Paper and print is viewed, preferred and trusted over digital communications by consumers around the globe and in New Zealand, where three out of four Kiwis prefer print, according to the new research from Two Sides.
The research was undertaken by Toluna in June 2017, in which a survey of 10,700 consumers was commissioned by Two Sides.
In positive news for print in New Zealand, 76 per cent of respondents prefer to read printed books and magazines over digital platforms, and 56 per cent prefer to read news in print.
For print advertising, 63 per cent of Kiwis prefer to read product catalogues in print, while 72 per cent do not pay attention to online advertisements, and 67 per cent agreed they find online advertisements annoying.
Close to half of NZ respondents read a printed book at least once a week, while only one in four use an e-reader; 54 per cent gain a deeper understanding of the story when read from print media; 78 per cent regularly read news on a digital device, but 57 per cent would be concerned if printed newspapers disappeared.
While 53 per cent of New Zealanders are planning to read more news online in the future less than one in five trust the news found on social media, with 76 per cent indicating concerns about the trend of fake news.
Kellie Northwood, executive director, Two Sides New Zealand says, “We wanted to survey New Zealand consumers as part of a global survey to offer a representative voice to any regional differences in these two consumer markets for one of the largest and most established media channels – print.
“Local findings are consistent with the global results and report a strong resentment of online advertising in both New Zealand (76 per cent) and Australia (72 per cent), with consumers saying they do not pay attention to online advertisements. The survey results in our region indicate consumers have a preference for print over online.”
Nationally representative surveys were undertaken in ten countries: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Two Sides says that overall, its findings conclude that consumers trust, enjoy and gain a deeper understanding of information read in print, with signs of digital fatigue and concern for electronic information security and privacy evident.
“New Zealand findings highlight that consumers value and engage with paper and print. With media indexes reporting digital advertising growth has slowed, marketers looking to develop consumer trust, connection and engagement are tapping back into the power of print,” concludes Northwood.
