Do you have memory problems?
I know, you’re probably wondering what that has to do with print. Well, as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivor myself, I most have memory problems. When I was writing these posts and thinking about the power of print in marketing, I realized, “maybe my TBI is what draws me to print.” But if research shows that print advertising is effective at building strong memories in the average consumer, then it certainly assists people like me.
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Walnut Unlimited cites a study that compared the brains reactions to the same brand information in printed format and in digital format. Guess the results? The physical, direct mail piece triggered more areas of the brain. The areas triggered involve merging both visual and spatial information, influencing memory.
Believe it or not, the power of print can even create false memories that seem real! Read this example from Walnut Unlimited:
Research [from Martin Lindstrom] found that almost 80% of people who just looked at high-quality, vivid imagery of popcorn in a print ad were one week later as likely to claim they had eaten the popcorn as people who actually had. Interestingly, with low-quality imagery, this figure dropped to 30%, suggesting that the quality of the print ad makes all the difference in creating lasting memories for a brand campaign.
Memory and Emotion
This same study found that physical, printed advertisements combine both memory and emotion. We are much more prone to remember and be decisive about something when we feel strongly about it. Physical advertisements create more emotionally vivid memories. This is crucial for brands who want to produce favorable and lingering brand impressions.
Implications
Think about the implications of this and what it means for your company.
Simply looking at an image in a print ad can change your memory of actual events. What memories does your company want to influence?
Also, the quality of the ad affected the response almost 50%. This shows the importance of quality graphic design and quality photography.
We see again that print is powerful. Does your company take advantage of this potential?
If you want to harness this power, and your company needs someone to partner with for your print advertising needs, consider Inkling Creative. We’d love to work with you to make your company memorable.
If you are convinced you need print marketing, but don’t have the resources to hire it out, check out my course, Learn Affinity Publisher. I teach you the skills and resources you need to make your ideas come to life.
What are your thoughts? Do you have an example of when print has impacted your memory?
