The Big Shout: Print and Interactivity

I recently took part in a round table debate run by the wonderful Philip Smith - head of Brand Republic content for Marketing magazine (available now at all good Soho newsstands). the subject was print and interactivity and I was ever so slightly concerned before I went what with the majority of our work being based around the moving, speaking or gaming media but I needn't have worried. I prepared by looking at print ads, examining different interactive add ons such as QR codes and went in with a view on how print might cope with the interactive demands now put on all media if not by consumers than by the agencies that create such conditions of engagement.

http://bit.ly/omkUj7

As it turned out the conversation almost immediately turned to the concept of engagement regardless of the media and this was great as it confirmed what I believe that unlike the great advertising truism - The medium is NOT the message. I listened to some very interesting viewpoints and case studies from client and agency people alike but it did all boil down to the simple fact that whether you are producing a great press ad or a great piece of editorial content success is based on the quality of the content, the relevance to the person and the credibility of the message - I really think its as simple as that.

By the way just so you know I DID do my homework I found that the best press ads are the ones with simple brilliant creative - didt get a chance to show them in the roundtable...