Across the panel, there was a consensus that the younger generations are not engaging with print media to the same extent, or in the same ways as previous generations. According to Stefan Uhl, young people continue to view print media as something “old fashioned” and if brands want to ensure their survival, they must go where the customers are and introduce an omnichannel approach. Gerhard Louw, head of global media at Deutsche Telekom echoed this sentiment by saying that if the draw of print ...

Across the panel, there was a consensus that the younger generations are not engaging with print media to the same extent, or in the same ways as previous generations. According to Stefan Uhl, young people continue to view print media as something “old fashioned” and if brands want to ensure their survival, they must go where the customers are and introduce an omnichannel approach.

Gerhard Louw, head of global media at Deutsche Telekom echoed this sentiment by saying that if the draw of print media is “attractiveness and relevance then I think everything is happening in video. We’re talking about video and movement in everything, and if there’s a problem with print it’s that it doesn’t have that…we are being led down a path where all the excitement, all the action is going there and that’s a big problem for print.”

However, as managing director of Carat Germany, Stefan Uhl suggested that this was leading to a situation of neglect for print media and that its possibilities are not being adequately explored: “[print media] has to fit to a brand’s communications target, but there are some instances where print can deliver better than any other channel. “To me, print is a one screen channel – meaning high impact - and it’s one of the very few channels left that I’m hoping somebody will focus on. I just haven’t seen an initiative talking about that strength from the print industry.”

The real question, however, remains is whether we can re-introduce this medium to the younger generations, and teach them how to use print again, said Rob McIntosh, executive principle at Eight Inc and the former chief brand officer at Esprit. “And will that be successful?” he asked.

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