News:

With the proliferation of online media, it’s often stated that print is dead. However, Elaine Fogel of MarketingProfs says such an assumption is premature, if not incorrect and here’s why:

Access to and use of the Internet is not universal.

About a quarter of Americans don’t have Internet access. A 2008 study done by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the University of Illinois found those with limited or no Internet access tend to be older, less affluent and less educated. In addition about 20% of Americans have never viewed a web site or sent/received emails.

In Europe, about half the population doesn’t use the Internet at all. In Asia while some countries (Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan) record high Internet usage, overall the number of Asians not using the Internet is close to 85%.

Takeaway: a company or organization targeting European or Asian markets or less affluent, less educated Americans should consider print collateral.

Spam accounts for 90-95% of emails

A 2008 Forrester Research study found spam accounts for 90-95% of all sent email. Because of such a high volume of spam, complaint rates higher than one tenth of one percent can cause your messages to be blocked at the major ISPs.

Some of the population prefers print marketing to digital

A 2007 Vertis Communications study showed that 85% of women between 25 and 44 years old read direct marketing materials, while 53% read email marketing messages. Hispanic consumers are also responding to direct mail increasing numbers, rising from 38% in 2003 to 54% in 2007.

Takeaway: if you’re targeting women aged 25-44 or Hispanics, print collateral may be more effective at reaching this audience than online options.

We process print information better

A 2007 International Communication Association study focusing on visual information and how it’s processed in the brain concluded that media choice affects attention patterns for reading text.

When we access information over the Internet, many people print out long or complex material. This is due to the “flicker’ effect in computer screens that make it more difficult for the brain to process information compared to printed material. People also read online text 25% slower than on paper.

For people with disabilities, reading a website can be difficult, sometimes impossible if the site is not W3C Compliant. (The World Wide Web Consortium is an international body that develops Web standards to improve the online experiences of around the globe. Sites not adhering to W3C guidelines require people with certain disabilities to use adaptive technology to access screen information.)

Takeaway: if your marketing messages require detailed explanation, are educational or technical or target people with certain disabilities, print collateral may be more effective at reaching this audience.

While online marketing is expanding at a remarkable rate, print materials are still a viable part of your communications toolbox.