Print Advertising

Advertising is so complex and dynamic that it allows very few rules to be set in stone. What works like a charm today might be obsolete in a couple of months and choosing the right medium to advertise is often a challenge. Print advertising is one of those solutions that have a higher degree of certainty and success factors. While not being extremely spectacular, print advertising also cuts down most of the risks of running an unsuccessful ad. Most advertising agencies will promise moderate results if you are using this form of advertising, but this does not mean that you can’t see some unexpected positive results if you create a successful campaign. Going with an all print advertising campaign may be the classical way of doing it, but it could also produce some decent results and a very good return on investment.

Choosing print advertising over other forms of promotion

The campaign budget is often the number one “enemy” when it comes to spreading the promotional message. Radio advertising works well, but mostly on local areas and with repeated and continuous campaigns. TV advertising is still king, but the costs are often prohibitive to small and even medium sized companies. Internet advertising is under development – trusted by some, feared by others, this form of advertising still needs to prove it’s worth your time. Print advertising, on the other hand, has been with us for ages. The main benefit of printing your promotional message is that you get a highly targeted segment of the population. You also have the chance to run a long term campaign with a fairly modest budget. When you buy a single ad or ad space for a week or so, the prices will be high. However, you can “rent” a portion of a newspaper or magazine for 6 months or a whole year for a very good price. Most newspapers and magazines will offer huge discounts for long term ad space renting, but make sure to create a print advertising campaign that will be worth this initial investment.

Benefits of Print Advertising

Reaching the targeted audience is essential to the success of the campaign. Print advertising has the huge advantage of knowing exactly what your audience will be when you print your ad. Are you selling cosmetic products – create a print advertising campaign that can be used in a few of the specialized magazines. Auto guides and car enthusiast magazines are perfect for selling car related accessories, while sports newspapers are the ideal medium to advertise beer, men’s fashion and cars. Another important benefit is that your ads will have a strong visual impression on the reader, if they are designed correctly. When creating an ad for a newspaper, try to go with different aspects of diversity: create one “regular” ad, with graphics and photos, and one that is all text and looks like one of the articles in the newspaper. Studies have shown that ads that are presented in the forms of articles, blending in with the newspaper page, have a much better attractiveness level for the readers. All of the above recommend print advertising as a great stand alone advertising medium, while also as a good support medium for radio or TV advertising.