PRINT ISN'T DEAD – IT'S JUST IN NEED OF A MAKEOVER

Print Ideas for the future generations

Tag Archives: digital print

Last month Amazon announced eBook sales have now overtaken print sales. The harbingers of doom in the print world shook their heads and put on sack cloth proclaiming “the end of print is nigh”. Print is dead (long live print!).

This prompted me to ask the question: Is print really dead, or is it just transforming itself? With this in mind I have started this blog. To show that print is thriving, but maybe not in the form some of us ‘oldies’ may recognize. That there is still life in the ‘old girl’, both now and for future generations.

The thing is, I love technology, I love all the wizzy things you can do with it. I have more computers, in every shape and form, than is healthy.

However I also love ‘old’ technology. I’m ‘old school’: I like my music undownloaded. To read with the help of paper. To watch ‘stuff’ without the assistance of a magnifying glass and a hearing aid.

AND I LOVE PRINT.

I love the touch and feel and smell of print.

I love to create stuff on it. Colour it, shape and fold it.

I love print because you can put it on display. Illuminate it, show it off.

I love print because you can reuse, recycle and sustain it.

I love to spread it out and wallow in it.

I love to make it talk sing and move!

So I’m here to fight prints corner.

Please join me here at this blog. In coming weeks I’ll show stuff that gets me excited about print. Stuff that new tech can’t do. Stuff that will hopefully amuse and entertain you. Stuff which I believe will help drag print kicking and screaming in to the next century. Print that will get my kids excited both now and for future generations.


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Brain waves for print

I’ve just read an interesting article from Roger Dooley’s Neuromarketing blog (Where Brain Science and Marketing Meet). In this piece Roger talks about a recent study by a branding agency comparing how our brain reacts when it receives paper or digital marketing material.

Well blow me down, the scientists have confirmed  what the Direct Mail evangelists have been saying is true for along time. Physical media leaves a “deeper footprint”. The meaning of this is more to do with physical material being more ‘real’ to the brain (rather than some sort of 70’s hooliganism).

As the article says: Physical activity generates increased activity in the cerebellum, which is associated with spatial and emotional processing (as well as motor activity) and is likely to be further evidence of enhanced emotional processing.

In other words our brain likes print.

Speaking for myself I get a real buzz out of opening an envelope or package to see what goodies are inside. (Excluding the bills of course). There is definitely increased activity in the cerebellum.

When thinking about your mailing, if you are working on tight budgets, even doing yourself, it doesn’t hurt to think differently. Do things that stimulate your recipients  brain cells: Think about textured paper, bright colours. Different formats. Why not go to town and add cut outs or pop ups (there’s something email can’t do!). If you can afford it think about adding samples of your products. All these things will make your mailing stand out and memorable. And if your mailings are memorable then you are sure to get a good return on your investment.

All the best

David Hyams

Direct Mail on Demand