Print and the Internet

It may not come as a surprise to many that the recent Internet World show in London (Europe's largest ever Internet Exhibition) received a grand total of ZERO column inches in any printing trade publication that I could find. Nor is there any post show coverage by any of our industry bodies. Now, forgive me for being blunt here but is the printing industry not concerned about the combined impact of the recession and the proliferation of digital marketing techniques? Surely it should warrant a little more attention than my solitary blog? Marketers are being forced to cut costs, like everyone else. The easiest option is to contact one of the scores of 'digital marketing specialists' that have sprung up in recent times. They promise the earth at a much reduced cost compared to 'conventional' campaigns. I asked many individual 'multi-channel marketing' vendors at the Internet World show (and there were a lot of them) how they dealt with the printed elements of a multi-channel campaign. The answer? Blank faces. These guys don't consider print to be 'multi-channel'. They call it 'offline media' or 'conventional mailing'.
We have some serious strategy issues here. We'd better start educating these buyers, particularly these Generation Y buyers, as to the real power of print when used in a true multi-channel campaign. If we don't, we will all pay the price.

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