The Power Of Print
In A Digital World
Before the online landscape completely altered the way humans seek information, exploring interests relied heavily on print media.
By way of books, newspapers and magazines, people pored over print, absorbing its information — and then storing it to refer to time and again. Oftentimes, the rediscovery of an old resource brought “new” information to light, beginning the process all over again.
Today, that once-innate desire for exploration grinds to a halt with a swipe in another direction on a touchscreen.
“Thumb-through-it mode,” as FMG Special Projects Editor Roy Huntington coined it, is the tendency to mindlessly scroll through content on digital platforms without truly seeing it. Though there is certainly no denying the interactive qualities of digital, “clicking” any further to pursue a thing of interest is a rare departure from the norm.
Contrary to what modern society may believe, print is interactive, too. Readers receive a physical item in the mail or from the newsstand. They spend longer time with print and enjoy it at a more leisurely pace — and keep it to peruse, revisit or consult again (and again). It is memorable. Receiving something in the mail can evoke nostalgic feelings about a time when information was consumed only from paper.
“I don’t get that same feeling of nostalgia when I stumble onto a website with a picture of an old catalog,” Roy shares. “Besides, when I click away it’s gone forever. Nobody can send me a cardboard box full of ‘old website links’ capable of generating the same set of sensory emotions I get holding a book or classic magazine.”
Print engages the senses: The paper’s thickness, quality, texture and scent all make it a much more visceral experience than digital media. Print’s physical nature lets marketers engage customers in more ways than purely digital marketing. There’s also less competition with print. By providing a space free from digital interruptions and distractions, print can draw a reader’s full attention.
Print is always ready. No batteries. No charging. No wires.
For over 65 years, FMG Publications’ titles, GUNS Magazine, American Handgunner and Shooting Industry, have represented what the power of print embodies — a connection much deeper, and more personal, than any other form of media can create. Contact your rep or advertising@fmghq.com to see how FMG brands can deliver your unforgettable message in print.
