“With all the fake news going on, consumers believe that if a company invests in the printed word it’s more valuable. Whether it’s true or not, that’s the perception…” Folio Magazine
Folio Magazine is a publication for folks who produce the printed word. In its August issue it featured a remarkable article that posited that in the face of all the hype about on-line content, readers actually reacted more positively to the printed word than to those in digital formats.
The article quoted PhD Scott McDonald extensively from his research into the subject. To wit:
… consumers trust print more than content published on digital platforms. “With all the fake news going on, consumers believe that if a company invests in the printed word it’s more valuable. Whether it’s true or not, that’s the perception.”
“…While his study focused on how print magazines serve as strong ROI performers for advertising partners, McDonald says that the neuroscience behind how readers remember print ads can be translated to how they engage with a branded print product.”
McDonald gets a little “woo-woo” as he delves into the minds of readers when he comments that:
“People read slower on paper and retain more of it. Plus they tend to fantasize more, projecting themselves into the pictures,” says McDonald. “It’s a leisurely activity compared to the more purpose-driven and distractible experience of navigating on screens. Retailers could take advantage of that difference.”
You can read the entire article here.
The article is about large consumer corporations that are producing magazines in house to send to their customers in place of catalogues. The idea is that content, stories about the product and services provided, allow the customer to interact and provide more return on their investment than a simple catalogue or digital presence.
I have watched company after company in our industry eschew print and move to digital. “The young people just don’t read magazines anymore.” Maybe not, but according to study after study, if you want to get someone’s attention, print is the way to go.
But then, what do I know?
JVH
