Print Ads Are Dead

There, I said it.

Now, are you still stuck on yesterday’s hottest trend, print ads?

If you are, you’re wasting money.

Print ads were a fantastic marketing medium back in the day because it captured people's attention. Picture this scenario, 10 years ago, you’re heading to an office for an interview session. Upon arriving, the receptionist requests for you to take a seat and wait for the hiring manager. Interestingly, next to you, there’s a rack of magazines and some newspapers. What do you to kill time?

The answer is simple. 10 years ago, you’d pick up a magazine and start reading. That was where your attention was. Hence, it made perfect sense to invest large chunks of money in print ads, as this medium used to have the ability to capture people’s attention. However, in 2020, things are extremely different.

Let’s picture the same scenario, in today’s world.

Instead of reaching for the magazine, you’d opt for your mobile phone. This small handheld device now has your full attention every single day. Therefore, your ads need to follow the medium and in 2020, the best place to host an ad, would be social media.

Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn have massive influence on our attention today. It has the capability to keep us on their platform for a long time and make us keep coming back to it multiple times a day.

This evolution of advertising though, is no surprise. The medium of a person’s attention span had back in the day shifted from radio to television and now, from magazines to mobile devices. However, despite ads evolving, the business model has remained the same.

For instance, my grandfather used to run a push cart business back in the day. Every evening, he’d go out to the park and sell stuff he had bought from other vendors. As the business grew, he upgraded his push cart to a motorbike and soon enough, a van.

But why did the push cart work back in the day in the evenings?

Because at that time, most people will be out in parks for example. That's where the attention was.

Another classic example of that same business model remaining the same, is Amazon today. What Jeff Bezos is doing is similar to what my grandfather did back in the day. Amazon serves as a platform for you to buy products, ranging from a toaster to a stopwatch. If you observe closely, it's the identical business model, but with a different medium. A push cart evolving into an online marketplace.

Therefore, to get the best bang for your buck, always put your money where people’s attention are at.

Doubt this? Look at the device you’re using to read this article.

Key Takeaways:

1. Stop spending money on print ads, because people don’t read magazines/newspapers today.
2. Focus your advertising money on social media platforms.
3. Today, social media is the best platform by far to capture anyone's attention. At more than a fraction of the cost too.