Unlocking the Benefits of Printed Advertising Media: How Can Print Advertising Still Win Hearts Today?

In a digital world dominated by online advertising, printed advertising media such as leaflets and brochures often seem to take a back seat. In the food industry, more and more retailers are moving away from the traditional weekly leaflet that many customers value. However, this classic form of advertising offers numerous advantages that companies and organizations can use effectively. Here are some positive aspects of why weekly brochures and other print media should be a valuable part of your marketing strategy.

Engaging Communication and Maximum Attention

A brochure is something you can hold in your hand, touch and physically perceive. This tangibility creates a personal connection that digital ads often cannot achieve. A study shows that physical advertising often has a higher recall effect as it appeals to several senses. Digital advertising is consumed differently to print advertising; for example, a weekly brochure lying on the kitchen table will be present over a longer period and leafed through more frequently than its digital counterpart.

Targeted Reach with Unlimited Creative Freedom

Personalized advertising is a must for retailers these days. Not only digital, but also printed weekly brochures are produced in different versions due to regional and target group-specific product preferences. By cleverly combining digital and printed advertising, an optimal strategy can be achieved. The “bountiful harvest” of a successful campaign in turn contributes to a higher ROI. In this way, you combine the advantages of both worlds: the haptics of print and the interactivity of digital. You have the opportunity to give free rein to your creativity. From eye-catching colors and unique formats to exciting texts and images – well-designed advertising materials stand out and are consciously noticed

Print Ads: Not Sustainable – Or Are They?

In 2023 alone, food retailers E.Leclerc (France) and Rewe (Germany) drastically reduced or even stopped their production of printed advertising materials. The reason: excessive costs and a poor image in terms of sustainability. Weekly brochures generate mountains of waste every year and are said to be partly responsible for the deforestation of many forests. According to IFH Cologne, this is a myth. The fact is “Around two thirds (61%) believe that paper production consumes excessive amounts of water, 42% speak of environmental pollution (…). If respondents are informed about water and CO₂ consumption (…) they change their opinion significantly.” (Source: https://www.ifhkoeln.de/nachhaltigkeit-von-prospekten-der-schlechte-ruf-taeuscht/).

The topic of sustainability will remain an important component and goal for leading retailers in 2025.

Sustainability Redefined: Embracing Eco-Friendly Materials

Thanks to modern printing techniques and sustainable materials, advertising materials can be produced in an environmentally friendly way. Recycled paper and environmentally friendly printing inks reduce the ecological footprint and underline your commitment to sustainability. “The valuable trunk wood of most tree species is far too expensive for paper production and is therefore reserved for other industries, such as the furniture industry. When virgin wood fibers are added, it is therefore mainly sawmill waste or thinned wood. (…) The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also confirms this: Deforestation abroad takes place in favor of a continuously growing agriculture and not for the production of paper.” reports the information portal for consumers WERBUNG im Briefkasten.

Die Vorteile von gedruckten Werbemedien

The Right Approach: Responsible Use of Advertising Media

Both print and digital advertising have their place. What is important is a conscious and targeted strategy to do justice to the economic, environmental and human components in and around a brand.

The French food giant E.Leclerc, for example, has not dispensed with its printed weekly brochures, but has made them available to customers in its stores. This new marketing strategy is proving to be very effective; on the one hand, it solves the problem of unwanted letterbox advertising, yet remains loyal to traditional customers and enables high resource and cost savings thanks to a smaller production run.

Printed advertising media are far more than just an alternative to digital advertising. They create personal connections, offer creative freedom and reach your target groups in a direct and tangible way. In Spain, the printed weekly brochure is one of the favorites among the various advertising formats (radio, television, social media, etc.).


Use these strengths to present your brand effectively and without limits. LAGO from Comosoft offers companies the perfect tools for the popular print edition as well as for a successful multichannel strategy.