The printed word still holds a strong pull for many consumers, according to Deloitte & Touche's "State of the Media Democracy" study, conducted by the Harrison Group in March 2007.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they would rather read the printed version of a magazine even if they could get the same information online.
"Old media is surprisingly resilient," said Deloitte technology specialist Ed Moran in an interview with eMarketer. "Many people use magazines to keep up with apparel and other trends. Asked about their top-five media intentions for the coming year, No. 3 overall was to read a book."
The preference for print carried over into consumer attitudes about advertising. More than three-quarters of respondents said they found Internet advertising to be more intrusive than print ads. Nearly two-thirds said they paid more attention to ads in print.
These findings are a strong argument for using several media in campaigns. However, they are hardly cause for abandoning digital efforts. For a start, search advertising was more much more effective than print ads at driving Website visits.
Also, print simply doesn't deliver the same bang for the buck as digital, according to an Intellisurvey-Radar Research study commissioned by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization.
Mr. Moran said the overall results of the study emphasized the need for integrated marketing.
"There should be no distinction between online and offline," he said. "There is no conceptual reason these days why marketers wouldn't consider using multiple media with campaigns.
"The idea that one is a threat to another is a knee-jerk reaction," he said.
The eMarketer Publishing Industry Online Marketing report will be published in October 2007. Please click here to be notified when it is released.