In spring the editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber also became the president of The Printing Charity. Originally set up over 150 years ago in a very different political and economic climate to today’s, the charity aimed to help support the families of printing house workers who had fallen on hard times.
From coffee cups to phone cases, the print industry has since evolved to embrace a host of innovations while printed media, on the other hand, is one of the industries under the greatest threat from digitisation.
As a B2B PR agency we see the value of print in a targeted, professional context. There is a natural filtering system wherein people who seek out and buy print copies will already have an invested interest in the content.
Zanny Milton-Biddoes, the editor of The Economist who has helped move the 170 year old publication to online channels advocates that ‘good journalism must be paid for’ and it charges for both print and online content. The magazine continues to sell over around 1.5 million print copies every month in addition to its 11.4 million online readers.
There’s something to be said for the tactile nature of a print publication. In a digital environment information can appear infinite, perhaps overwhelming. Print media offers a reassuring brevity that is more selective than online channels and cuts through ‘digital noise’ to communicate a more focused message.
According to Juan Senõr, president of INNOVATION Media Consulting, “premium means pricier.” Despite the availability of free online content many believe that print provides a more reliable source of news, and they are willing to pay the extra for quality journalism.
Moreover, there are individuals like Jefferson Hack, the founding editor of Dazed and Confused magazine, who are militantly refusing to watch print media dissolve into obsolescence by thinking up whacky ways to innovate print publishing. Hack was responsible for the first moving magazine cover, which featured the sultry wink of pop star, Rihanna.
Print holds a unique space in the journalistic world nowadays. Creating something tangible, decorative and informative has given print a premium edge that encourages engagement with its content. This can be an extremely useful tool in B2B marketing as it helps to solidify brand image through the permanence of print. Content that has multisensory appeal in a publication with a reputation for reliable journalism can help create credibility and trust for a brand.
Which publications do you prefer in print? We’re interested to know…
