Has the advertising brochure had its day?

Help for informed decisions

The pandemic has changed the world in many ways, including people's buying behavior. Price has become more important for many consumers. According to a survey conducted in March 2022, 82% inform themselves about discounts and offers before making a purchase decision. A brochure – printed or digital – provides support for purchasing planning.

The relevance of advertising brochures for consumers is therefore far from exhausted. In contrast to a TV spot, online banner or billboard, brochures can show details about the product, the range of products and the variety of assortments. Thus, brochures help to make informed decisions about an offer, especially when it comes to new products.

Bargain-hunting in Switzerland

The survey by the market research institute MindTake showed that the Swiss like to hunt for bargains and look for the best offers before they spend their money. As people increasingly inform themselves before going shopping, digital brochures with their comprehensive information and constant availability have become more attractive to many. This is confirmed by the number of over 1 million downloads of the brochure app Profital and the fact that digital brochures are browsed more than 4 million times a month – and the trend is rising.

While printed brochures tend to be read by older consumers, digital brochures appeal primarily to younger people in urban areas. They often use a "stop advertising" sticker on their mailboxes and usually obtain information online. Digital brochures thus reach a new target group. Digital brochures are a good supplement to physical distribution.

Advertising brochures as brand ambassadors

However, brochures do not only appeal to bargain hunters. Those looking for inspiration also get their money's worth: brochures are able to inspire and allow consumers to immerse themselves in a dream world. A good example of this is furniture retailers who put their products into context with appealing photos in their advertising catalogs. Readers are thus inspired to buy, as the catalogs give them new ideas for designing their homes.

Conclusion: Whether online or in print: the advertising brochure is alive – more than ever. Depending on the media affinity, it offers information for a successful shopping trip and is therefore also an essential component of retailers’ marketing strategy.