Is Print Still Relevant in Today’s Digital World?
The answer? Yes.
Advertisers around the world are increasing the reach of their campaigns by integrating different forms of media. Although the world is becoming increasingly digital, print does still have an integral space in advertising and globally people are still using it in their campaigns. An example of this integration of media is in the use of billboards with functionality.
In South Korea, Tesco supermarkets asked the question: “how do we become the number one supermarket in South Korea even though we have less stores than leading supermarkets?”
After extensive market research, Tesco found that South Koreans are the second most hard working people in the world. Because they work so hard and such long hours most of the population reported dreading their weekly trip to the grocery store which was always packed full of in South Korea’s densely populated major cities.Then they came up with a genius idea: let the store come to the people.
Tesco created virtual grocery stores in subways across South Korea in an attempt to blend the shopping experience into people’s everyday lives. Using vinyl, the display and merchandise looked exactly how it would in-store with just one difference: you used your smart phone to shop. All you had to do was scan your items, pay for them, and they would be delivered to your door when you got home. Frustrating waiting time at subways became shopping time, allowing consumers the opportunity to get home earlier and skip the dreaded grocery store visit.
The idea was a major success, skyrocketing Tesco to the number one supermarket in online sales and the number two supermarket in offline sales in South Korea. More than 10000 consumers accessed Tesco’s online store using their smart phones and their online sales increased by a massive 130%!
This idea, simple as it was, brilliantly displays the way that traditional and new media can work together to create something brilliant. The print job in this project was integral to the success of it. Had the printing been unclear or made the products look unsatisfactory in any way, consumers would not have been as compelled to purchase them. Although technology may provide us with the opportunity to really wow people and grab their attention, people need to be able to read the text or identify what the image is first.