Many marcom folks have heard some version of: Print is dead. Print publications are too time intensive and expensive. Print is too stagnant in a digital world.
But print may just be making a comeback: Gen Z is bringing back magazines (so is Microsoft). Costco’s print piece is the third largest magazine in America (yes, we’re talking about Costco Connection). A recent Pew Research study found that 65% of people in the U.S. read some combination of print and digital books, while only about 9%of people in the U.S. only read digital books.
Does this mean that healthcare and science organizations should consider leaning into print if they aren’t already?
To find out, Message Lab Media conducted two audience research studies that asked people who support healthcare and science organizations how they prefer to consume content. Both showed a strong interest in print being part of the mix.
Why print matters in a digital world
Digital communication is more prevalent than ever, and it’s also easier to ignore. Many people struggle with:
- Overloaded inboxes
- Constant notifications
- Endless scrolling
- AI slop and content that feels high quantity and low quality
In this landscape, print can feel:
- Easier to focus on
- More intentional
- Higher quality
- More trustworthy
Does print have a place in healthcare communications?
Websites, social media, email….there are so many channels today, and it’s tempting to try to be on all of them. But at Message Lab Media, we believe you should answer a key question before diving in: How do your audiences actually want to receive information?
To find answers, we used our audience research approach to survey and interview donors and supporters of healthcare and science organizations.
In one survey of 250 research institute donors and community members,
80% listed print as a preferred channel.
In another survey of a healthcare organization’s audience:
- More than half of respondents said they actively prefer print
- About 25% prefer online
- About 25% have no preference
Which means roughly three-quarters are open to print — and many would rather receive a print publication than read an email or browse a website.
Qualitative feedback during audience interviews was also telling. One respondent shared:
“Our email boxes are as cluttered as mailboxes were 20 years ago. It’s very easy to push delete on an email and I do that almost instantly. A well-done print piece will catch my eye. I definitely give print publications some time.”
We also heard many variations of:
- “I like having something I can hold.”
- “I don’t want another email.”
- “I don’t like reading on screens.”
Print as Part of Your Communications Mix
We’re not recommending ditching your digital channels and only sending snail mail. But keeping print in your communications mix can be an effective way to get your audience’s attention and keep them engaged. Print works especially well when you have:
- Compelling visuals and design – especially things like infographics, charts and even crossword puzzles
- Information and stories that are somewhat evergreen or strategically timed (because print can take a long time to produce)
- Audiences that say they want it
Learn more
At Message Lab Media, we work with a number of organizations to create print newsletters, magazines and leave-behinds that engage their audiences. For example, we create:
- Print newsletters and magazines for donors and the general public – including the Benaroya Research Institute’s quarterly newsletter, Powering Possibility.
- Print outreach to physicians – including MacroScope, an innovative “newspaper” for WellSpan Health that uses conversational articles and even a crossword puzzle to engage doctors and inspire them to refer. MacroScope won a 2026 Healthcare Excellence award from the Mid-Atlantic Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development.
These projects have been met with delight, likely because they are a refreshing break in the digital onslaught.
Learn more about our work, our process for finding out if print is right for you, or contact us today.
