• 77% of people have stated that print allows for higher brand recall than digital or TV
• 46% of TV viewers said they were more likely to take action from a TV ad than a digital ad
• TV and print advertising are great for diversifying your audience and ensuring you only use one channel or platform 

Print media and television ads are what’s called traditional media. They both have been around for a long time and are readily consumed by many. 

Diversifying your ad placements is always wise, as you may capture more of your target audience than just one mode of advertising. But how do you know which is a better commitment of time and money? Let’s investigate this topic further…

Many businesses have undertaken digital advertising and get great results. However, if you want to expand brand recognition and audience, you will need to look to traditional media in your marketing plan. 

For the purposes of this article, when we refer to print we will be referring to flyers, pamphlets, newspapers, and magazines. These are the most common forms of print media today. 

What do I need to know if I want to diversify my advertising?

If you have decided to not just rely on digital and social marketing, you need to know a few things about your business. 

1. What are your key demographics?

2. Is your audience traditionally more inclined towards print or TV consumption? 

3. How much do I want to invest in my advertising?

4. What is the geographic location of my audience?

Now that you know these elements, it’s important to look into the demographics of magazines or TV channels that cater to your demographic. Then enquire about prices and the logistics involved. 

However, it can be hard to make an informed decision on which medium to go with. Let’s look at the pros and cons of both TV advertising and print advertising, so you can decide what's best for your business. 

For the purposes of this article, when we refer to print we will be referring to flyers, pamphlets, newspapers, and magazines. These are the most common forms of print media today. 

What are the advantages of print media?

Let’s start with the advantages of print media. 

1. The audience is more engaged

When people decide to read a magazine, flyer, or newspaper, it is an active choice. This means that your reader is going to absorb everything that is in the print material, advert or not. 

Studies have shown that print advertising is easier for the brain to process than digital, so you can be sure that your audience is more engaged with the ad. 

2. Print is an experience 

I have a confession… I LOVE the smell of fresh magazines, books, and newspapers. When I was sad, I would go to a bookshop to smell the books. My point is, print in its many and varied forms is a sensory experience as well as cerebral. 

The quality of the paper, the size of the material are just some ways your reader can actually interact with your brand, not just read. 

3. On average, print can inspire more action

Print is statistically better at inspiring potential customers to take action. In a study by RAM metrics, they found that more people were more likely to take action from a print ad than a digital ad. 

4. Print is viewed as more trustworthy than its digital counterparts. 

This may be due to its long history in advertising and our experiences with print mediums throughout our lives. 

However, people are warier of digital media, in some parts, because it’s new, and it has a reputation as being more likely to have scams than other forms of advertising.

5. Print has a segmented audience

Many magazines are marketed to interest groups and demographics, such as young women for fashion magazines, craftspeople who want knitting magazines, or crochet patterns.  Even to your local population with a flyer drop.

Chances are, your business can advertise directly to your demographics in print form.  There are a plethora of choices, and even trade magazines are great! The print world is your oyster!

Now that we have a grasp on the advantages, let’s take a gander at the disadvantages of print media. 

What are the drawbacks of print media?

1. Print advertising can be expensive. 

Print can be expensive if you are looking for a full-page glossy ad in a popular magazine. There are ways around this, for example, you can print brochures or take out a smaller ad in that same magazine. 

2. Print has a smaller audience. 

Sadly this is true, print media cannot stack up next to digital’s incredible reach. But what print has in its corner is incidental viewership. This means that people other than the original buyer can view your ad in a print medium.

I will often read magazines that my husband has bought, or other family members have bought. 

However, the downside of this aspect is that this is very hard to track, from the point of view of circulation figures. 

3. You don’t always get the colour scheme that you want

Most print companies have top-of-the-range printers, however, your shade or colour choices may not look exactly how they do digitally. This isn’t a problem, a lot of the time. However, if your print advertising relies on your colour scheme, in an exact shade, you may need to discuss this issue with a printing company before you proceed. 

4. Print doesn't really have a global reach

Even the most popular magazines and newspapers don’t have the global reach that digital advertising does. In some cases, people order newspapers and magazines from their hometown or country. However, this is in the minority. 

When approaching a print campaign, it's best to be realistic about your reach in terms of geography. Local campaigns work great for flyers and brochures. Statewide and national campaigns work well for newspapers and magazines. 

Now that we have explored the wonderful world of print advertising, let's look at TV advertising. 

For the purpose of the article, TV will refer to public access channels, cable, and some streaming platforms such as Hulu that allow for ads. 

Netflix and other streaming platforms that do not have ads will not be included. 

What are the advantages of TV advertising?

1. TV adverts are full-screen

What we mean by this is that your ad won’t be competing in the same frame as other ads. With digital and some forms of print ads, you are competing for viewers’ attention. 

2. Vast audience

A large section of most countries still watch television, and public channels do have a die-hard fan base. So you can be sure that many people will see your ad. Just make sure you are advertising in the right time slots and channels for your demographic. 

3. Good reports and ratings are available

While the reporting isn’t as instant as digital advertising, you can access many demographic and rating reports online from the channels you want to advertise on. It means you can make an informed decision. 

4. Good for smaller brands

If you are a newcomer to the market, TV is much easier to create brand recognition than other mediums. Just make sure your ad is memorable for the right reasons and speaks to your audience. 

5. Can create iconic pop culture moments and brand association

Ads can become part of everyday culture, and many people can quote or remember ads from their childhood. You are creating moments of positive association with your product that can put your company into the stratosphere. 

6. Can upload your TV ad to the web as well 

The great thing about creating a TV ad is that you can automatically upload it online for digital campaigns as well as TV ads. Some companies upload their ads to YouTube, so they can be viewed after the ad has aired. 

Now that we have learned what’s great about TV ads, what are the drawbacks of TV advertising? 

What are the drawbacks of TV Ads?

1. It is expensive

Yep, TV ads are expensive for ad creation as well as air time. You can pay up to $1,300 (AUD) per ad air. You can expect to pay over $20,000 (AUD) for a metro news channel during a popular show or the news. Ouch. 

2. Requires repetition to be effective

Leading off from the above point, you need to have a repeat schedule for your ad. It’s usually recommended showing your ad at least 12 times. If it’s an expensive ad, this can add up. 

The reason why you need to repeat the ad so frequently is to allow for a distracted audience that may not pick up on what you are advertising straight away. Repetition is key!

3. Can't reach the audience of social media and display adverts

I did mention earlier that the reach of TV ads is still quite good. And it is, but not as good as digital media that costs a fraction of what TV and print ads do. Also, many viewers loathe ads and will take the opportunity to go to the bathroom or grab snacks during ad breaks. 

Just because they are watching the program, doesn’t always mean they will see your ad.  

4. You can’t easily see the ad again after air time.

With print ads, you can see the ad any time you like, and you don’t require an internet connection. With TV ads, after they have aired during their campaign, they aren’t seen again. It’s a lot of effort to put into a 30-second ad that won’t be seen. 

A lot of companies put their ads on YouTube after it airs for a couple of years and then takes them down to avoid confusion with new and old products. 

5. Your audience is very dismissive of TV ads

I have mentioned this previously, but I need to say it again. You need to prepare for a distracted audience. Make sure there are compelling images, a catchy jingle, or a character that is relatable to the audience. You need to remind them that ads are great and worth sticking around for. 

6.  Your ad will be likely well-received during expensive times 

This sounds like it should be on the pro list. However, if you want a better chance of a receptive audience, you need to pay, sometimes a lot.  

The most extravagant example of this is the Super Bowl. The most expensive ad during the game was 5.6 million.  

However, it is unlikely that you will need to pay that much to get a popular TV spot. You are looking at around $100,000-300,000 (AUD) for a popular program spot. 

Source: Shutterstock

The Verdict

If you are wanting to ‘cross pollinate’ your advertising, either TV or print would be a great solution. 

If your budget is strict and smaller than you’d like, print advertising is great as your ads will last longer, are easy to access after they have been read and there are low-cost options are available to you such as flyers and brochures. 

However, if you are wanting to create a video ad for digital anyway and want to diversify your audience, TV ads are a brilliant way to get more bang for your buck. You can use the same ad on two mediums, digital and TV, and really help build brand recognition. 

If you are wanting to enter the world of print advertising, you need to:

1. Identify your key demographics and what print medium would be best

2. Hire a graphic designer to create your ad for you

3. If need be, hire a copywriter to write your ad

4. Call printing companies and hire the best one for your budget, or contact the agency that looks after the paper or magazine ad section

5. If it’s a flyer, organise the distribution of the flyer in a letterbox drop or other means

6. Keep track of when the ad or flyer went out, so you can work out your ROI

If you want to delve into the world of TV advertising, you need to:

1. Identify your key demographics and what channels they tend to watch. Many channels have reports and rating figures

2. Hire a media agency or freelancers to help with ad creation, editing, and sound mixing. 

3. Contact the media agency or contact a media buying agency and discuss your options for ad placement and repetition

4. Watch your ad and keep a note of when the ad goes to air, so you can track your sales increase from the ad. 

If you would like to chat and discuss your options with other like-minded people you can join our print advertising group or TV advertising group to learn more.