Understanding various forms of print media

Published On
June 18, 2025
Print media remains a powerful advertising tool with a 9% response rate, outperforming digital ads. Various print formats—billboards, flyers, catalogs, magazines, brochures, banners, posters, stationery, and newspapers—offer unique advantages for brand visibility, credibility, and local targeting.

We are living in the digital era and brands are adopting technology to become more effective and faster. However, this doesn't make the print media less important.
Digital mediums such as email, paid search, and social media have a 1% response rate, whereas print media has a 9% response rate. As per recall comparisons, print media outperforms all other media types by 70-80%.
Digital advertising is surely on rise but it will not affect outdoor ads. Instead a perfect approach would be to mix both strategies for maximum results. So if you’re planning to launch a marketing campaign, what print media options do you have? Let’s find out.

1. Billboards

Billboards are huge posters fixed on metal structures and are placed alongside highways or in bust market areas. They provide your brand with high visibility and audience reach, capturing the attention of pedestrians, commuters, and travelers. The huge size and stunning visuals of billboards allow for bold & creative messages that can make them more engaging and memorable for the audience.
Additionally, billboards are always ‘ON’, 24×7 providing high-impact and high-frequency ads.

2. Flyers

Flyers are highly effective as a cost-effective modern business promotion way. They offer immediate results and process tangible communication with the target audience. They are low on production cost and provide ease of distribution making them an ideal choice for businesses.
Flyers enhance the immediate action rate of potential customers such as visiting a store, attending an event, or not missing a discount sale. They come in handy sizes which allows you to hand them out directly to individuals or through direct mail campaigns. This ensures that each flyer has reached the intended audience as a personal form of communication.

3. Catalogs

Catalogs are physically printed product details and are more effective and impactful than digital ones. They generally come as visually attractive booklets. These booklets are excellent for distributing at all levels of business, providing a comprehensive idea of what products or services you sell.
Tips to stand out in creating catalogs:

  • Maintain a constant color scheme.
  • Print a customized product booklet according to the requirements.

4. Magazines

Magazines are often a prime resource for information for businesspeople. Advertising in magazines often catches the eyes of your industry and increases credibility among industry leaders.
Magazines are more into the professional world of business and there its presentation quality including paper, design, and packaging matters for the readers.
Note- Magazines are often used periodically for collecting industry insights by businessmen so prepare your ads for elite class businessmen and not for the common public.

5. Brochures

  • 2-folds
  • 3-folds
  • 3-folds
  • Z-folds

Follow these tips while creating a brochure.

  • Maintain consistency in all your brochures along with the website and the company’s official color schemes.
  • Use lamination, UV, and special paper to keep the brochures creative & long-lasting.
  • Keep it informative.

6. Banners

Banners are another alternative for cost-effective print media. They can catch the attention of all kinds of audiences from different demographics.
The only criterion is to put banners in the right place to target potential customers. Standees are new kinds of banners that don't need any external support. They are modern print media ads, mostly used in events, get-togethers, and professional meetups. Being on eye level, standees generate more results for any brand compared to banners that are held high.

7. Posters

Another large-format print media ad is the poster. They offer a noticeable impact on the audience and come in handy as well. Brands can place it anywhere but they are mostly suitable for walls & windows.
They are good for focused marketing for FMCG & consumer-centric products. Notably, they come in different sizes to suit custom requirements for each business.

8. Stationary

Print stationery is a direct marketing tool, essential for building trust, in-direct marketing, and creating credibility. Business cards, letterheads, envelopes, and rough pads are some of the print stationary for marketing.

  • Use consistent style, theme, and paper quality for all stationary products.

9. Newspapers

Specialized section advertisements or putting flyers in the newspapers help to reach a wider audience in a specific location. Newspapers play an important role in the everyday lifestyle of Indian consumers.
Therefore, advertising in the newspaper can create ample impact and boost credibility for the brand.

Conclusion

Print media advertisements are as equally important as modern digital ads. Notably, print media ads have a 9% response rate whereas digital media ads have a response rate of only 1%.
If you want to run an ad campaign to boost your brand visibility, improve sales, and enhance credibility, consider print media as an essential part of it. However, you can always get the best results from a mix of both advertising channels.
Are you looking to launch an outdoor advertising campaign? Connect with Vigyapan Mart advertising experts.

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