"PrintSells": Campaign Shows Results
Print works. No question. Nevertheless, competition is growing
increasingly tough within the world of media. Digital forms of
media, in particular, are raising questions about marketing budget
allotments for printing. The goal of the European campaign
"PrintSells" is to strengthen print's position as a key medium.
Frank Leerkotte, Managing Director of the campaign's primary
initiator, CEPIFINE, presents the first results.
Why do we need a "PrintSells" Campaign?
Leerkotte: Particularly in mature markets, the pressure placed on print is growing from digital media, like the Internet and podcasts, as well as television and radio. In the United Kingdom, for example, 15 percent of the advertising budget is already flowing into the Internet. More channels exist now than one or two years ago. But businesses don't necessarily increase their marketing budget accordingly - they rearrange it instead. If you take a look at marketing or communication trade journals, topics like Google, bloggers and podcasts dominate the headlines. There's usually nothing on print. We want to change that with "PrintSells."
How do you want to market print better?
Leerkotte: We want to establish print as a brand associated with qualities such as sensual, enduring, credible, multifaceted and effective. In order to convey this message and anchor it in the minds of decision makers in charge of marketing and advertising budgets, we first launched an ad campaign in leading marketing and communication trade journals. We then followed up with personalized mailings targeted directly at marketing and communication managers in companies as well as account managers at advertising and PR agencies. In total, we addressed 440,000 people.
What results have you achieved so far?
Leerkotte: We held telephone interviews with almost 1,000 managers. More than 30 percent of them had taken conscious notice of the campaign. Every 5 out of 10 would even like to know more about the possibilities of print advertising and gave us their email addresses to be kept informed in the future. That's an impressive result considering that the campaign only ran for three months and the fact that managers are today increasingly unwilling to supply their email addresses.
Why do we need a "PrintSells" Campaign?
Leerkotte: Particularly in mature markets, the pressure placed on print is growing from digital media, like the Internet and podcasts, as well as television and radio. In the United Kingdom, for example, 15 percent of the advertising budget is already flowing into the Internet. More channels exist now than one or two years ago. But businesses don't necessarily increase their marketing budget accordingly - they rearrange it instead. If you take a look at marketing or communication trade journals, topics like Google, bloggers and podcasts dominate the headlines. There's usually nothing on print. We want to change that with "PrintSells."
How do you want to market print better?
Leerkotte: We want to establish print as a brand associated with qualities such as sensual, enduring, credible, multifaceted and effective. In order to convey this message and anchor it in the minds of decision makers in charge of marketing and advertising budgets, we first launched an ad campaign in leading marketing and communication trade journals. We then followed up with personalized mailings targeted directly at marketing and communication managers in companies as well as account managers at advertising and PR agencies. In total, we addressed 440,000 people.
What results have you achieved so far?
Leerkotte: We held telephone interviews with almost 1,000 managers. More than 30 percent of them had taken conscious notice of the campaign. Every 5 out of 10 would even like to know more about the possibilities of print advertising and gave us their email addresses to be kept informed in the future. That's an impressive result considering that the campaign only ran for three months and the fact that managers are today increasingly unwilling to supply their email addresses.
How does the target group perceive print?
Leerkotte: Astonishingly, all interviewees addressed exactly the same advantages of print that we also propagate as unique: tangible, credible and versatile-creative. We will continue to emphasize and market these perceived strengths of print. In addition, many marketing managers would like to connect print and the Internet with one another even more simply because the two mediums complement each other well. Here the print industry still needs to highlight corresponding ideas of what an interplay between the two mediums could look like. And the managers also hinted at something else - mass products, like mailings, are on the decline. More and more, they are being replaced by individual options specific to the target group.
Can you detect effects on advertising behavior already?
Leerkotte: It's still too early to say whether budgets have shifted in favor of print. But one thing we know is that people are interested: Roughly half of all interviewed managers want to be kept up to date via email with regards to the campaign, as well as receive information on the possibilities print has to offer. There's clearly a deficit here. Most of those in the target group were surprised by what effects print can have - for example those created by using scented and high-build coatings or cold foil. We want to fill this information gap in the second phase of the campaign.
What role do print shops play in the campaign?
Leerkotte: The European umbrella organization for the print media industry, Intergraf, helped us the most in the first phase of the campaign. Around 35,000 copies of the "PrintSells" brochures were sent to print shops and paper vendors through Intergraf. These were intended for companies to either distribute to their customers or use to inform themselves and help with arguments for conversations with customers. Case studies by world famous businesses, for example, clearly show how unique print is in its effect. We're counting on such exemplary support for the second phase as well.
What's next?
Leerkotte: Since all participants are satisfied with the campaign's success, and the financing is almost complete, there will be a continuation of "PrintSells." First we're going to launch another series of ads. We're also planning to stretch the campaign's run time to three years. That would give us enough time to position print as a brand and prove that "PrintSells."
Leerkotte: Astonishingly, all interviewees addressed exactly the same advantages of print that we also propagate as unique: tangible, credible and versatile-creative. We will continue to emphasize and market these perceived strengths of print. In addition, many marketing managers would like to connect print and the Internet with one another even more simply because the two mediums complement each other well. Here the print industry still needs to highlight corresponding ideas of what an interplay between the two mediums could look like. And the managers also hinted at something else - mass products, like mailings, are on the decline. More and more, they are being replaced by individual options specific to the target group.
Can you detect effects on advertising behavior already?
Leerkotte: It's still too early to say whether budgets have shifted in favor of print. But one thing we know is that people are interested: Roughly half of all interviewed managers want to be kept up to date via email with regards to the campaign, as well as receive information on the possibilities print has to offer. There's clearly a deficit here. Most of those in the target group were surprised by what effects print can have - for example those created by using scented and high-build coatings or cold foil. We want to fill this information gap in the second phase of the campaign.
What role do print shops play in the campaign?
Leerkotte: The European umbrella organization for the print media industry, Intergraf, helped us the most in the first phase of the campaign. Around 35,000 copies of the "PrintSells" brochures were sent to print shops and paper vendors through Intergraf. These were intended for companies to either distribute to their customers or use to inform themselves and help with arguments for conversations with customers. Case studies by world famous businesses, for example, clearly show how unique print is in its effect. We're counting on such exemplary support for the second phase as well.
What's next?
Leerkotte: Since all participants are satisfied with the campaign's success, and the financing is almost complete, there will be a continuation of "PrintSells." First we're going to launch another series of ads. We're also planning to stretch the campaign's run time to three years. That would give us enough time to position print as a brand and prove that "PrintSells."
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"PrintSells" - the Campaign
The first phase of the campaign to promote print advertising ran from October to December 2007. It was initiated by CEPIFINE, the European Association of Fine Paper Manufacturers, and the United Print Chain. To support the campaign, organizations and businesses from the most diverse branches joined forces for the first time: print shops, printing press and paper manufacturers, publishers of journals and mailing companies from 13 European countries, including Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG.
