Multi-channel marketing and the e-book/digital printing revolution in book publishing were themes explored at the second annual Digital Printing Forum in Toronto hosted by InterQuest and held at Ryerson University on Wednesday, May 11th.
“Print is no longer the primary medium for marketing communications,” noted Toby Cobrin, director with Interquest, a Virginia-based market research and consulting firm focused on digital printing.
She added that the emergence—and rapid acceptance—of online and mobile marketing communications in combination with generational shifts have directed ad spend away from print.
John Zarwan (pictured left), a print industry consultant based in PEI, pointed out that Canada experienced a double-digit decline in direct mail volume in 2009, wiping out five years of printed direct mail growth. He also identified that in Canada the ad spend on the Internet has surpassed direct mail.
Based on research conducted by Zarwan for a new report Trends and Future of Direct Marketing commissioned by Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization (PRIMIR) in the U.S., Zarwan shared that when marketers were asked if they use multiple channels in their campaigns, only one in 10 said always—for those that have launched multi-channel marketing campaigns, print is almost always used.
When marketers were asked about their perceptions of their print service providers, a significant number indicated that printers are solely focused on print and they don’t understand marketing.
Zarwan believes that for printers to thrive they must be able to reverse this perception. “You (as a printer) have to know why your customers are printing. You need to be aware of what they are trying to accomplish.”
Eleanor Rafter (pictured) of Canada Post shared insights from a new study on Canadian consumer preferences and behaviours related to the delivery of advertising messages. Rafter shared results comparing mail with electronic delivery along with the effectiveness of multi-channel messaging.
When it comes to reaching Canadians, while eight out of 10 have access to e-mail, most have more than one e-mail account, demonstrating a challenge in communicating via e-mail alone.
And results show that on most counts printed mail delivery outperforms e-mail with respect to a recipient’s overall acceptance of advertising messages—with the exception of environmental impact where e-delivery fared better.
When it comes to consumer behaviour, Canadians are more likely to take action from a marketing message delivered via print over e-mail or online only.
And Rafter highlighted that consumers’ intent to purchase raised from two percent to six percent when advertising mail is combined with online marketing.
“The importance of a multi-channel marketing strategy is demonstrated by the need to effectively reach Canadians,” said Rafter. “Mail still outperforms electronic delivery for customer preference, but the value of an integrated campaign has a much stronger impact.”
