Print As the Antidote to Digital Fatigue: An Interview with Jim Kohler, The Paper Professor

Digital fatigue — also called digital burnout — has become commonplace in a business landscape and culture driven by digital communication. The amount of time the average person spends checking email, scrolling social media feeds on their smartphone or in meetings via virtual conference platforms leaves people feeling more disconnected than connected.

For example, six out of ten people who feel they spend too much time on digital devices worry about the effects on their physical and emotional wellbeing, while just two in ten of those who say they don’t struggle with screen time express the same worries.

Print in any number of forms can be something of an antidote to digital fatigue. Jim Kohler, print industry veteran and Sylvamo’s Paper Professor, answered some of our questions about digital fatigue and print and spoke about how print materials provide the kind of tangible, sensory experience people are searching for.

How do you define digital fatigue?

Digital fatigue is a real thing. It’s a recognized state of mental exhaustion and disengagement that occurs when people are required to use numerous digital tools or apps in a continuous or ongoing way. 

Digital fatigue is a modern malady that many people just haven’t heard about, and it comes down to the fact that people are on their phones all the time. Next time you’re in the grocery store, take a look at the check-out line and you’ll see people staring at their phones. I was in a coffee shop recently and saw two people sitting at a table together, both of them just texting — I really hope they weren’t texting each other.

Is it safe to say that digital fatigue is a concern in our professional lives as well as in our personal lives?

It is safe to say that, especially with the huge increase in remote work during and even after the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with many people returning to in-office work, video conferencing and other virtual platforms continue to play a large role in the work many people do, and it can contribute to digital fatigue.

Does digital fatigue apply to everyone? For example, are there certain generations that are more prone to digital fatigue compared to others?

Yes and no. Digital fatigue can affect anyone, but we are seeing that digital natives — Gen Z and parts of the millennial generation that have grown up with devices or social media — are actually turning to print to combat digital overload, and because they trust print.  We’ve also seen more companies report that digital fatigue is making it more challenging to engage consumers using digital and online advertisements.

How can print help brands reach customers and provide some relief from digital fatigue?

There are a couple of ways brands can use print to reach consumers who are tired of a digital-only approach to engagement and messaging. 

The first is personalization. Now, this doesn’t just mean adding a first name to a direct mail piece and calling it a day. To truly use variable data, you want to use the insights behind that data to tailor the messaging, imagery and other elements to what you know about the customer’s wants or needs. You can use information like geographic location, marital status, purchasing history and more to craft the ideal next step in their personal consumer journey. 

The second thing to consider is using print to create an omnichannel experience. This may sound counterintuitive to what we’re talking about, but consumers still want the opportunity to engage with a brand in the digital space — they just don’t want to be bombarded by digital engagement.  You want to make it easy for your target audience to return to your printed piece at any time to start a conversation and engage with your brand. Elements like quick response (QR) codes and augmented reality can be an effective way to engage on digital platforms via print. 

Lastly, it’s important to be authentic. I mentioned earlier the trust consumers — especially younger consumers — place in print marketing. Creating print with personalized messaging that is linked to your brand’s purpose, mission or values can only enhance the value consumers put in print materials. As consumers become more conscientious, it’s important your messaging remains true to what your company is about, and print can be a powerful way to convey that message.

So...is it safe to say print is far from dead, that it's alive and well?

Print is definitely alive and well, especially with the recent developments in print technology, inks, papers and finishing techniques. Brands can create high-quality print materials like direct mailers, catalogs and even books quickly and in a cost-effective way that cuts down on waste. Simply put: print isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Browse the entire Paper Professor video library to learn about what you can achieve with print, or learn more about how Accent^® Opaque premium uncoated paper can help you unlock game-changing print materials for any application.