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Who killed print?

By Mike, Designer on 18 March 2010 | Category: Design Industry 0 comments

In an ever-increasing on-the-go society, we want access to information when, where and how we want it without hassle or delay.

There is a growing notion that too many ideas are trapped on the pages of books - which end up, at best, in unused archives or, at worst, in recyclers' pulp, when they should be online: searchable, discoverable, linkable, part of the conversation.

Fortunately for us, technology is developing and improving at such a rate that we have little to complain about. With new platforms readily available from iphone to ipad, laptops and home computers, we are never far from the greatest source of information ever created - the world-wide web. OK, there is always room for improvement - wi-fi connections can and will improve. Coverage will become more widespread, faster and more accessible through cheaper and better portable devices in our pockets.

Owing to the fast nature of information on-line, the doors have be thrown wide open for brands to exploit the internet by targeting specific markets. Future brand leaders will be the organisations with the foresight to aggregate audiences in the most interesting and relevant ways. Twenty years from now, strong brands will thrive on the ability to deliver more information, with or without video, on-demand and delivered. New media will have emerged and people will have exponentially more choices.

The one thing that bucks the trend of a complete digital overhaul however is the fact that we're still human. We don't want everything to be super-fast and delivered in bite-size chunks on an ever-shifting database do we? The internet is so fast-paced, we only end up with snippets of information, which are often incomplete or interrupted by something more interesting or more pressing on the next web page. There is no memorable point of reference to come back to. For some things we'd like to take a little more time, experience a little more quality or be given a more in-depth story. Some things we like to keep - good printed material is cherished and is given its own specific place on a shelf. In short, a good piece of print is a tangible point of reference to remember, to come back to and to direct us to a corresponding website.

The internet is great for general brand promotion and marketing, especially if we already know and trust a brand and don't need to know any more than that. The trouble with the internet is the validity of edited and reliable information, something which we take for granted in print. There is tremendous value in passionate and knowledgeable editorial work. It is the humble editor who ensures quality of information, introduces us to new, interesting and relevant topics, who acts as a safeguard against the abundance of garbled information on-line. Words in print are the perfect introduction to an informed debate and to the deep resources of the web. The words and pictures in print become the basis for internet searching, linking, talking and ranting for those with the time or inclination to do so.

So is print dead? It may have taken a more back-seat role, allowing the internet to do the leg-work like a spritely teenager, but it is print in its trusted wisdom that we rely on like a familiar and knowledgeable grandpa. On reflection then, perhaps web is the friend of print, but not its killer.