Like a fast-moving and unrelenting tsunami, the pandemic of 2020/2021 has forever changed the landscape of modern business. Pre-pandemic consumer and business trends were accelerated forcing many businesses to adapt or die. Forced to stay home more, digital services and online retail growth skyrocketed. Due to this trend, some would assume that digital marketing and communication have put the final nail in the coffin for commercial printing. Is commercial printing a dying industry? Does the digital world have a place for print media?

 

Is print media dead?

 

Some digital marketing agencies may tell tales of print media being in an unstoppable death spiral but that is simply not the case. Like all traditional industries, commercial printing has had to adapt to modern production techniques, renewable resources, and consumer trends. With all of that, the demand for commercial printing is growing. As for the future outlook of the industry, experts forecast $211 billion in commercial printing sales for 2021, with growth to $300 billion by 2024.^[1] Commercial printing is alive and well.

^[1] https://www.piworld.com/research/

 

Commercial printing has gone digital.

 

Commercial printing houses are making the transition from analog to digital and this is opening up many more printing opportunities. For example, long the mainstay of commercial print jobs, offset printers are giving way to digital inkjet and toner presses for much of the work. This has made new jobs possible. These digital presses can deliver high-quality, low quantity jobs at a much lower price point per unit, making for some very satisfied clients who previously could not get this need filled very easily. With near-instantaneous turn-around, high-speed production, and low maintenance, digital commercial printing is making some very happy production floor managers and even happier customers.

Why use print media?

 

Print media is more memorable. Print media is remembered longer and it has a deeper effect than digital media. A 2019 study commissioned by the USPS and Temple University looked at how people from 18 to 68 years old reacted to print and digital ads.^[1] They discovered that old and young alike felt a longer-lasting impression from print ads. This may have been connected to the next finding, that all ages took more time looking at print ads than the same thing in digital format. This extra time spent considering the printed media no doubt contributed to the deeper and longer impression. The simple truth is the printed advertisement, presentation, flyer, brochure, or card all are tangible and take more effort to do something with. Whether it’s a positive or negative experience, printed media sticks with us, whereas, the very same item in a digital format can quickly be deleted, turned off, screen closed, and thus forgotten.

 

Print media is a richer experience. With print media, more of the senses are involved. Of course, sight is present with both digital and print media, however, when looking at something printed, we see the surface textures, the shadows, and all the little imperfections. This all adds so much more detail to the memory even when compared to the highest HD quality digital image. The texture and weight are felt through the fingers and hands and even the occasional sharp edges all add to the experience. The smell and sound of the paper come through too as it moves in the recipient’s hands. With four out of five senses activated, it’s no wonder people take longer when viewing print media and are more likely to have an emotional response.

 

Print media drives more sales and client interaction. The numbers tell a convincing story, the printed page typically holds more influence for action than its digital counterparts. According to the USPS, direct mail has a response rate of between 5% and 9%.^[2] This is in comparison to a 1% or less response rate for all digital channels combined. This response rate for all demographics, however, could be even higher for millennials. In another study by the USPS, they found 88% of millennials look through all of their mail, even advertisements, before throwing it out. 62% said they regularly read all of the advertising they receive. To take this even further, depending on the age group, 56% to 66% of consumers frequently bring print advertising into stores. On the digital side of marketing, in 2020, the average email click-through rate was only 2.13%.

^[1] https://www.uspsdelivers.com/still-relevant-a-look-at-how-millennials-respond-to-direct-mail/#identifier_10_570

^[2] https://www.uspsdelivers.com/still-relevant-a-look-at-how-millennials-respond-to-direct-mail/#identifier_10_570

The future of commercial printing.

 

The continued digitization of commercial printing is a trend that will continue to transform the industry for years to come. As more and more offset printers are replaced with digital inkjet and toner printing presses, the innovation around this technology will also increase pushing quality and efficiency to new levels. This will continue to drive costs lower and prices more competitive. Another big win for customers of digital printers is on-demand and small-batch printing of high-quality, high-complexity orders. Before digital inkjet presses, small-batch and rush jobs were either near impossible or so expensive per item that rarely would they be considered. However, with digital presses, there is very little lead time needed and very low order minimums, keeping the cost per item very attractive.

 

Commercial printing has a permanent place in the business environment and will keep growing as the industry embraces digitization and innovation. Just as surely as digital media will continue to grow and claim to be king of the hill, just as surely print media keep hold of its position as a powerful communication tool provided by the commercial printer.

 

For most businesses finding the right balance between print and digital media is paramount to successfully implementing their overall strategy. The best approach will be using print and digital together to complement each other.

 

How does commercial printing fit with your organization?

 

With over 20 years in the commercial printing space, we have successfully helped many businesses find the right print media to use. We would love to hear about your unique printing needs. We are ready to be your commercial printing partner. Let’s talk.