Print Advertising Is Not Dead.
With all the marketing and social media options available today, many people and marketing pundits are advocating that traditional print advertising is becoming obsolete. Shame on them! Advertising is still one of the best ways to shape your message and support your brand. A good strategy at the local and regional level can really boost sales for small and medium sized businesses and professional services organizations.
A good ad — one that makes an effective impact — has a strong headline, utilizes well-written supportive body copy and incorporates a clean, inviting design. So many ads today are created by the media outlets and sold as a “value-added” bonus as a way to boost ad sales. I say there is very little of value when your ad consists of your logo as a headline, a list of what you do, and your address. Where’s the message? Where’s the emotional appeal to your target audience? Knowing who you’re trying to reach is so important when you’re vying with so many other media messages. You simply have to be relevant. Good Advertising is an Art, not something you just slap together because you know how to use a design program.
So while I truly believe that print advertising still holds a solid place in any good marketing strategy, it has to be well crafted. And, ideally, your print advertising is conceived as a campaign with a single minded focus to each ad and an overall objective or goal for the campaign. So, before you ask your local paper or magazine to create a “one off” ad for you for free, make sure you give some thought to what will resonate best with your target audience, and how you can inspire them to take the desired action you’re seeking.
Better yet, find a really good strategic agency with a strong creative portfolio. That’s a sure way to bring your advertising to life.
DARCI Creative
Total Brand Agency
