Relax and Enjoy!

3 Reasons Consumers (Still) Love Print

According to current research, information read in print is embedded more deeply in the brain, is more easily recalled, and is recalled more accurately. But buyers don’t love print because they remember things better (although marketers love it because they do). Buyers love it because it makes them feel good.

Take, for example, research by Toluna/Two Sides that found that consumers see print as the format most enjoyable to read. According to the research, “Print and Paper in a Digital World,” consumers overwhelmingly found hard copy versions of books, magazines, and newspapers more enjoyable to read than their electronic alternatives. In fact, when it comes to books, the percentage citing preference for hard copy is up 6% from the previous year. 

Furthermore, consumers see print as the more relaxing format to read, as well.  Eighty-one percent of consumers cited print as making them feel more relaxed compared to 49% who say this about computer screens, 37% who say this about e-readers, and 30% who say this about smartphones. 

Not only are electronic devices less preferred by consumers for relaxation and enjoyment, but Two Sides found that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of (and concerned about) the health effects of spending too much time on electronic devices.  

If you love your customers, then love what they love. Digital communications have their place in the multichannel mix, but when it comes to “feeling the love,” it’s still very much about print.