One exclusive quality that print has and the digital media can never match is just how tangible it is. Consumers can browse through pages, feel the paper and even distinguish between certain paper densities and compositions. For example, a printed item may be printed on a thicker, more porous paper that is easy to notice compared to the rest of the glossy sheets in a brochure. Embossing or debossing of materials can help the printed item stand out. The smell of ink on paper adds to the overall experience of reading something printed. These are important senses that cannot be stimulated in the digital environment – or not yet, at least.
Complex information is also better absorbed in print than in digital because people need to locate themselves in the text when looking at complex ideas – and that’s much easier to do in print than in digital. The tangibility that print has to offer also makes readers pay more attention to the content than digital. This is because readers have to read it; they have to engage with printed content actively. They have to pick up the printed item, hold it and read it. With digital content, they can passively scroll through it without having to focus too much.
With over 37years experience, OPUS Managing Director Michael Shier says” The value of a good quality print cover cannot be understated, it brings a whole new experience to the reader, something that is lost when reading in a digital format”