Physical Media - making a real difference in a real world

(Posted on 24/06/24)

With the advent of digital media, there’s a continued argument against the popularity and need for physical media. You could look at our consumption of news, for example. Many believe that physical news media has had its day, with newspaper readerships appearing to fall and our phones being the main way news is consumed for many people. TV marketing budgets too have seen a fall, as viewers move towards online or streamed content, instead of conventional terrestrial television. But in other areas, physical media is enjoying either continued or renewed popularity.

 

What goes around, comes around

Examples include something like the music industry, where despite the popularity of streaming songs and albums, there has also been a resurgence in the popularity of vinyl records with younger as well as older music fans. It’s physical, it’s something tangible, which means that buyers can see and feel the physical item in a way they can’t with a music stream or download.

That tangibility bit is important and has a direct bearing on marketing strategies. There’s a school of thought that shows that physical media has a role to play, even across digital platforms and in conjunction with digital media. This can be as direct mail, leaflets, fliers, brochures, newsletters and the like. Some of these can be produced in digital versions, which can then be adapted into physical media too. In this way, physical still has a place alongside digital, in a world where print media can be seen in some quarters as ‘old-fashioned’, or even an obsolete approach. The impact that can be made with well-chosen or arresting design of a physical item can be more memorable than something that slides past on your phone screen.

 

A physical presence

One place you see a lot of physical adverting is in-store packaging and signage in supermarkets. Supermarket shopping online may be easier, but it’s much more difficult to influence customers’ buying habits. In person, physical signage can indicate deals, attract attention and sell products in a way that online can’t replicate. There’s something about the real-world situation that affects decision making in a different way to online, and physical signage and marketing can steer that.

The same can be true of tangible, physical media in marketing – to have something in your hand that can be flicked through, like a brochure or leaflet, or laid out to display. If you are attending exhibitions and conferences, for example, there is still very much a need to have something you can give visitors. You can simply have a business card, with email, a phone number and website address, but it’s much better to produce something more impactful. This can be anything from branded items, such as bags or pens, to fliers and brochures, that outline your business and its offerings, be they a product or service.

 

If you’re thinking of producing physical media, maybe for a marketing campaign, a rebrand or to attend an exhibition, then get in touch with us today to discuss your options.