It is a digital world – everyone accepts that, and everyone likes being able to access information from their sofa just by picking up a mobile phone or an ipad.
But the printing industry is more important than ever to the UK economy and we would like to share our thoughts on why we believe this so passionately.
Firstly, over 85,000 people are employed in the UK printing industry which turns over around £10 Billion per year – only the printing industries in China, USA, Japan and Germany are bigger.
Furthermore, UK printers deliver £650 Million of capital investment each year to ensure cutting-edge technologies are utilised helping businesses in this country reap the benefits that come with being able to print more efficiently than ever before.
These UK printing manufacturers work with a wide variety of organisations, markets and sectors including the government, retail, healthcare, education, travel, motoring and more. They are also responsible for a huge amount of trade, exporting around £3 Billion of printed products and importing over £2 Billion. So, it is clear the UK printing industry makes a hugely significant contribution to the economy and our trade balance.
In this age of constant digital distraction, print is a trusted and tangible medium that has stood the test of time. It has endured as a communication medium through the evolution of radio, TV, mobile, the web and social media. Evidence shows that when a new medium comes along, it does not necessarily kill its predecessors: for instance, research last year showed the growth of printed books sales versus the reported decline of ebooks.
And would you believe, millennials value print! While online may be the channel of choice for the millennial generation, it turns out that they also value print, in some respects even more so than the Baby-boomers who precede them. Quocirca’s ‘Print 2025’ report surveyed hundreds of millennials and 77% of them thought paper/physical documents and products will still be important or very important in the workplace in 2025.
There can be no doubt that print is trustworthy. All demographics, including millennials, trust print media much more than any other content they are exposed to. Print media tops TV, Radio, and digital content, with the printed newspapers found to be more trustworthy than their website counterparts.
The reason? Printed media is often considered much less invasive, with no annoying pop-up ads getting in the way. A label, brochure, magazine or other form of print is a relaxed form of marketing. The consumer can read the content when they choose, without having their Facebook feed interrupted by an ad.
Print is tangible. There is nothing like a well-designed, high quality printed product to actually hold. And print is engaging – it can be consumed in an easy-to-read format, improving the experience for a consumer and positioning the brand positively. Print allows you to tell a story effectively, helping to support sales pitches and other marketing efforts.
For more information, and to start your journey with Kingfisher Labels, please contact our Sales Director, Andy Watts on 01454 321456 or email Andy: andy@kingfisherlabels.co.uk