International tech giants embrace print

Companies which have transformed the world by creating the digital technology we use every day are stepping out from behind the screen and utilising print to connect with consumers, staff and stakeholders. Over the past few years, traditionally online-only companies such as Facebook, Uber and Airbnb have discovered the power of print and are now embracing the medium. Global ride-sharing service, Uber has recently launched its print magazine Momentum to help connect its community of 15,000 US drivers by informing them of the latest company developments.

Embracing print: online giants Facebook, Airbnb and Uber have utilised print in recent years

Embracing print: online giants Facebook, Airbnb and Uber have utilised print in recent years

Online home rental service, Airbnb has followed suit with its quarterly print magazine Pineapple which offers the latest news on travel, culture, art and global food trends. Even Facebook has opted for a print version of its employee handbook to give out to new staff. Online websites such as Allrecipes.com and Politico have also transferred their online popularity to print. Politico has covered US political issues and personalities since 2007, but it launched Politico Magazine two years ago when it lacked a medium to tell long-form, in depth articles. It followed this up with a European version, launched earlier this year. On the decision to embrace print, Politico chief executive Jim Vandehei says, “We do great stuff in the moment, but didn’t have a great apparatus for telling longer stories. The magazine goes deeper – its additive.” Only time will tell if digital-to-print is simply a passing trend influenced by nostalgia, or something more promising for the print industry.

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