Clearing Up

THE TRUTH ABOUT PRINT AND DIGITAL RECALL & BRANDING

BY NATALIE SIMMONS

Every day, for incessant amounts of time, faces are buried into a phone, tablet, or other devices, less often than a newspaper, magazine, or other print media. One reason for the transition is the speed at which information can be viewed as it is created or reported. A person can be easily alerted about preferred details quickly.

At the same time, the annoyance of having predatory sites sending notices, false media content, and simple ‘internet trash’ directly to massive audiences is a nuisance.

The flip side of maintaining constant contact with electronics isn’t usually for a need to gather information or conduct research, but more likely to take a look at unnecessary emails, to text, or to talk, as an interruption to boredom or to fill in what used to be enjoyable—free time.

Cultural exploitation is partly the result of large populations believing they have to be tuned in to every trend, news item, or piece of gossip about people and places that give a false sense of security or a pseudo-belief of relevance or importance.

When observing someone reading print, there always seems to be a different purpose exhibited by solitude, a focus on content, and deliberate page-turning.

With such differences, we look to science for reasons why many tout the benefits and superiority of print over digital for learning and searching for information.

The obscure but never talked about differences between print and digital is that print produces curiosity, and digital access delivers predetermined information. Think about it, when was the last time you picked up your phone and decided to learn more about a subject, product, or idea you hadn’t thought about but suddenly found interesting? It just doesn’t happen that way.

From the standpoint of opening up your phone to retrieve a message from a daily feed, you may get countless alerts about the social life of a celebrity, email notifications, or learn the person you’ve been trying to get a date with is hooking up with a friend, courtesy of Instagram. Yes, often, useless content occupies your not-so-precious time, lacking significance.

The primary difference between digital and print is that one passively delivers data, while the other is an active and intuitive process that involves learning and participation.

It’s believed our ability to remain focused is impeded by the oversaturation of digital content and consumption. Efforts to cognitively upload and retain facts and details are replaced with skimming sentences, shallow comprehension, and selective word choices; when linked, minimal understanding of content causes significant decreases in recall.

As for reading and comprehension, while holding print, our eyes see words more clearly, which for all intents and purposes, allows for a quicker and more streamlined connection to our brains. Also, how we process data in print appears to be more intentional.

A few indicators that may contribute to an elevated state of focus is the mindfulness someone is in when they want to read for pleasure. Such a time allows for different sensory inputs; tactile, visual, and auditory stimuli can be created and controlled by the individual causing a more conducive environment for learning, understanding, and critical thinking.

A study by Mangen et al. (2013) found that when two groups of subjects, tenth-grade students, were asked to read the same content and test for reading comprehension—one by way of print and the other on a screen, those showing higher levels of understanding were from the print reading group.

To be fair, there is research pointing to how content is presented, i.e., format, flow, amount of effort needed, and pagination, with mixed results; however, such efforts to create a reading style aren’t possible in most cases.

Other studies have shown that subjects have significant problems with concentration when comparing print to digital reading. It was reported that online readers are disoriented from their original task more often than those reading print by the urge to multitask. By doing so, comprehension is lessened.

It appears a person’s concentration is affected by the type of information delivery system used. The more involved and focused one can be on a task, the better one retains and recall what is read.

In the article found at pagination.com by Alice Morotti, “Print or Digital? Psychological factors influencing the perception of printed and digital content,” some interesting findings were reported regarding the differences between the reactions of people viewing print and digital content.

The author highlights research results by Venkatraman et al. (2021). The data obtained indicate significant results when measuring the “memorability of print versus digital advertising.”

Morotti writes, “…[using] eye-tracking for measuring attention, skin conductance and heart rate for measuring engagement, functional magnetic resonance (fMRI), for observing brain activity, and tests on recalling or retrieving accuracy, both attention and engagement are involved in processing new, unknown stimuli. An ad is more likely to be remembered the more the viewers are engaged and focused while looking at it. The authors hypothesized that the tangibility of paper may result in greater memory durability for print ads since directly touching and holding paper offers sensory and spatial cues. These cues also favor a clear representation of the context of material presentation.”

The above conclusion indicates that reading physical print and taking in information exposed to different senses resembles an experience close to the actual event. Under consideration is that being as close as possible to the recreation of a near-life experience uniquely enhances memory, recall, and emotional connection. If this were to be accurate, it could be hypothesized that digital reconstruction, resembling a singularly dimensional feed of data, is flawed by the static or mechanical exchange of identical information.

Over time, researchers did find that “recognition and content memory didn’t differ across ad formats;” however, subjects were found to possess “quicker and more accurate recall in the context for print ads” (they better remembered the format in which they had seen the ad). This finding was attributed to increased activity within the hippocampus, where memories are created, and “new experiences, emotional context, and spatial representation [are derived].”

A conclusion the author put forward from the research was th at “print ads are linked to better encoding and higher engagement.” It doesn’t end here; more work indicates the effectiveness of print promotion. In another study, “… ads containing copy, visuals, and locations in a printed format showed a higher incidence of recalling content, context, and brand name associations based on retrieval cues.”

Startlingly, efforts show readers, who are potential clients, can retrieve “thoughts and feelings they [associate] with an ad [at] the moment they make purchasing decisions.”

Anecdotally, when asked why those attracted to reading paper enjoyed the experience, they explained the touching and feeling of paper, combined with the aroma of ink, caused them to relax and enjoy the experience more than touching a screen.

Research has discovered that the brain is activated by physical senses interacting in conjunction with learning. The stimulation and integration of motor and sensory input enhance experiences. This action reveals engagement and a willingness to connect with the source providing the content.

An exciting extraction from the discourse over the impact of visuals (photography) when comparing digital and print is that humans love to view images; the more color, the better they enjoy it. Best of all, and something publishers are well aware of, increased reader satisfaction is found in high-quality magazines like the one you’re holding.

The integration of text, font, style, format, and design directly influences consumer preference. Creative necessity has long been argued, the same as good taste, and while some consider it subjective, one thing is clear, when you see it, you recognize quality.

If you don’t believe it, think about a lush gift wrapped in a box from Tiffany compared to a hamburger thrown in a bag from McDonald’s. Not a fair comparison? Then consider what the price would be if the same luxury jeweler started selling beef; doubtfully, its burgers would be sold for 99 cents, and regardless of the price or the ridiculousness of the thought, there would be a market for them. Quality and taste can be determined, even created, for consumers with appetites.

Perception is a motivator; showing the use of a product or service in inviting, exposing benefits and lifestyles to motivated customers causes familiarity and loyalty. Placing a potential client into the experience allows for the opportunity to feel joy and a sense of belonging. Such conveyance is a marketer’s dream; even though the public is aware of these marketing efforts, the stimulation they feel by the production of ‘feel good’ hormones overrides the ability to rationalize and resist advertising efforts that continuously summon their attention and subsequent action.

Ownership is the goal, so if you want to create a transaction, try not to sell your product; focus on the idea and emotion. It may sound odd, but it’s factually accurate. Wise salespeople allow the customers to sell themselves; all it takes is to explain why a customer needs it or what they are missing by not claiming the right to own.

Creating an attachment to a brand, location, lifestyle, or product is seen throughout life—generation after generation. Whether it’s a sports franchise, car company, or liquor, when a connection between a brand, person, product, or service is introduced to someone, the mechanism of identification and ownership follows. Naturally, perceived ownership comes first, but this geminated seed will sprout tangible results and sparks the need to purchase what is attractive.

For example, we eat with our eyes; seldom is a dish served as it appeared in a photo. Will you look like the model who wore the swimsuit you’ll purchase next month? And, if you buy that $200,000 Porsche, will a collection of celebrity actors or actresses find you? It’s laughable, but the car companies have had their best years ever. Branding is the key to marketing success.

Generally, people of means—an important point, prefer print over digital for critical information gathering and find the digital world more satisfying for communication purposes. As for the rest of the world’s population, the website referenced in this essay reports that globally an incredible 72 percent of those polled prefer reading books and magazines over digital types.

Also found is believability and trust rates higher with print over digital. By all indications, electronic media is viewed under a cloud of skepticism because of the need to watch for fraudulent claims and scams. Magazines, in particular, are placed in a high-value category. The content and advertisers are viewed in a much better light than newspapers or flyers and perceived to be elevated unless their presentation is of insufficient quality, or the messages are poorly composed.

From internal measurements of selfreports by subscribers of luxury lifestyle publications, the preferred choice of subscribing to a magazine is “hardcopy,” which means printed material. Some of the comments readers submit regarding digital reading include, “it’s not the same,” “I don’t spend the same amount of time reading,” “I like the feel of the paper,” and “The photography isn’t as beautiful online.”

Digital magazines come and go, while those with staying power adhere to the demand for print by a loyal audience and advertisers.

As expected, it won’t be long before those who believe washers and gas stoves should be outlawed will be quick to voice their opposition to the harmful effects of printing. However, hopefully, at some point, we’ll cover the topic so you can grab a copy, find a quiet place, and chuckle at our thoughts about the subject.

It is important to remember that issues unable to find an unbiased platform for debate need print for open and free debate. The appeal of paper over digital is that AI won’t modify or selectively edit what you read, and the truth will be told. H