Remarkable response: How FIPP’s new report on the impact of print advertising came together
When FIPP decided to create a report on the enduring impact of print advertising, we hoped the raft of survey questions sent out to readers and advertisers would get a good response. What followed showed just how much people really want to talk about print.
The Enduring Impact of Print Advertising, which has been done in partnership with UPM and will be launched at the FIPP World Media Congress in Madrid next week (13-15 October), follows extensive research carried out by two organisations, RAM Penetrace and Salomo, as part of the FIPP Global Print Impact Study.
Authored by Peter Houston, Publishing Director of Flashes & Flames and MediaVoices, the report aims to give publishers ammunition to sell print advertising within the media mix.
Providing the hard, quantifiable, data from magazine readers and non-readers from around the world, RAM Penetrace expected to receive about 1,000 responses after sending out its survey. Within just a couple of hours around 2,000 responses showed up, proving that print remains a hot topic among consumers.
Producing much needed new industry data relevant to the current media landscape, the report covers everything from levels of trust in print and how it provides a safe space in a marketing landscape, to the long-term return on investment paper provides and exactly what advertisers need from print magazine publishers.
“Something has shifted in how our industry talks about print. The question has moved from ‘how do we manage the decline?’ to something far more energising: ‘what if?’,” FIPP CEO Alastair Lewis points out in his foreword for the report.
“What if we reduced frequency and raised the quality bar? What if we created a collectible issue for our superfans? What if we partnered with a global brand to bring a beloved title back?
“These aren’t hypotheticals; every one of these questions has already been answered successfully by a publisher somewhere in our membership, and each answer signals where the real opportunity in print now lies.”
The power of paper
When it comes to levels of trust in paper, the FIPP Global Print Impact Study gauged a wide range of opinions, including whether people reading print more often see it as a ‘kickback’ against social media; if they feel good after reading a magazine rather than drained by scrolling; and whether they are actively using print to reduce their screen time.
In terms of brand security, the survey asked respondents if they rank magazines top for perceived ad relevance, compared to influencer advertising; whether they want brand marketers to be more responsible about where they place their ads; and if they are more likely to buy an unknown brand if it’s featured in a print magazine rather than a social media post.
The study also explores the special bond between magazines and readers, gauging how many respondents enjoy the reading experience; how many feel a deep connection to their favourite print products; and how many readers pay more attention to ads
when they directly relate to their passions.
The study shows how print consistently delivers long-term ROI – a high-value, low-risk channel in a disrupted media landscape that is often high on risk and short on value – revealing how readers react after seeing a print ad.
Print meets AI
Working in partnership with Salomo, FIPP conducted 100 interviews with readers, non-readers and ad professionals. AI interviews were used to complete these in record time, proving that print and AI can dovetail nicely.
Brand marketers and media agencies were asked what they needed from magazine publishers to secure increased investment.
“The number one thing – which has been the case for as long as I can remember – is to provide robust measurement that demonstrates the clear ROI and business impact of spend,” says customer strategy, data and insight specialist Amanda Wigginton, the consultant who led the research and who will present the report’s findings alongside Peter Houston and Kati Murto, VP, Brand, Marketing, Communications and Sustainability, UPM at the FIPP Congress.
“Advertisers love print’s context, trust and premium environment, but are held accountable to performance metrics and business results.”
Meanwhile, data from more than 3,000 campaigns in RAM Penetrace’s database showed how magazine advertising continues to build awareness and recall, drive consideration and contribute to sales.
“Print magazines are as relevant now as they have always been – and that might actually be surprising for some people out there,” Wigginton adds. “In my day-to-day life as a consultant, I spend my time identifying ‘moments of magic’ – those audience shifts, market trends or cultural changes that can accelerate a brand or fuel a successful new product.
“Print’s moment is right now.”
The Enduring Impact of Print report will be launched on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at the FIPP World Media Congress. Watch out FIPP’s newsletter and social channels for the download link.
