Print or Digital – Which one is for you?
At Pocket Books we often discuss the topic of printed vs. digital advertising.
There is no doubt that the digital space has become a large part of our day-to-day existence.
We use our mobile phones, tablets and computers to get our daily dose of news and entertainment.
But what does this actually mean in terms of advertising?
Well, according to the neuroscientists, paper still beats digital where it counts.
Canadian neuromarketing firm TrueImpact conducted a study last year comparing the effects of paper marketing with digital media.
The technologies used in this study were eye-tracking and high resolution EEG brain wave measurement. Conventional questionnaires were also used.
The study found that paper advertising was considered easier to process mentally and tested better for brand recall.
“Direct mail requires 21 per cent less cognitive effort to process than digital media (5.15 vs. 6.37), suggesting that it is both easier to understand and more memorable. Post-exposure memory tests validated what the cognitive load test revealed about direct mail’s memory encoding capabilities,” the report said.
“When asked to cite the brand (company name) of an advertisement they had just seen, recall was 70 per cent higher among participants who were exposed to a direct mail piece (75 per cent) than a digital ad (44 per cent).”
Aside from comprehension and information retention, studies have also found that readers develop more of an emotional connection to printed adverts compared to their digital counterparts.
Consumer neuroscience researchers from Temple University in the United States found that paper triggers a physical emotional response from our brains.
Paper advertising actually activates the ventral striatum area of the brain more than digital media (an indicator of desire and valuation).
So science clearly shows us that paper is often the most impactful and memorable form of advertising but it’s important to remember that digital advertising does have its place.
The web offers instantaneous access and updates, audio and video inclusions, search ability on platforms such as Google and more.
So what is the answer for businesses?
Utilise the benefits of the print and digital space through tailored advertising packages.
Include print advertising that is widely distributed to your target audience and digital profiling that offers up searchable information for your customers.
Talk to Pocket Books today about your best book & web-advertising package.
07 5438 1881 or Freecall (Australia) 1800 680 830