From a publishing perspective, print media includes newspapers, magazines and books. From a marketing and advertising perspective, print media also includes brochures, posters, flyers, directories and direct mail pieces, such as letters and postcards.
From a reader’s perspective, print media is used to gather information or for entertainment purposes. Newspapers are a common source of local, regional or national news. Local magazines or business publications also provide readers with information on topics of interest. Some magazines, along with books, are used for entertainment or pleasure. People read fiction books, for instance, for entertainment driven by a story, plot and characters.
In marketing, companies rely on print media to deliver messages to targeted customers. While readers do not necessarily seek ads in newspaper or magazines, publishers rely on advertising dollars from companies to keep subscription rates low and to generate profit. Advertisers want to engage customers as they read through the pages.
Other print media is specifically developed to convey an advertiser’s message to targeted customers. Companies prepare flyers, posters and brochures to communicate company, product or event-specific information or benefits. These media are often mass-distributed to customers through public postings. Direct mail pieces are sent to targeted customers in their mailboxes.
