We have never before been so saturated with advertising. Tomorrow, we will be more saturated. Every single day most people are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of advertisements all preaching the same thing: buy into this. A product, an idea – if you buy it then we can develop other products and ideas you can also buy into.

It is reported that upwards of 75% of all direct mail advertisements go directly into the recycle bin. For direct mail campains, it is now acceptable, if not expected, to only see less than a one-percent ROI for the advertised product. This means pretty much all advertisments that are printed are garbage.

There are television advertisments that are remembered and last through the ages. Think of the iconic Superbowl ads or the car commercials companies invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into. Now think of the dozens of commercials that are shown to you during the span of a one-hour program. How many of those do you remember? Chances are, you won’t remember many of them. Just think of those advertising budgets that have been forever lost, recycled after they have served their short-lived purpose.

Here is an idea: Don’t make garbage. Make something that will last.

In France, during the late 1800s and early 1900s, an artist by the name of Georges Meunier created a series of painted advertisements for various bars and leisure clubs. Over the next century, most of those clubs would eventually close down or be destroyed, but to this day the paintings have been reproduced and sold as novelty art peices and coffee table books. Of course, Meunier never inteded for his posters to be considered lasting art, he was just trying to get more people to the clubs. Perhaps it’s time our print marketing takes a similar route? While it’s impossible to determine what art the masses will appreciate now or in 100 years from now, we can at least challenge ourselves to produce something that is a little higher in quality than recycle-bin fodder.

Imagine: your advertising could potentially outlast your business. What is it about the print advertisement that will make the audience hold onto it long after they become a customer?

Print has been replaced by technology so quickly that  we haven’t had the chance to consider the implications of replaceing one medium with another so quickly. In a direct email campaign, you only have as long as that person is looking at the email to make the sale. The permenance of print mediums can amplify the digital presence, and vice versa.

It’s hard to predict what will make for art fifty or a hundred years down the line. However, by at least thinking of our print ads as something more than just an ad, what will it do to the quality of the ad? Or the response of the customer? Or the integrity of your business?

There has been a fantastic push towards centering marketing around digital platforms. Does this mean the print medium is overrated? Far from it. Of all things, the presence of tech leaves print open to an infinite opportunity to enhance your business presence.

Supporting Matierials – Muenier prints, modern examples of advertising that will last, examples of how an added investment to your print marketing campaigns can increase your ROI. Sure, it’s an ad for your business – but what else does your advertising do?

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