The Top Ten Ways Print Helps You Prosper: #10 Print is everywhere

Print has been the world's favorite medium ever since a little known monk asked Gutenberg: "How much do you want for that Bible?" We're used to being surrounded by print. We're comfortable with it. We want more.

What do the numbers say? Consider a 2006 survey by the magazine Graphic Design USA. It found that 9 out of 10 of the designers polled have worked in print during the last year. What's more, a total of 91% of the respondents' projects involved print exclusively or were comprised of a substantial print component. The survey also discovered that 71% of the designers' total work hours were devoted to print driven projects.

Look at event marketing. It wouldn't be possible without print. Programs, posters, signage of all kinds, special commemorative publications - print is on the scene at ball games, motorsports venues, concerts, shows, fairs, museums, galleries and rallies. Whenever a crowd gathers, print can provide a platform for marketers and a fresh perspective for fans.

There is even evidence that we like print more than television. A study by the magazine Publishers of America found that for 36 brands that shifted ad expenditures from TV to magazines, media effectiveness scores doubled over time.

Those are vital signs of a medium that's vibrant and valuable. That medium is print.

  ©2006, The Print Council, Washington, DC, www.theprintcouncil.org