November 10, 2009

Is offset printing going to be obsolete?

With the computer and the Internet, printed material appears to be fading away right before our eyes. Only a decade ago, distributing printed material was one of the biggest ways to advertise or communicate a message. However with the advent of electronic world, the amount of printed material has greatly declined and many companies have turned to only e-mail marketing and online advertisements. This leads to the question: will printed material disappear completely from our lives?

Frankly, I do not think so. The golden rule of marketing, advertising, and public relations is repetition is key. To make sure that consumers are digesting whatever information is being thrown at them, they must hear it many times and in a variety of ways. To satisfy this golden rule, companies will make sure that their message is repeated in a printed form. People like to see and hold information right before their eyes; it makes the information more credible. Some target audiences, such as people over the age of sixty-five, do not even trust e-mails or reports posted online. They instead prefer to see a hard copy of the message. As a result, communication departments choose an alternative route: they print a message in the newspaper, send out an email, and air it on television. By using a combination of communication techniques, companies target all of their audiences and repeat their message three different ways, allowing it to sink into consumers' minds.

Furthermore, with printed material, companies have the freedom to express their message with clarity and detail. A 30-second commercial or a quick email may not provide enough details for a consumer who is studying the pros and cons of a product or service. With a message in a brochure, newsletter, or a pamphlet, consumers can better understand how something would enhance or diminish the quality of their life. For example, suppose you are a frequent shopper at an upscale department store in the mall. One Saturday, they ask you for your name, home address, and e-mail address, in exchange for a coupon. You readily agree. Three days later, you receive an e-mail, asking you to sign up for their company credit card. It is brief and features pictures of a happy woman and the credit card and a link to sign-up for the credit card. One week later, you get a letter, a brochure, and an application enclosed in an envelope in the mail from the store. The letter explains all of the benefits a frequent shopper like you would enjoy. The brochure displays glossy photos and the information repeated in bullet-form. Finally, the enclosed application is provided if you wish to sign-up for the card.

This is a common yet effective technique employed by companies. Consumers are more likely to consider an offer if they consistently hear and see it. Quite similar to the way that newspapers and magazines are still around despite the fact that they are available online, printed material will still be here in conjunction with electronic material. Records and VCRs may be things of the past, but printed material is not extinct just yet