November 2009 commercial printing shipments were $7.38 billion, down -8% compared to 2008. This was a lesser decline than the average for 2009, which has been -10% difference on a year-to-year basis. It was the first November to be below $8 billion since 2003. Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center, said “2009 was a tough year for printers, and the trend of displacing print with new media by retailers and others continues.” Dr. Webb believes that there is a compelling case for print media as a part of a total communications strategy, but the size, scope, and frequency of print use has been changing. “The value of print has changed considerably because of competition with other media that have greater immediacy, can have lower costs, and benefit from viral distribution. Nonetheless, there is a place for a well-planned use of print that intensifies the effectiveness of electronic media, driving down the total costs of communications, and increasing total response. Printers must demonstrate skills in new media use in their own businesses to have credibility in this new marketplace.”
Source: whattheythink.com
Filed under: Branding, Commercial Printing, Direct Mail, Printing, advertising
