When was the last time you saw an ad on TV, on a passing bus or even on a billboard that caught your attention? What if you wanted to keep it? Yeah, say you wanted to keep it as a reminder. How would you do it? Of course, you can’t.
More and more, we are presented with momentary media. Ads that are seen one second and then gone the next. Often at less than ideal times of the day when we are focused on other tasks. However, there is one media that people inherently tend to hang on to: print media.
So many companies are missing out by not utilizing the stickiness of print ads. Are you? Keep reading to learn why print marketing sticks around for longer and whether your advertising is sticky, long-term and made to gain impactful results.
Digital ads pop up and you scroll past them, never to be seen again. However, print ads stick around for months - literally.
When you first see an ad, the immediate instinct for most people isn’t to buy it. Many consumers often go down a rabbit hole of research before ever committing to buying a product or service. Others simply see the ad and keep scrolling, oblivious to the strategies of marketing and the buyer’s journey. Later, when (if) they see the ad again, that’s when it might pique their interest more. However, at first glance, many might want to save the ad for later, but most don’t.
That’s where print advertising comes in. Unlike digital ads that come and go, a print ad gets sent and seen, and often has a lasting, lingering impact. The right audience might pin the ad to their fridge for later, tuck it into a drawer or even leave on their counter for later. That’s why print advertising sticks.
Something about the tangible nature of print ads makes them “sticky.” People tend to hang on to print ads when they see something and want to find out more, or are enticed by a special offer. That doesn’t happen frequently with other ads.
While most ads are fleeting, print ads have the unique ability to last for weeks. No joke. Whether they’re chilling on a kitchen counter or tucked away in a glove box waiting for the right moment, that’s advertising that keeps on working its magic. Maybe you don’t manage to use the coupon before it expires, but you go to the restaurant or get the service anyway. Or perhaps the company pretends they don’t see the expiration date and lets you get the deal regardless. Either way, it simply proves why sticky ads work.
So why does print marketing stick around? It has to do with the way these ads interact with your senses. It’s not just visual. You can see the ad, touch it, smell it, interact with it. That level of interaction is something you don’t forget. When your brain is able to fully interact with something, it makes it easier to remember. It’s basically the equivalent of reading a dense science textbook or heading to the science museum to explore. The print marketing ads are a science museum for our senses when it comes to remembering an advertisement.
To show the reality and efficacy of print marketing ads, we’re going to tell you a story of a real-life client of ours at Mailbox Merchants.
A long-time postcard client decided to “explore other options” with their advertising, so we decided to conduct a test to prove the longevity of our print ads. As part of their campaign, we supplied them with a call tracking number so everyone knew exactly how many calls the ads generated each month. We extended their call tracking for 120 days past their last mail date to see what would happen.
Here is a quick chart showing direct mail effectiveness and call activity after the print ads stopped:
As expected, calls dropped off after the ad stopped mailing. But look at how many calls still came through at two, three and even four months after the ad stopped running. Amazing, huh? That’s the power of print marketing.
When you discontinue digital advertising, the clicks stop. When TV ads no longer run, the phone doesn’t ring. Are we saying you should ditch your digital and video ads? Of course not. We encourage and sell multi-channel ad campaigns because we know that no one media works all the time for everyone. But it’s clear print marketing ROI has a staying power unlike any other form of advertising. And it deserves a place in your media mix.
Both digital ads and print advertising work wonders at increasing brand awareness and getting new customers through the door. However, the best way to increase ROI and get your best results is to utilize them both. Not one over the other. If you need help enhancing your ad success, Mailbox Merchants knows the best digital and shared mail solutions to increase ROI and more. Curious to see how our solutions stick?
Mailbox Merchants is the Northwest’s largest independently owned direct mail, multi-channel and digital marketing provider for local businesses. We marry the old and the new by tapping into the perpetual power of print media and using technology to strategically segment, target behaviors, and optimize performance through measurable marketing results.
