Print Bests Digital for Driving Purchases

August 26, 2015

Want proof that print drives sales? Just ask the researchers at Temple University, who found that print has more impact than digital when it comes to increasing reader engagement, recall, and ultimately, purchases.

The study was sponsored by the Postal Service Inspector General’s office (OIG) in conjunction with Temple’s Center for Neural Decision Making. The study found that print ads are more effective than online ads in five of nine categories and equal in two of them.

Researchers found that, while digital ads grab attention more quickly, readers lose interest in them more quickly, too. Print holds attention longer, which translates into greater emotional response and absorption of the message. This, in turns, leads to more sales.

The categories in which print bests digital?

• Review time (amount of time a reader spends with an ad)
• Stimulation (emotional reaction to an ad)
• Memory speed and confidence (how quickly and confidently a reader remembers the advertising source and content)
• Desirability (subconscious desire for the product or service)
• Valuation (the subconscious value a reader places on the product or service)

If you’ve been tempted to buy into the hype that digital ads are superior to traditional print marketing, think again. Try adding targeting and segmentation for an even more effective combination.

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