In a world dominated by screens, digital platforms have become an integral part of delivering a message and operating a campaign. Digital and TV advertisements reach wide audiences and messages can be carefully targeted like never before.
But it’s critical to understand the continued importance of print materials – direct mailers, palm cards, yard signs – which successfully delivered narratives and reached audiences long before screens.
Physical and Personal Connection
There’s something personal about physically interacting with an advertisement or campaign material. This is a feeling you can’t always create with a social media campaign or advertisement on TV.
Direct mailers will be directly addressed to the person receiving the message, something not yet possible with digital ads. Digital ads and other mediums can be glossed over, but physical mail requires the recipient to look it over and evaluate the message.
The volume of physical mail people receive today is lower than it used to be, and also lower than other types of communication. This makes it more likely they will see and pay attention to the content.
Targeted Audience
Just like digital, print marketing can reach targeted audiences based on a wide range of factors. This is important because print still works better for certain audiences, depending on aspects such as age or socioeconomic status.
If you’re looking to target a younger demographic, digital can help effectively reach those markets where print may not work as well.
At Sinclair Public Affairs, we know how to leverage traditional media channels including direct mail, radio and TV advertising, print advertising, press releases, and other earned media opportunities to effectively deliver messages to achieve optimal results.
Staying Power
TV advertisements can reach wide audiences, particularly when broadcast in carefully targeted time slots. But these ads have a short lifespan – 30 seconds to a minute and they’re gone.
Although TV is an effective way to advertise, there’s a chance a viewer left their chair or flipped the channel during commercials, missing your message altogether. At Sinclair, we utilize TV along with print and other materials to create a cohesive message and campaign.
People don’t always turn the TV on, but they do make sure to check their mail. This almost guarantees that a direct mailer would be seen. And yes, the recipient could very well discard the information, but they saw it.
Digital advertisements usually keep information a click away, while print materials drive the recipient to action – whether it’s looking up more information or getting out to vote.
Working in Concert
When crafting a campaign, Sinclair builds dynamic plans that include both digital and print elements to optimize impact. More audiences can be reached and more impressions can be made if you’re targeting people in different ways.
Brand recognition can be increased with a similar look along digital and print platforms. The print materials can also link back to the digital side – sending people to websites and social media accounts.
At Sinclair, we know the importance of print materials in a campaign and combine those with a digital effort to ensure success for our clients.
