Our 2024 survey reveals why print marketing remains a vital tool for arts promotion, combining tangible engagement and sustainable practices…
Do you remember the critics that predicted vinyl records were on the way out and that digital audio would soon reign uncontested? A slam dunk! In reality, 2021 saw “vinyl records enjoy a 68% increase in total sales volume…reaching $1 billion in sales for the first time since 1985” (1). Similar question marks have circled relating to the staying power of print in the glowing age of digital so we turned to our partners, industry experts at The Audience Agency, to help us clear up the confusion.
Our Survey
Under the banner of the Audience Agency’s Cultural Participation Monitor (a quarterly population survey which asks what consumers really want, do and feel about arts and culture) we asked 2500 individuals some pertinent questions about their perceptions of printed publicity over the past 12 months.
Effectiveness of Print Marketing
Our first findings demonstrated a good recall for print: 20% of respondents recalled picking up a leaflet from an arts, culture or leisure organisation from a display rack, while 22% recalled getting one through their letterbox. We also found that printed publicity, like leaflets and brochures, drives immediate actions: 13% said they had bought a ticket and 44% had visited a website.
How does print do this? Respondents like its tangibility – 43% of them prefer to receive information on paper as opposed to via digital channels – and longevity, with 55% saving leaflets for future reference and 42% keeping them as souvenirs!
Remember the last time you were on holiday and looking for something great to do? It can be exhausting situation to be in! Leaflets in public places act as inspiration and discovery tools, particularly for tourists and arts enthusiasts. 57% of our survey respondents prefer to look at leaflet racks when exploring new places, demonstrating that print remains a trusted discovery tool in unfamiliar situations.
Barriers and Solutions
One big factor raised about print is its environmental credibility. Despite a growing ‘papertarian’ movement, 56% of our survey respondents avoid print for environmental reasons. Sustainability is critical here – recycling schemes, sustainable paper and environmentally friendly materials. But they need to be genuine. Greenwashing won’t cut it!
In fact, the print industry is one of the world’s most sustainable. Did you know that European forests are expanding by over 1,500 football fields daily? And that 93% of water used in production is returned clean, and 60% of energy comes from renewables? Compare that to ICT (Information and Communications Technology) industry, whose emissions rival aviation!
The Public Follows It’s Perception
As a marketing business, we are eternally interested in results. And what breeds results? Perception. How do people perceive? Feel? Connect? Emote? Qualify? Our results in this survey suggest that the public still have plenty of enthusiasm for the potential of print. Ultimately, we believe that like non-digital music forms (live performances included!), print is here to stay.
Our Strategic Recommendations
- Invest in high-quality, appealing print materials for lasting impact – our survey said 45% of respondents are more likely to engage with an attractively designed leaflet
- Deliver you print to the end-consumer at the right place and time (we can help with that part!).
- Use print alongside coordinated digital campaigns to drive traffic to websites and digital platforms. It just works!
- Embrace Sustainability. Adopt sustainable practices and communicate these efforts to your audiences. They truly do care and this is reflected in the businesses they choose to support with their purchasing power.
We’ll be sharing more of the results from our survey over the next few months but you can find out more by joining the Audience Agency’s next TEA Break. On Thursday 12th December at 2pm their Director of Evidence and Insight, Oliver Mantell, will be sharing some of our findings in a 45-minute webinar – Print marketing – still worth investing in? Book your free place here.
George Maguire