t spend seconds on a screen and then vanish. It’s easy to retrieve when you want to look at it later. Quality publications sit on a coffee table or bookshelf where multiple people can enjoy it. In fact, readers of print magazines spend an average of 49.6 minutes reading it—that’s a captive audience!*
Influential: Magazine readers are the strongest everyday influencers in multiple product categories, including auto, financial, home, tech, travel, and sports. Considered “conversation catalysts,” magazine readers have a larger network of friends and are more active and engaged in social media than consumers of other forms of media.
Quality: Full color images, glossy pages, and attractive layout are all elements that go hand-in-hand with quality print magazines. Print is more pleasant to handle than a device, and it drives sensory involvement, which contributes to reader impact. It also elicits an emotional response, and it requires a slower read time, which helps retain the information being consumed.* So grab a copy of your favorite print magazine, sit back, relax, and enjoy all that is has to offer!
*The Association of Magazine Media 2019 Magazine Media Factbook
