Digital is the third largest medium in India after
Television and OOH says Zenith’s Media Consumption Forecasts report (Source: afaqs).
The media mix for most of the companies have seen rejig.
Print is getting replaced by the digital media. And there are various reasons
for it – its cost effective, catches audience at the right time at the right place
(remember this is what our very own Philip Kotler also said about effective
communication), gives relevant information, it’s a fun and young medium and
hence there is a lot to innovate and explore. Digital has also provided a
platform for many a talent to start their shop – be it the e-tailers, bankers,
writers (bloggers as we call them), cottage industries, and educational
institutions… the list is endless. Even the original print houses have got
their digital versions. It’s true, this medium is growing by leaps and bounds
and cannot be ignored in this age. It is estimated that this year, the ad
spends on digital will grow by 15.5%, hence making digital the fastest growing
medium (Source: Live Mint ).
However, digital media has some drawbacks – technology
intimidates a lot of people, it strains eyes, many do not know how to use the
digital platform. That’s why a national campaign needs a complete 360 degree
media mix. While television tops this media mix, print medium cannot be
ignored. Especially because it reaches to the people who are the decision
makers and have the spending power.
Reading newspapers, magazines is an addiction. It’s a routine.
It’s old school. Whether you read it with your morning cup of chai or when you
are on the pot discharging the previous days worries (*wink*) or when you are travelling
in the train.
Print medium is old school. It gives a sense of
sophistication. When one is reading a newspaper, it gives a perception that
that individual might be intellectual. However, when one is reading the same
news on the mobile phone, it gives an impression that the person is a playing game
or is a geek.
While a lot of digital content is becoming regional, it’s
not very popular still. Nothing can replace the regional newspapers. It is
often said that the consumer loyalty to a regional language newspaper is a lot
more than the English newspaper.
Many avid readers have migrated to e-books, kindle and
online books. This might be convenient, easy to carry, cost effective and
stylish. But then again, there is a wide audience who is still a fan of the
hard copy, who has a collection of books, and a book shelf in their home.
Hence in this digital age, where every person is connected
to information, I still see that print medium is not going to go off the
stands. Irony stands that this itself is a blog and not an article written in
some newspaper or magazine!
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