Digital/Print Catalogs: Pros and Cons

Digital advertising technologies are in many cases replacing paper products. Printed catalogs or brochures look brighter and more credible, but marketers often feel that audiences are demanding something more modern. Don’t rush to conclusions; each carrier has its own pros and cons. Let's look at both the advantages and disadvantages.

Printed catalogues

In 2014, scientists at the American Temple University conducted a study and found that printed materials guarantee a better emotional response and are better remembered. Print advertising engages areas of the brain associated with value and desire. Thus, traditional catalogs are better at convincing customers to purchase the advertised item than digital ones.

Any printed product provides a unique tactile sensation, and this applies to catalogs to the fullest. Especially when we are talking about premium catalogs on expensive paper or those that use non-standard inks: scented, luminescent, changing color under the influence of temperature or lighting.

High-quality photos also look much more impressive on glossy paper than when compressed view on the screen. When it comes to luxury products, a printed catalog with luxurious images is a very good way to attract the attention of the audience.

In addition, the overall design of such a catalog affects the impression of the company as a whole.

In order to view a traditional catalog, there is no need to download it and wait for it to load, or install any special viewing software like Javascript. Also, printed catalogs do not have restrictions related to access to the Internet. You can look through it while sitting in a cafeteria or on an airplane.

At the same time, printed materials also have their drawbacks. Let's say that printing is eternal in the literal sense of the word. To make changes to the finished product, you need to redo the entire circulation, so there are difficulties with updating information, say, price offers.

The more catalogue< /a> (by format and number of pages), the more expensive the printing and paper, so you need to carefully select the elements that will be placed there. On the other hand, such a limitation can be beneficial, since the time spent reading the directory is limited. And the task is to attract attention in the shortest possible time.

Tracking who and when opened your catalog in printed form is not easy . Thus, marketers do not have complete information about reaching the target audience and the effectiveness of advertising. However, sales growth can provide basic information. You can also place various questionnaires in the catalog, offering readers certain bonuses for filling them out

Digital catalogues

Digital catalogs look more modern in the eyes of the youth audience. Many people are online barely 24 hours a day. It is possible to catch their attention only through the latest technologies. Moreover, we are talking not only about standard catalogs in the form of files with text and illustrations, but various interactive applications with sound and video. The more interesting it is to make such a catalog, the greater the chance that users will begin to actively share it on social networks.

At the same time, the digital catalog can be updated as much as you like at any time. So you don’t have to be afraid to make a mistake and adapt the product to current user needs.

The ubiquity of mobile devices allows you to view catalogs almost anywhere. And there is no need to carry a heavy product with you.

Another advantage is that it is very easy to track the preferences of the target audience and analyze purchasing behavior.

However, digital products are not ideal. First of all, you should be careful with digital formats - not all of them will open correctly on different devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets from various manufacturers).

High-end images of luxury goods may look faded on certain monitors, which will not lead to the desired result. And the presence of hyperlinks to products can distract from viewing.

Thus , the choice of medium for the catalog largely depends on the product itself that is advertised. A printed catalog (of course, with high-quality design and printing) looks brighter and more solid, therefore it is much better suited for a premium group of products. A digital catalog will quickly come to the attention of young people, especially if it contains a wow effect. And the ideal solution could be a combination of both types of advertising.