CorpComms Magazine

Almost three quarters of marketers use print media to interest their audiences in additional digital content, but more than a fifth admit that their print and digital strategies are not closely aligned, according to recent research by marketing production specialist Charterhouse.

The research found that almost three fifths of marketers integrate print and digital in at least half of the campaigns they run, and a URL is the most commonly used feature (83 per cent). More expensive digital features, such as QR codes, are used by just over a quarter and augmented reality features are used by just five per cent of the marketers who use digital strategies. 

Ivan Skoric, head of digital services at Charterhouse, said: 'QR codes and other emerging technologies hold a lot of potential for some really innovative marketing. But marketers mustn't think these technologies are the route to instant engagement.' 

More than half of marketers plan to use QR codes over the next year, and almost three fifths plan to link to social media content rather than to their own websites. Just seven per cent plan to implement augmented reality into their printed material this year.

The key objective for using print media cited by more than 60 per cent of marketers is to increase traffic to a brand's website, while just two per cent use it to attract traffic to social media-related content.

Skoric commented: 'The objective of linking print and digital should be to engage audiences with sticky online content as part of a broader experience.'

Marketers are not yet convinced by some of the latest technologies, and almost a third said they were not sure about the potential of QR codes in bettering their campaigns. More than half said the same about augmented reality, and more than a third about linking to mobile sites. Almost a third of respondents were unsure about linking directly to social media-related content directly from printed material.

Despite these results, more than 45 per cent said that print is key to driving interest in digital content and campaigns.

Kevin Bryant, Marketing Manager at E.ON UK, said: 'Those that aren't integrating print and digital are missing out. In terms of engagement they are probably missing out significantly.'

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