Print media makes a long-awaited comeback

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Everything this year has felt like a blast from the past.

Celine Dion, capris, Bitcoin, dairy, and flip phones all made a surprise comeback.

In the world of marketing, we’ve seen the revival of the brand jingle, guerrilla marketing stunts, and even direct mail.

But my favourite thing to return to the realm of advertising is print.

Is there anything more vintage chic than print?

Think: Playboy, Rolling Stone, Vogue, The New York Times – all icons in their own right. The medium as whole contributes to culture in ways largely unseen. It shapes public opinion, moods and trends.

The rise of tech and the internet saw the fall of print media over the last decade. In many cases, publications transitioned to online-only as the internet promised to be the main driver of knowledge and information.

Even way back in 1984 when Egon Spengler popped up from under Janine’s desk to declare 'print is dead,' we knew the demise of the medium was brewing.

However, not all hope is lost.

As we move into a world where AI fears are rampant, and the loss of human touch is a very real threat, we are starting to move back into the physical realm.

The general mood toward the internet has begun to change. Theories like 'the dead internet' have been gaining traction on platforms like X. This is the idea that it's possible the vast majority of internet traffic has been replaced by bots and AI- generated content.

If this is true, it would mean people no longer shape the internet. And what we’re left with is a controlled, algorithmic form, devoid of humanness, existing only to sell.

The 'dead internet' idea, combined with digital fatigue, has made room for other, more tangible mediums.

Mediums that have a tactile presence in the real world, but still connect people to news and culture. Mediums like magazines and papers.

According to BBC, there were 330 magazine launches in 2022. Research from PAMCo states that print magazines are reaching up to 20.5 million UK adults per month.

[Check out these brands reinstating their physical forms: The Onion, Nylon and Complex.]

The collectible aspect is also a huge driving factor in the resurgence of print.

Humans have a strong desire for interest curation.

The return to physical magazines represents a broader passion for ownership over tangible objects. We also see this in the return of vinyl and books due to the continuing influence of BookTok.

Some people instinctively think of print as being almost exclusively for older people. But about two-thirds of adults aged 18 to 34 said they love the touch and feel of printed magazines.

Niche collecting has exploded in popularity thanks to online platforms like TikTok. Gen Z, in particular, feel the need to accumulate and curate possessions that signpost their interests and passions.

There’s also a strong element of nostalgia, which we know heavily shapes trends and aesthetic preferences online.

Our desire to relive fond aspects of our childhood is behind a boom in collecting physical media such as retro video and board games.

With the aggressive cycle of microtrends that TikTok has brought about, has come an impermanence in our cultural checkpoints. Trends are trending, and they come as easily as they go. This leaves us no true markers of what was.

Will magazines be the thing to stop microtrends in their tracks? Will they bring us back to a cycle that represents our cultural mood, working as time capsules, and pieces of art for brands to engage with?

Let’s hope so.

-Sophie, Writer

📚 Still not convinced print is back? We dive deep into why Gen Z is obsessed with magazines in the podcast. 🎧 Watch the clip here!