Edward Enninful, the former British Vogue editor, recently made a statement that strikes right to the heart of what we do: “While people say print is dead, I believe the opposite – print has become more powerful than ever and an art form that must be preserved.”
While email open rates hover around 20-30%, direct mail consistently achieves 80-90% open rates with response rates of 4-9% – proving Enninful’s point exactly.
You can read more about Enninful’s new magazine launch in the original Guardian article.
His words capture something we’ve been saying for years. Print isn’t disappearing – it’s evolving into something more precious, more impactful, and more essential than ever before.
The Tactile Advantage
Enninful spoke about wanting to “create something tactile, timeless and collectible by creating an object that honours traditional media.” This perfectly describes what happens when your marketing materials arrive in your customers’ hands.
Digital marketing bombards people with endless notifications and fleeting messages. But print demands attention. It creates a physical connection between your brand and your audience. When someone receives your beautifully designed brochure or direct mail piece, they hold your brand in their hands. That’s powerful.
Quality Over Quantity
The shift towards print as an art form means businesses can’t rely on cheap, forgettable materials anymore. Your print marketing needs to be worth keeping, worth talking about, worth remembering.
This is where brilliant design and premium materials make all the difference. When we create print materials for our clients, we’re not just transferring information to paper – we’re creating experiences. The weight of the paper, the finish, the way colours pop on the page – all of these elements work together to make your brand unforgettable.
Standing Out in Our Screen-Dominated World
Our increasingly online world has made print more valuable, not less. People are experiencing genuine digital fatigue from endless notifications and screen time. Meanwhile, research shows that 96% of consumers engage with direct mail they receive, and 80% keep relevant mail for weeks.
Print offers something precious in this chaos – a break from the digital overwhelm. It’s physical relief for screen-weary eyes and a chance to actually focus on one message. That’s valuable space for your marketing message.
Print That Creates Connections
The best print marketing doesn’t just inform – it creates emotional connections. Whether it’s the excitement of unboxing an influencer package, the satisfaction of flipping through a beautifully designed brochure, or the curiosity sparked by an innovative direct mail piece, print engages the senses in ways digital simply cannot.
We’ve seen this firsthand with our client campaigns. From luxury property brochures that feel as premium as the developments they promote, to exhibition stands that stop visitors in their tracks, to direct mail pieces that generate excitement when they arrive.
The Future is Physical
As Enninful launches his new venture, he’s betting on print’s enduring power. He understands that in a world of infinite scroll and fleeting attention, creating something physical and permanent is powerful.
For businesses looking to make a real impact, this is the moment to embrace print’s potential. Your competitors might be focusing entirely on digital channels, but smart brands know that print offers something irreplaceable – the ability to create lasting, tangible connections with customers.
Making Print Work for Your Brand
The key is approaching print with the respect it deserves. This means:
- Investing in quality materials that reflect your brand values
- Creating designs that people want to keep and share
- Using print strategically as part of a broader marketing mix
- Understanding that print is about creating experiences, not just conveying information
Print becomes a physical representation of your brand that customers can touch, feel, and connect with.
Edward Enninful is right. Print isn’t dead – it’s more alive than ever. For brands ready to embrace its power, the opportunities are limitless.
Ready to cut through the digital noise with print that makes a real impact? Book a call with our team to discuss your next campaign, or request a portfolio review to see how we’ve helped brands like yours create unforgettable print experiences. Don’t let your competitors be the only voice in your customers’ letterbox.
Image of Edward Enninful from the original article on The Guardian
