The following appears on Quocirca.com and was written by Louella Fernandes
Print is not dead, rather it is being re- discovered as a way to disconnect from the noisy online world and find comfort in the traditional enduring value of the printed page.
Since the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in 1440, the printed word has stood the test of time, enduring as a communications medium through the evolution of newspapers, radio, TV, mobile, the web and social media. Of course, today we are more accustomed to 
reading from screens rather than paper – be it tablets or smartphones – but our affinity for paper is unlikely to ever completely diminish. The prevalence of digital communications does not mean that printed communications will cease to be important. As with any new form of communication, the new does not necessarily replace the old. Radio did not destroy the newspaper; television did not kill radio and the internet did not eradicate television.
A few years ago, the eBook was expected to spell the demise for the printed book. Yet after a period of explosive growth, indications for 2013 suggest that eBook sales growth has eased with sales up by just 5% in first six months of 2013. According to the Association of American Publishers and Nielsen, with an 86% share of
sales in the UK, print still accounts for the lion’s share of book sales. Print and digital therefore co-exist in the publishing industry, with both serving different customer needs. Similar trends are being seen in the print industry, which is challenged with staying relevant in an age of “online distraction”.
Today, print is often not invited to the party, typically forgotten in the rush to reach consumers through online and social media channels. Many marketing departments may 
have completely migrated their advertising and marketing efforts to the web because of its cost effectiveness, exposure potential and convenience. But it is a mistake to overlook the traditional methods such as print in the marketing mix. Now is the time to differentiate with print and break through the online and email clutter. Whilst our email inboxes full to overflowing, our letterboxes are relatively empty.
The consequence is that in this noisy online world, we are more likely to open a piece of targeted and relevant direct mail. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) estimate that response rates for direct mail are 3.4% compared to 0.12% for email. Meanwhile, the DMA “From Letterbox to InBox 2013” research…