There’s still room for print!
Head of Strategy and Public Relations at the Dialogue Group, Thabo Modise fears there are certain setbacks in the digital industry.
“Ever since the introduction of the theory or the myth of digitalization, we found a lot of our corporate identities claiming to go digital in their marketing campaigns. This has really affected the print industry,” Modise told Voice Money this week.
He feels the world needs to be careful when considering going digital, lest the larger part of the population is left behind.
“The analogy and the facts are that the larger part of our population is people who are middle to low income earners and these people find it easily accessible to use print platforms,” he emphasized, adding that with the digital world there is lot that needs to be considered and understood, including the demographical model.
“For example, if you are talking about construction of a road, that is going to affect the people within a certain area. Likewise, if you are going to do a full digital campaign, that is not answering the call to action.”
He is quick to stress that the most appropriate channels are likely to be print in order to reach the target audience.
According to Modise, there should be a common marketing understanding on when to use digital and when to use print.
“This is to say, corporate leaders should not hide behind the fact that the world is going digital, but understand what the audience consume is not the same and what kind of language appeals to them.”
Modise says everyone seem to be excited by the notion that the world is going digital, while it is not explained in detail ‘why digital’.
“That is why I am saying you need to have a target segment when you think of any campaign or using any mode of communication,” explained Modise.
He says direct messaging channeled through demographical models that are done through digital is effective on digital platforms.
“But generalized messaging where you need a spread message to people at home, then you have to use print channels.”
Modise says currently print is taking a beating because of the digitalization craze that has come into play, but says they do not understand what really informed the world to go full digital.
He says this disadvantages other segments of society, particularly in the rural areas where they are unlikely to receive the message sent through digital due to lack of access to such platforms.
“Segmented messaging is very important and it does not mean you do not have to use the core pillar of communication being print. Print media is capable of reaching places that are beyond digital stretch!”
He says it important to communicate in such a way that the message is not impacted by the fact that there is an ideology of digitalization.
“We are saying all the mediums need to be used in sync, they should work together, not against each other,” says Modise, adding attention should be paid on how the two mediums are used.
Moreover, he says a myth of reshaping versus shaping should be broken.
“We are not reshaping, we are shaping, that is why I am saying when people said there is digitalization, everyone thought they are reshaping, but you are not reshaping and not being impactful. But what you need to do is to shape.
“So, when we shape let’s also factor in the fact that all we need to do is make a fine tweak to allow for even distribution of using our networks and not compromise what could be the job of another person,” concluded Modise.