James Augustus Hicky launched India’s very first newspaper ‘Bengal Gazette’ in 1780 and what followed the launch of print media in the country on close heels was advertising- an element which goes almost hand in hand with all forms of communication.
But while the above facts are known to almost everybody, did you know that the very first ‘recorded’ ad which made its way into Hicky’s Gazette was that of a house for rent?
Quite modest yet unimaginable, isn’t it? Given that today there is hardly any avenue which is bereft of advertisements, branding or any other element which involves the utilization of ad monies- be it the smartphones we use, the content we watch or even the mode of transport we use.
Similarly, launched in the 18th century, it was only obvious that the 19th and 20th century added to the advertising boom of the medium owing to its mass media reach and appeal and then came the era of print upping its game by adding digital to its kitty in the 21st century to compete with the dynamic audio-visual mediums like Television and Radio which actually made Indian advertising truly magical.
Alas, what got lost amidst this digitalization of things and the tactical human nature which first took the easier route of converting TVCs into print ads just with a screen grab and then in certain cases placed the product right in the hands of the brand ambassador to show him/her promoting the same or even made an ‘English’ or ‘Hindi’ ad a multilingual one by merely translating the copy in native languages, all of which may be small instances but added to the larger scheme of things which made the debate ‘print is a dead medium’ wildly popular.
That being said, the print medium even today isn’t just fighting its own battles but winning them too by shattering challenges one by one, with a little push from technology, which is the case for other traditional mediums like Radio and TV as well, so why should it be the only one to be deemed ‘dead’. The term ‘evolving’ would be a better fit, isn’t it?
Also Read: Radio City’s Push On ‘Radigitalization’ To Engage With Consumers & Improve Monetisation
Speaking to Marketing Mind about how technological advancements and integrations are breathing a new life into the traditional medium that Print is, Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India, mentioned, “The case of ‘Print’ as an ad medium has majorly revolved around a one-way communication with audiences, but in today’s time that’s changing as technology is actually helping print to become an interactive medium and go beyond the newsprint by making the storytelling better. It is helping the medium to be able to engage and not just stick to the age old ‘read and understand’ proposition.”
This in his view is what’s beautifying the medium all the more today by bringing alive wonderful storytelling across formats. To explain this via an example he mentioned that today advertisers can bring something alive in a picture, video or even experiential format where the audience can sniff it, smell it, talk to it and do multiple things with it rather than just looking at it.
Having converted a Print ad of Samsung into a visual experience of ‘Circle and Search’ himself, Vikash Chemjong, Chief Creative Officer, Cheil India, terms this pushing of print advertising’s envelope with technological advancements and integrations ‘sprinklers on an ice cream’ for he believes that it is the tech factor which made the already good ‘print medium’ irresistible.
“Technology today is breathing an exciting, new life into print when the world is literally dancing on our fingertips and our attention span has shrunk to the duration of a reel because people’s expectations are more than just ink on paper; they want experiences. And, how do you do that? Sprinkle some tech, but smartly,” he opined.
Explaining the brief which led to the conceptualisation of the print version of Samsung’s ‘Circle to Search’ campaign that made much noise some time back, Cheil India’s Chemjong stated, “The brief was fairly simple– How do we demonstrate the power of Circle to Search? The only challenging bit was the word ‘demonstrate’. But with print, we saw an opportunity to put together the tactile with the digital.”
“When you have a full-fledged buffet in front of you, it’s tempting to keep a mouth full. The trick is to ask the right question – Why blend when you have a chance to stand out? The world is diving head-first into digital, so a well-crafted print ad is a refreshing opportunity which allowed us to create a multi-faceted yet hands-on experience, and in a world where everyone is just scrolling past, people got a chance to stop and say, ‘Hold on, what’s this?’,” he added further.
Sharing a similar sentiment, Ogilvy’s Nayak also said, “If you have a great concept, the print can indeed come alive with that concept. Being able to communicate to the audience via a still ad and that too in detail is just one part of the job which can be done much better with the support of tech for it enables you to make print a one-way medium, a two-way medium. And then the beauty lies in what concept you are instilling, I just saw someone do a great job of making a print ad where audiences could sniff the smell of mango and that just felt amazing.”
Moving the discussion farther from print and emphasising how technology is helping other traditional mediums come to life making the advertiser stand out, he said, “What Ogilvy did last year with Brooke Bond Taj Mahal’s outdoor activation- Megh Santoor was just bring to life an innovation and that went on to be one of our most talked about campaigns. I believe that if you have a medium in the brand’s media mix, there has to be value for it and as agencies it is our collective responsibility to make the medium look valuable to advertisers because only then will they get the result for it. Hence, it all boils down to how we push our limit to make the best possible case out of an opportunity that we as humans can think of.”
Link to campaign:
Sharing the marketers’ POV here, Sachin Sharma, GM- Corporate Marketing, DS Group, who also executed a print campaign on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024 wherein upon scanning a QR code could have a sneak peek into what headlines would make their way into newspapers in the future, said, “Leveraging our commitment to innovation, DS Group crafted a unique print ad for World Environment Day. Our ad, titled “#FeatureFromTheFuture,” wasn’t a typical newspaper clipping. Instead, it embodied the concept of a “newspaper of the future.” This forward-thinking approach used a scannable code to unlock a captivating video. This video, seamlessly integrated with the print ad, showcased potential future headlines highlighting the dire consequences of environmental neglect tweaking commonly used proverbs.”
“By blending traditional print media with modern technology using mixed reality, DS Group aimed to spark conversation and inspire immediate action towards environmental sustainability. The objective of this innovative campaign was to demonstrate the power of print advertising and how to remain impactful and engaging in the digital age. Furthermore, the use of data analysis ensured a consistent message across platforms, maximizing brand impact and engagement,” he added.
The campaign, in his views, highlights the potential of print advertising to be revitalized through creative concepts and technological integration, achieving significant reach and resonating deeply with a diverse audience.
Moreover, on a slightly philosophical note, Cheil India’s Chemjong also drew a parallel between print ads of today with the fashion industry upon being asked whether the ad industry’s new black ‘non-traditional’ experimentation is just a fad or an attempt to revive the traditional mediums all in a new avatar.
He said, “Maybe because what goes out of style eventually comes back! Just like fashion. Experimenting with the limited mediums at hand was a rage back in the day, but then came the digital revolution and print took a back seat just like boomers struggling to make online payments. Now the use of tech has reignited that old spark for print media, giving us the chance to experience the best of both worlds.”
Concludingly, he also dismissed the notion of print being dead, slyly, by raising another pertinent question- “Didn’t we say the same thing for Bell Bottoms once?” and then stated, “Print might not be the top of the trend, but it’s still got that timeless appeal. And, to put it simply- No, print is not dying, it’s just evolving.”
