by Nancy Drapeau, PRC
CEIR Research Director
I confess to using an overly-coined phrase, ‘The death of’ in my attempt to grab your attention for the topic of this blog. It has been used frequently to describe the disruptive impact of digital on different industries, print media to name one. Though indeed print media is not as large an industry as it was 10 years ago, it is not dead. Print media will continue to evolve with the reading preferences of its audiences and the needs of its advertisers.
So, why mention print media? It is mentioned as an analogy relating to trends in the use of print materials for exhibition marketing purposes.
The Digital Playbook study reveals that over one-half of surveyed brand marketers or exhibitors are reducing traditional tactics for promotions in their exhibit marketing programs in exchange for digital ones. The biggest area impacted is the use of direct mail, or snail mail, in preference for email communications.
This trend is not as dominant when it comes to how exhibitors share information with attendees on the exhibition floor.
According to the Exhibitor Product Information Sharing Practices, paper still rules, 85 percent of exhibitors share printed brochures/catalogues with attendees who visit their booths. Exhibitors are responding to attendee wants, as it is the most popular option from the attendee perspective, with 58 percent preferring to receive product information in the form of a printed brochure. A sizable percentage of attendees are receptive to receiving information in digital formats, though not to the extent as those preferring paper materials.
When looking at how effective each information-sharing technique is in supporting an exhibit company’s objectives for exhibiting, more users of digital methods say they are effective; though printed brochures mailed after an exhibition are rated effective by nearly three-quarters of users.
If anything, trends uncovered in this report suggest that strategic use of paper and digital tactics is the key: providing the right content in the preferred format to position one’s company for consideration for future and near-term purchases.
To obtain a copy of the full report which discusses this topic, visit: http://www.ceir.org/store_products.view.php?id=2553
