Print was playing an "immense" role in some marketing campaigns and even growing in some markets; it's just a pity that the young people who dominate agencies don't understand it.
Those sentiments were among many print-positive messages presented to delegates at this year's ASEAN Newspaper Printers conference in Bangkok this week.
Some were in an Australian perspective on the move of audience from print to digital from Brian Rock, who is research and insight manager at the country's The Newspaper Works group: "When I look at the data, there are reasons to believe that print still plays a role," he says.
If that statement sounds modest, Rock became bolder as his presentation went on: Agencies "dominated by a lot of young people" didn't understand their audiences and "because they don't read a newspaper, they think other people don't," he said.
"They don't engage because they don't appreciate what is on offer."
Of the move in revenue and readership, he said "circulations have been going down for 50 years, although the internet has accelerated that, especially with faster connections and mobile."
But with internet growth "reaching saturation" at more than 90 per cent of audience, things may have plateaued. While admitting, "we're nowhere near explaining it fully", he says four out of five people still read print newspapers - albeit "less and differently".
"Younger people never did read newspapers," he says. "They're out doing things."
Rock presented a case history from Australia's APN Australian Regional Media in which content and events were teamed to support advertising from a national outdoor retailer in a print-and-digital campaign covering five locations. Results included a 68 per cent increase in ad recall and a 63 per cent increase in revenue.
"You have to understand what readers want, and use digital and print in combination, not competition," he says.
Another example of how print was making an impact in a multi-platform campaign came from Anandan Thangasamy of Malaysia's Star Publications. Advertisements over five days in the flagship newspaper had included a LED-pulsing bottle on a screen-printed jacket, free balloons and a glowing product image. One day the paper's traditional 'red-top' masthead even went green for the promotion.
Organisation and logistics were considerable, but the pay off was in proportion with the client reporting "immense" impact from the campaign.
As in Mumbai the previous week, there was a good deal of emphasis on innovation. Snehasis Roy had come from the WAN-Ifra India conference to tell delegates about the range of folding and glueing formats publisher ABP had developed, including panoramas and "pseudo panoramas", butterflies, backflaps and French windows to help advertisers win attention. Not to mention 3D images, metallic and fluorescent inks and the addition of fragrances and even insect-repellent.
He also discussed the moves the Ananda Bazaar publisher had made to smoothe the change from 45 to 42 gsm and then 40 gsm newsprint. Moves including rethinking prepress (with the introduction of FM screening), working with mills to redesign paper, and redeveloping ink (with high solids and high strength). FM screening had delivered better quality with less ink, even on cheaper presses.
The package has resulted in an extra 16,000 extra pages from a tonne of paper, better detail reproduction and register, less set-up and the use of less ink.
But he says, "plan... don't rush".
Paying attention to the press itself had also delivered results for Star Publications, and Syam Zakri Ikmar detailed the programme of work which had followed an audit of their three Goss Colorliner (in Kuala Lumpur and Penang). Control systems and shaftless drives had been replaced, folders and spray dampening systems rebuilt, and colour register and web cleaning systems added.
Outcomes included 60 per cent fewer spray nozzle blackages, problems from linting cut by 90 per cent, and the routine replacement of slitter knives cut by 90 per cent. New Baldwin Jetstream web cleaners had collected 7-8 kilogrammes of lint a month.
Adi Sarif of Malaysia's New Straits Times Press also had a story to tell about implementation of a 5S quality programme, which had brought a range of benefits across four print sites including freeing up warehouse space and improving morale.
From Kompas Gramedia, Wahya Prihantoro explained the four "rocket pillars" his company used to boost innovation - strategy, structure, process and control systems.
"With the challenge of rising digital penetration, we need to make the most of what we already have," he said. Apart from a focus on process, product and service, adding value, cutting waste and improving efficiency, that meant developing a unique selling point: "The customer will pay more for effectiveness," he said.
The 1113 innovations generated - from inhouse roller grinding to a "Goldzilla" networking app - earned staff rewards from $15 to $1500 and had each saved an average 1.5 per cent. A paper webbing device had enabled two staff to do a job which had previously required five.
Central to getting favourable attention from readers, advertisers and potential print customers is quality printing, and WAN-Ifra's India-based research manager Anand Srinivasan discussed standards for newspaper colour quality: "We need to do something to restore confidence in printed newspapers," he said.
Adherance to ISO standards including 12647-3 (printing), 2846-2 (inks) and DIN19306-4 (newsprint) and the use of a new ICC profile would help. Srinivasan recommends standardisation of newsprint and ink, and suggests novices go for 140lpi AM screens, taking advantage of better paper quality.
Other points in his eight-step plan include achieving 26 per cent dot gain - "the hardest part" -procuring the tools needed to measure them, and implementing a foolproof quality control mechanism capable of withstanding staff and equipment changes.
Beyond the mainstream publishing business, ANP chairman Andy Budiman talked about print opportunities within the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community, expanding on the experiences of his own company, Gramedia.
Printing schoolbooks was big business in Indonesia and the Philippines, as was general book printing. "Sales of the Koran go up when the economy is strong, and we are currently printing about two million copies a year, half of them for export," he says.
Growth in flyers and catalogues was still in double-digits and, while the market for paid-sale magazines had shrunk, that for free and custom magazines was growing.
Gramedia had also expanded into packaging printing, launching its ETAform business from a new factory last year.
As publishers look at alternative models for their print-based business, World Printers Forum chairman Kasturi Balaji joined the conference from India - where he is a director of The Hindu publisher Kasturi & Sons - to outline options.
A new WAN-Ifra report looks at a variety of ways in which publishers have outsourced production, some of which Kasturi has first-hand experience. "We found it a useful alternative to major investment when 'testing the water' in a new market," he says.
And additional benefit is the lower wage costs which exist outside the newspaper industry, although discipline is needed on deadlines and issues such as newsprint/ink matching can cause problems.
In other markets, such as Germany where laws make it hard to cut staff, outsourcing can improve flexibility, and in one case, a joint venture project led to the creation of a non-union shop.
Rivals can share printing facilities and still find ways to differentiate themselves, he says.
The one-and-a-half day programme also included HALF-HOUR commercial product presentations from major sponsors and visits to the plants of Matichon and the Bangkok Post.
The second day also brought a detailed discussion of economic and training opportunities across the ASEAN region, and feedback from delegates including an invitation to suggest a venue for next year's conference.
But let's finish where the event started: Thailand's industry minister became a last minute "no show", delegates at the ANP conference in Bangkok enjoyed a rare treat.
While Atchaka Sribunruang was apparently stuck in traffic and - with a cabinet meeting to attend - unable to attend, 72-year-old Pongsak Payakvichien was a welcome stand-in. The senior executive director of Matichon, who heads the city's printing industry institute, shared a passion for print which transcends profit.
"We are the ones that change human beings and should be proud of what we do," he said.
Recalling the challenges of getting the paper underway 40 years before, he espoused the benefits of a fearless and preferably nonprofit press, and urged, "We need to get out from subconscious fears and nightmares... printing will never die."
Through events like its Bangkok conference, ASEAN Newspaper Printers is working to ensure that he's right.
Peter Coleman
Pictured: A panel discussion covered regional and technical issues including training
On our homepage: Pongsak Payakvichien appeals for nonprofit publishers and an end to fear