Deciphering the code behind strong print advertising, that’s your mission as you seek the best method for reaching customers. You need to figure out how to stay ahead of the curve while using the traditional form of print marketing. Fortunately, there are many successful examples to guide your decisions so you can save time on making strong statements and minimalist designs. These two forms of direct mail marketing have their places depending on what type of message you intend to send.
Strong Statements
For businesses hoping to strike customers on an emotional level, strong statements are the optimal method of direct mail marketing. Your goal is to hit them in the heart. Print advertising has long been the go-to medium for this method of marketing. That hasn’t changed; your customers have. Going the way of artistic expression, you can get away with a lot more in print marketing than you could even 20 years ago. For instance, this Running with the Nudes campaign would have never flown with the masses a generation ago. Another eerie take on marketing, for Sanzer Hand Gel, would have been at odds with a society that wasn’t for pop cultural highlights including “The Walking Dead” and “Hunger Games.”
The idea here is your statements should be staunch when you want to strike a connection with customers. However, even though you are in a fully liberated culture, there is a fine line that mustn’t be crossed. Sure, your ads will get loads of press and attention if they push the envelope too far. But consider how your company’s reputation will be cheapened, and your user loyalty will be compromised. In a nutshell, no matter how far you want to push the proverbial button with strong statements, keep a level head in terms of your business’s values, as well as of the values of your existing customer base.
Minimalist Design
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the clean and simple design of minimalism. Noted by a stark contrast of monochromatic color schemes, lots of empty space and clean lines, this style takes a different approach than strong statements. You are working to transmit a message with minimalist design. You don’t need to connect emotionally; perhaps you’ve already done that. Now you are solely focused on sharing information with your customer.
There is an exception. When you are dealing with a demographic who is interested in minimalist design, then you are going to create a strong connection with this type of print marketing. For example, if you are targeting millennials, that bustling age group of 18 to 34 year olds taking the consumer world by storm, then you want to go with a minimalist approach. This type of marketing portrays the feelings of professionalism and cutting edge style that this age group thrives on.
Not to be lost to the older generation, those individuals who have vision issues, particularly those dealing with age-related vision loss, approach minimalist design for more useful reasons. Being able to clearly see a print advertisement thanks to a strong punch of simple lettering on a clean background makes a night and day difference for someone with vision impairment.