Medical publishing is the latest industry to see revived growth in both print publications and advertising in those publications. In 2015, medical-surgical print journal spending was up 8.4 percent to $372 million, according to Medical Marketing and Media. The number of print ad pages in medical-surgical journals was up 7.9 percent during the year.
This growth highlights a trend where print remains a growing and important aspect of overall marketing strategies in most industries. We’ve previously spotlighted a variety of these, including traditional retail and digital-first fashion companies.
Like those industries, the growth of print in medical journals is attributed to the realization that many readers prefer to have a choice in how content is presented to them.
“People are still reading journals — they’re still effective,” says Art Wilschek, executive director, advertising sales at the New England Journal of Medicine. “Digital is important, too, but it hasn’t replaced print.”
In fact, Wilschek goes on to say that there is not enough space in the New England Journal of Medicine for all the ad orders coming in. And that’s including a 35.3 percent increase in ad pages over 2014.
Wilschek also attributes the growth to the need for publishers to take advantage of all the forms of promotion available to them to serve the largest audience possible.
“I think people realize you need print, digital, and all forms of promotion,” he said. “Every doctor has a different profile. A lot read both print and digital.”
Lori Raskin, corporate director, research and communications, at Frontline Medical Communications, says the industry has come through the troubled times of the recession.
“The reports we’ve seen show that the industry is going to experience growth,” she said. “Medical publishing has weathered the storm. We’re content creators and we know the needs of our readers.”
Fortunately, her views echo the opinions of experts in other industries. To find out more about how print can help your business, contact us today.