Top 5 Principles of Print Advertising for Life Sciences & Healthcare

ACTUALLY, PRINT IS NOT DEAD.

In today's increasingly digital world, it's sometimes easy to forget about the importance of print, both as a content distribution channel and as an advertising platform.

Yes, print is still very much in the game for science communication, as well as media as a whole. Not only do readers tend to focus more intently on print ads, but they also see print ads as more credible and relevant when they're already engaged in publications they trust.

So, we take a look at some of the top trends to embrace in the world of print advertising.  As print evolves in the years to come, expect to see an increase in strategies for generating user-specific content, which will generate higher return on investment.  In addition to everyday best practices for print ads, keep these evolving trends in mind as you create your media plan for the year ahead.

1. NATIVE ADVERTISING TAKES OFF.

Native advertising is a content-driven approach that largely matches the form and function of the platform on which is appears.  When done right, it is rich in storytelling, and not a product placement.  Some of the world's biggest and most respected media outlets have even built custom content studios devoted specifically to creating stories for their advertisers. All of it is meant to engage the reader.

Transparency for your native advertising campaign is key, however. This is not about tricking your audience, but serving content they would want to consume.

To do it right then, start with a big idea: what do you really want your customers to know about your company or service? And how does your product or service help scientists? Does your product enhance their daily lives, or for B2B purposes, guide their decisions as a business?

Find your story, then develop your entire print campaign and supplemental placements around it.

2. AUGMENTED REALITY GETS REAL

Augmented Reality, as we've touched on in previous posts, combines the digital and physical worlds to offer science-driven brands a unique opportunity to interact with customers. The approach leverages smartphone and mobile technology, allowing marketers to imagine completely new ways of adding value to traditional print media.

Users and brands have the ability to connect even further with a brand or product, during and after a purchase. Scientists and other biotech professionals viewing this type of advertising will be able to connect with relevant information at that very moment, and advertisers have an opportunity to take readers directly to a website to engage and learn more.

3. USER EXPERIENCE FOR PRINT ADVERTISING

User experience is often discussed in the context of a streamlined, user-friendly website, however the idea of designing around the user is becoming more commonplace in the print world as well.

With the user's experience at the center of design, ads are becoming more adept at capturing and sustaining user's attention. This of course, is something that's essential in the life sciences industry, as there's increasingly massive amounts of information to absorb and communicate at every interaction with hundreds, if not thousands, of brands-products-and-services competing for your customers' attention.

So, to win here, you must get ultra-specific about your audience, its mindset, and the problem your product or service solves. Life Science professionals lead busy lives; and so to pique your target's interest, you must provide your information in a way that's most useful to them, and easy-to-digest.

4. STORY-LED ADVERTISING

Storytelling and user experience go together like peanut butter and jelly, or cookies and milk, or perhaps more aptly, a test tube and a reagent.

Increasingly, companies are moving to neatly crafted, integrated storytelling that captures the audience's interest and makes them want to learn more. Native advertising takes this to the next level, but you can also infuse storytelling in to you other promotions or campaigns as well.

Different pieces of the story can be told in different mediums, starting with print and moving through online and mobile, so you'll want your print ad to set the stage. Introduce your audience to your main character in print, for example.  The end result is an advertising campaign that not only aligns with your brand, but resonates with customers. If they can see themselves in your story, they can see themselves using your product or service.

5. TARGETED PLACEMENT

Gone are the days of blasting readers and blindly placing content. In short, to hit those select few is going to give you more return on your advertising and media investment.

Personalization is becoming even more precise as the years progress and the marketing industry evolves, seemingly in a daily fashion. Companies are looking for opportunities to showcase their ads in trade publications, special sections and local or regional circulations.

While this has always been possible, the idea of personalization has reached a whole new level, with unique ads sometimes created for specific print issues.  In some cases, only slight variations of copy, while others may be different creative direction and motive entirely.

For example, businesses showcasing their products or services at biotech-centered trade shows can get started with targeted placement by way of a relatively easy method. To start, place your ad in an issue with bonus distribution at the next show you're exhibiting at, and derive readers to your booth or to a campaign-landing-page for product or white-paper download.

There are of course many, many ways to elaborate on that model, as well as spin it for a specific industry, product or service offering, but we've all seen this (at least passively) in a number of ways.

At the end of the day, it will still boil down to the story you tell and the ways in which you market toward your demographic.

These five advertising trends have one thing in common: serving the consumer.  By understanding, targeting and engaging with them in a right way, any company can run a successful print campaign (as part of a comprehensive marketing effort).  The best marketers look outside their industry.  We will kickoff any project or marketing engagement with a comprehensive, cross-industry review, wherein demographics overlap and trends begin present themselves, giving shape to key insights.

Interested in learning more about our process? Let's connect and discuss further over a 15-minute business assessment call. Please submit your information on this page to get started.