It feels like press advertising can take a back seat when it comes to media planning. But is this fair? Is a digital heavy strategy advertising schedule a sensible one? Not necessarily. Digital advertising is great, we’re always impressed at the innovation and creativity that this sector brings to advertising but we don’t mind admitting it can be frustrating to see brands ploughing big money into online without much thought behind the strategy. We get it, digital is flashy and exciting. We all like to feel we’re taking advantage of new and developing technology but one thing we’re 100% sure of is that press is still an effective and profitable advertising medium for almost every brand.
Newspapers and magazines are uniquely placed to help you open a dialogue with customers.
Despite falling circulations, press advertising still reaches a massive audience. Millions of newspapers are sold everyday and millions more people buy magazines on a weekly or monthly basis. And that’s just the circulation, unlike online, printed copies are passed around the home or office, with readership being well over the initial circulation. Also, and it’s an important one, trust. Many of our newspaper and magazine brands have been with us for most of our lives. Many of us remember our parents buying the Radio Times or our grandparents reading the Sunday Times. We see the mastheads everyday, at the supermarket, the petrol station and the newsagent. We’re familiar with them, we’ve grown up with them and we trust them. A recent survey found that print advertising is twice as trusted by its readers compared to online advertising.
Why press advertising should be on your schedule.
In a world where consumers are bombarded with fleeting messages, the longevity of a print ad means it is more likely to resonate and drive response. Readers can dwell over a print ad at their leisure and advertisers can take the time to talk to their audience, opening a meaningful and engaging dialogue. A press advert offers you the luxury of time and space to communicate your message. Flexible creative options mean that you can use an advertorial to talk in depth about your product or if you’re just aiming to keep your brand front of mind a striking image and clever copy headline might be enough. Whatever you need to say, you’re not constrained by pixels or time.
Press advertising is also pretty unique in the way you can reach the perfect audience for your brand. Do you need to talk to 500,000 45+ ABC1 females? No problem, use the Mail on Sunday. Or maybe you want to reach 16,000 fishing enthusiasts? Done, Trout & Salmon is the title for you! Whoever your target audience, no matter how broad or niche, there is sure to be a press title that suits you perfectly.
All in all, any strategy that doesn’t include press advertising is likely to be falling short. When planned and bought effectively, print can form the backbone of a wider campaign. Advertisers who use print get noticed, build a relationship with consumers and ultimately drive sales. If you’d like to find out more about press advertising and how it can help your business get in touch.