“Although consumer sentiment in Germany is slowly rising again and the price focus is taking a back seat, brochures for communicating offers continue to be very popular,” says a new study by IFH Media Analytics. The so-called brochure monitor shows that printed brochures from weekly newspapers and advertising papers remain the most popular medium despite digital change. 65% of those surveyed stated weekly use. The channels provider apps and digital brochures recorded growth from 35% to 58% and usage of 41%, respectively. Overall, digital media is becoming increasingly relevant, even if the majority of those surveyed are initially leaning towards print brochures.
According to the survey, online brochures are particularly suitable for targeted searches, while print media are often used by consumers for information and to pass time and serve as a source of inspiration. The use of cross-media QR codes still leaves something to be desired: “The previous use of QR codes and the integration of different media types have not yet been as well received by consumers as hoped,” says IFH Media Analytics Managing Director Andreas Riekötter. “This is partly because the current use of QR codes often does not correspond to the wishes of consumers. Retailers can use QR codes in more meaningful ways, for example to provide additional information, enable personalized offers and make the purchasing process more efficient.”
IFH Media Analytics also observed other effects on consumers. Brochures would help around 88% of those surveyed to use the available time efficiently and to structure their everyday life (86%). Planning purchases even gives 85% a feeling of control over their own life. When it comes to the issue of price increases, brochures also give 48% of those surveyed a feeling of security.
This is how companies advertise
More and more retailers are attaching greater importance to offer communication. This is also reflected in a positive budget trend: 39% of the retailers surveyed stated that they had increased their budget for this area. Since 2022, more investment has been made in digital advertising materials, but around half of those surveyed continue to rely on a balanced mix between digital and print advertising. The frontrunner among digital media is social media; According to Prospectus Monitor, around 78% of the companies surveyed advertise via this channel.
