In a survey commissioned by Two
Sides, 84% of 500 UK consumers
questioned said they understood,
retained or used information read on
paper much better than information
received on a digital device; 83%
stated a clear preference for printed
media when reading about more
complex topics.
Four out of five people (79%) said that
when given the choice they preferred to
read on paper. The same number said
they found printed media more relaxing.
In contrast, 60% of mobile/
smartphone users, and 71% of 18-24 year
olds, said they were concerned about the
effect of digital devices on their health.
Two Sides director Martyn Eustace
said: “The results of the UK survey have
lessons for all those who choose the
way in which information is distributed,
particularly for advertisers, marketers
and educators. While on-screen reading
occupies an increasing amount of
consumer time, people’s preferences are
still for a physical reading experience,
which they believe to be a ‘safe’ medium
that is more informative, less distracting
and less harmful to their health.”
Two Sides, which was set up
to promote the sustainability and
attractiveness of print and paper, has
produced a series of 11 fact sheets
designed to dispel what it sees as the
myths and misconceptions surrounding
the sustainability of paper versus digital
communications. They include:
n
Electronic communication;
n
“Go Green-Go Paperless” messages
are misleading;
n
Harvesting trees through sustainable
forestry;
n
Paper is one of the few truly
sustainable products;
n
Paper is one of the most recycled
products;
n
Paper production supports sustainable
forest management;
n
Paper’s carbon footprint is not as high
as you think;
n
Print and paper play a key role in
learning and literacy;
n
The paper industry uses a lot of
renewable energy;
n
Why challenge anti-paper
environmental marketing claims?;
n
Wood-based paper and non-wood
based paper.
Four out of five prefer paper
PRINT.IT
35
DIGITAL PRINT
Information is easier to understand and retain if read on the printed page rather than in
digital form, new research shows.
In the future, even global
companies must become more flexible
in order to satisfy society’s craving for
innovation and novelty. In this context,
printed packaging can become a
major marketing tool; just consider the
impact Share a Coke has had.
A printer must be able to help cut
the time to market for new products,
either through automated workflows
or perhaps by taking on prototype
creation using 3D printing technology.
Using new inkjet technologies printers
can print directly onto a bottle or
package. In what is known as direct-
to-shape printing, the printing system
becomes part of the bottling or packing
line, so rather than printing and
delivering labels, the print company’s
role is to manage the technology and
establish a new workflow.
Such developments necessitate
a whole new approach to marketing
what a printer is and what it can do.
For many print service providers,
this is unknown territory. Exceptions
include online printers that have grown
rapidly in recent years, sweeping away
swathes of small print businesses.
They rarely lead on price, but sell
convenience and ease of access
instead, raising brand awareness
through constant marketing and
sponsorship initiatives.
Increasing value
Printers should develop marketing
skills to promote their unique
benefits, such as personal service,
same-day printing, a wide choice of
substrates, design, fulfilment etc., and
expand their horizons beyond simple
production.
Printing will remain at the heart
of any offering, but printers must
become more like project managers,
shepherding different aspects of
the communication chain to achieve
the result the customer wants and
delivering a measurable return on
investment. The focus on reducing
overheads in the end-to-end supply
chain has already transformed how
books are printed and distributed;
digital printing is starting to eat into
packaging for the same reason. It is
not the cost of producing an individual
carton or label that is important, but
the overall cost including wasted
materials and time in the supply chain.
Printing companies that can do
this and become engaged with their
customers and work together to find
solutions that embrace print at some
level can look forward to the future
with confidence.
Right: Luxurious
packaging from
Scodix
Below: Share
a Coke brings
personalisation
to labelling
