If Print Were Really Dead. . .
Recently, my friend and respected print industry champion, Margie Dana, posted a tweet that started a series of head spins. My head. I spent the next few days of rush hour madness (my commute is 30-45 minutes each way) thinking about how I’d finish the sentence “If print were really dead, there would be no . . .”
Margie's Tweet
At one point, I considered writing a post about the many scenarios I had envisioned. Some quite humorous. Some very sad. Then I started to wonder how my industry peers would finish the sentence. Then, how would non-industry friends finish the sentence? Has anyone really given it much thought?
I landed on an idea that I think will be fun for us all. I’m going to ask you to write this week’s post. Take just a minute to imagine a world where print does not exist. How would it effect you? Your family? Your job? Your life? Then respond in the comments below by finishing the sentence: “If print were really dead, there would be no . . .”
Lisa Stevens said,
February 18, 2010 at 9:20 pm
If print were really dead there would be no candy wrappers and I would end up eating something healthy on accident!
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Oh no! Trying to figure out which was the dark chocolate, which the milk chocolate and which the raspberry chocolate would be horrific!
Michael Jahn said,
February 19, 2010 at 12:53 am
If Print were as alive as it was in 1991, I would still be making 10k a month.
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Michael,
I don’t think anyone will dispute the fact that the print industry has changed. What was once, perhaps, taken for granted is now becoming more appreciated. It’s definitely time to regroup, rethink, relearn and re-engage. Good Luck!
Mari said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:27 am
This is a large supposition, Debbie. Flippantly I note that there would be no piles on my desk if print were really dead. But communication would require completely new methodologies for not all information resides within the confines of a monitor. I suppose if everything (?) had an imbedded info chip and everyone had an imbedded scanner, we could all operate as if we were mind-reading without even noticing. Kinda sounds like force-feeding, eh?
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Kinda sounds scary! Thanks for your always insightful comments, Mari.
Kathie G. said,
February 19, 2010 at 11:53 am
Great blog Debbie! If print were really dead we’d be attempting to clip coupons directly from our computer screen, which is really very hard on the screen! And what would we read in the Doctor’s office, or what would be on the shelves of our libraries –rows of flash drives perhaps?? What would your high school yearbook look like? And if all catalogs were digital, would your head explode trying to find exactly what you want to buy??
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Kathie,
Thank you for stopping by! I hadn’t thought of yearbooks. I have a reunion this year and had to take a peak to remember who some of my classmates were. Thank goodness I still have mine!
Kevin M. said,
February 19, 2010 at 12:20 pm
“If print were really dead, there would be no . . .”
Labels, wrappers, snail mail, books and I am sure a HECK of lot more things.
Great question to think about!
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Thanks, Kevin. The list is endless, isn’t it? I find it difficult to comprehend the repercussions.
Simon M said,
February 19, 2010 at 2:49 pm
If print were really dead, there would be no hell on earth, reason to spit, hatred, recycled paper, reason for stitching, ink, glue, laminated covers, spot varnishing, hell, sounds like a wonderful world…
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Recycling, stitching, ink, glue, lamination, varnish . . . sounds like heaven to me. I have to say, Simon, I think my hell on earth would be to try to figure out which was the shampoo bottle and which was the Comet with bleach bottle.
spritzophrenia said,
February 19, 2010 at 4:27 pm
If print were really dead my bookshelves would be empty… and that would be sad
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Sad indeed! I do so love my books.
Hal Brown said,
February 19, 2010 at 7:43 pm
If print were dead we would communicate with pictures.
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Certainly a possibility. Do you suppose we’d sketch the pictures out on stone and walls? Oh wait, hasn’t that been done?
Thanks for stopping by, Hal.
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 9:43 pm
I posted the same question on a few of my LinkedIn groups and wanted to share some of their responses here, as well:
Leo: “If print were really dead, there would be no freedom.”
Dana: “If print were really dead, there would be no ads to stare at in the subway for Doctor Zizmore, hammer toes, and drinking responsibly while scantily clad and badly silhouetted. (well, maybe not dead; mortally wounded?)”
Sandy: “If print were really dead, there would be no way to know what you were buying at a grocery store. Imagine that!”
Mary Beth: “If print were really dead, there would be no…all-purpose way to entertain kids at the breakfast table, because the cereal box would be dull as dirt instead of covered with
”
enticing images, words and games!
Yves: “If print were really dead, there would be no . . . parking tickets!”
Steve: “If print were really dead, there would be no Tax Form.”
)
(Sorry, Steve, I think they would just make them electronic.
Hugh: “If print were really dead, there would be no society. Fortunately, print is still a multi-hundred billion dollar industry worldwide.
Tim: Those that say that print is dead, are simply looking at their own net revenue, not at good industry data. While companies like that have been busy displacing the blame for their situations, others have been busily building large-scale web-to-print AND direct sales printing models and putting them into action, some of which haven’t been announced yet, that are providing customers what they want. Even some standard commercial printers have leveraged this economy to rebrand, redirect and rebuild themselves. These companies don’t care about the size of the printing market. They are focusing on getting a bigger piece of a smaller pie.
Debbie said,
February 19, 2010 at 10:15 pm
A few more LinkedIn responses:
Larry: “If print were really dead, there would be no books at the beach, only Kindles and computers.”
Daniel: “If print were really dead, there wouldn’t be the profoundly tactile and sensual experiences in the feel of paper, the smell of ink, the visual appeal of coatings & varnishes, the sound of pages turning. It is not to be relegated to only the content but the craftsmanship in all aspects of print manufacturing.”
Howie: “If print were really dead, communication and learning across our planet and throughout most societies would slow and in some cases cease to exist. Although many of us are growing to use and appreciate electronic alternatives to print, the simple fact is that most of our world cannot afford that luxury. Moreover, if there is as catastrophe one day as many historians, scholars and religions predict our infrastructure could disappear and the only records left would be paper based. If print were really dead, it would be a sad day for all of us!”
Dave: “If print were really dead, there would be no …reason to preserve trees anymore. And what would Al Gore do next?”
Kerry: “…way to know what’s in all those cans and boxes in your kitchen pantry.”
Kevin: “Printers”
Rob Cubbon said,
February 20, 2010 at 4:56 am
If print were dead I’d be working in web … hang on, a minute I am! I know print isn’t dead but it sure smells that way. I know there’s still packaging (which is what everybody has mentioned) etc., and it will never die, but the industry is in shock and still doesn’t really know what hit it.
Debbie said,
February 20, 2010 at 8:33 am
Rob,
It’s easy to see packaging because it’s in our face every day, every where we go. I don’t think it’s about them (web) and us (print). It’s about finding new roads and new avenues to combine the two. They really do work together so well. Yes, the print industry is changing but can any of us really concede its death?
Carol said,
February 20, 2010 at 11:52 am
If print were really dead a lot more people would be out of a job, not all people in this world use computers or cell phones, our senior citizens would be hurt for sure, people all ready miss the classified adds that used to be in our local newspapers. No books in our libraries…wow could go on and on. Great topic for sure!
Michelle said,
February 20, 2010 at 2:07 pm
oooooo well this has been a veru interesting read for me because me and my partner are currently considering running a print business alongside our current business.
Les Abbott-Fryer said,
February 20, 2010 at 4:42 pm
If print were really dead it would reduce further the options for learning and making decisions in a slow and considered manner. It would encourage the the erosion of the worlds attention span resulting in a world that knows everything but understands nothing
missy said,
February 20, 2010 at 10:00 pm
There would be no Barnes and Nobles or libraries and I would be a sad girl.
Danny Brown said,
February 22, 2010 at 9:47 pm
“If print were really dead, there’d be no hard record of the birth of your first child. Or the Valentine from your first love. Or the ticket to your first live gig. Or the movie stub from your 300th viewing of Star Wars. Or the receipt for the flowers you sent to your high school crush.”
Man…. what a horrible thought. Great question indeed.
Debbie said,
February 23, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Once again, thank you all for your thoughtful, humorous and intriguing comments. This has truly been a fun experiment and the response has been overwhelming. So much so that I’m brewing an idea that will bring more of this type of post (more about that later.) Meanwhile, here are a few more responses from the LinkedIn crowd:
Stacey said:
“There are so many things that we overlook as ‘print’. This topic, while serious and vital to all of us who rely on the industry for employment (and who simply love books, newspapers, magazines, etc), I find that this topic can also present some interesting (in the ha ha way) comments:
Road Signs…and I thought drivers had enough problems getting from point A to point B.
Food Packaging … so much for my S.O. complaining that I’ve purchased tofu when what he can’t read won’t hurt him.
Ummm…is that Kettle One or Rubbing Alcohol? I’m not sure what goes better in my club soda (assuming it is club soda and not 7up)
Oh … and we think the USPS is in trouble now…if print were ‘dead’ we’d single handedly put them out of business! No more direct mail, no more postage meters, no more postage checks (wait is my accountant behind this?)…
and the list goes on…. ”
Kathy said: “No way to assemble the furniture you buy from Ikea!”
Richard said: “…reason for me to occupy the toilet for hours (reading). Sorry
”
Jeff said: “Wow a world without print what a thought. I always thought when computers came along pencils, pens, and notebook paper where doomed, I guessed I was wrong. Print has been a main staple for communication for over 100 years, its portable, warm, touching, visual and creates great emotions when executed properly. Print without purpose deserves it’s place in the junk mail pile just as spam finds its way to our junk mail folders. We need to remember that print has more history than all these newer communication technologies, which have not existed long enough to determine their faith. We must continue to produce print with purpose and people will continue to support the art of print. Forever Print.”
Heidi said,
February 24, 2010 at 9:23 am
If print were really dead, there would be no way to unplug and ignore my email, my blackberry, my calendar, my widgets, my blogs, my news wires, my spreadsheets. Can you remember how less distracting life was when you could concentrate on what you were reading rather than being interrupted with bings and bongs of all of the updates the world of technology has offered. I’m as addicted to technology as the next person, but man…sometimes I really enjoy pulling out a physical map, using a magnet based compass and finding my way somewhere outdoors…sometimes I love picking up a book and not being distracted by a pop up that tells me what I could be, should be reading now or next. I even like sorting my physical mail over deleting un-necessary email advertisements that clog my inbox. Sometimes the things that make life seem so much easier to deal with, really take the experience right out of living.
Davina K. Brewer said,
February 26, 2010 at 11:34 am
Great comments here. Like the LI comment about the feel of paper, smell of ink; that just speaks to the designer in me. Like Danny Brown’s remark about no keepsakes, no documents, which speaks to the scrapbooker and packrat in me. Though does anyone really read the instructions?
Print (and paper) are not dead, just JUNK print and paper. Things easily replaced with better, electronic alternatives (press releases). From a comment I read on LinkedIN: while your iPhone or Blackberry can save all the info, a paper business card will not crash, get a virus, have a battery die or have OS compatibility issues. FWIW.
Artie said,
March 3, 2010 at 9:49 am
If print were dead, I would spend a lot less time in the bathroom. Print will never be dead as long as there are men and bathrooms on planet earth lol.
I’ve been in the industry since 1983 when we were still using lead bars and an early 1900′s linotype machine to set type. Back then large companies started this big kick at centralization and we were told computers, electronic forms and online data would replace printing. It didn’t happen then, it won’t happen now and print won’t die in the future. There is something enjoyable about cracking open a new book, enjoying the tactile feel and smell…. and letting your imagination paint the picture from the words. A Kindle, a laptop, a cell phone are all useful tools but printing has been around since the caveman (although much less portable) and it’s not going away. Printing records history, identifies everything we use in our lives, teaches, entertains, makes us money, let’s us share ideas and knowledge…better than anything else. The pen is mightier than the sword!