Is Printed Advertising Obsolete?

What about the consumer that is not plugged in?

Do we still need ink on paper? Are the various forms of electronic technology honestly and truly making print obsolete?

Several months ago, I attended the Digital Print Forum in Toronto. It was exciting – and a little bit frustrating.

Many of the areas discussed were how to combine new technology such as smart phones, iPads, iPhones, BlackBerrys and playbooks with traditional print. There are also many various electronic applications which include QR codes, personal url’s. It’s more than a little mind bending.

But what about the customer who chooses not to use these devices.

I happen to be one of those consumers who owns a basic cell phone. I resisted a phone for a long time, but eventually purchased one for emergencies only. Statistically, I’m not alone. More than 25% of Canadians don’t have access to or own any type of wireless phone.

Often, when I go into stores I see QR codes on displays, which invite me to a website to check out a recipe. That’s great, but do they have the actual printed recipe cards? There’s something to be said about holding a piece of pape, that’s not glowing. You feel a different kind of energy in your hands. How do we engage customers who prefer paper over technology?

The non-tech consumer

Most often they’re older and probably have a dislike or distrust of anything electronic. They’re still consumers and most often have better purchasing power then those who are using many of these technologies.

How many consumers are we missing? 

In the end, we really have to understand who our customer is. Just because technology is available doesn’t mean that it’s the right way to talk to that particular group of consumers. Can we solve this puzzle? Yes. But we need to be more creative in engaging our customers, keeping in mind the many ways they want to communicate.

One of our clients, Piller’s, gives consumers a healthy selection of ways to engage with the brand. Check out work with Piller’s on Eyelight and let us know what you think – we love feedback!

How do you feel about paper vs electronic communication? Does a part of you still enjoy holding something solid and not glowing in your hands – or are you all about the bells and whistles of the latest apps?

Leave a comment below or shout out to us on Facebook or Twitter and let us know what you think.