Print Isn’t Dead – it’s Part of the Marketing Arsenal

In a world full of social media feeds, email alerts, and online booking platforms, it’s easy to assume print has had its day.

But for our client, coach holiday company, Bakers Dolphin, based in Weston-Super-Mare, and many other, print is far from obsolete. In fact, it’s a key part of its marketing arsenal that complements a carefully orchestrated multi-channel marketing strategy.

We are family

Empica works with Bakers Dolphin to produce a printed quarterly newsletter – researching and writing the stories, working alongside the in-house marketing team and design agency Hive.agency.  Alongside emails, online booking, and in-person service, it helps keep the firm’s community of travellers connected.

“Bakers Dolphin customers are famously loyal and are known in-house as the ‘Bakers Dolphin family,’” said Empica agency head, Martin Powell. “The newsletter is a key part of that connection, featuring new holidays, stories from drivers and staff, highlights from past tours – from day trips and weekend breaks to luxurious Gold Coach journeys across the UK and Europe – keeping customers in-the-know and feeling part of a community.

At home and in the moment

“The newsletter is sent to Bakers Dolphin’s existing customer base. As a physical item, it naturally finds a place in the home – on a coffee table or breakfast bar – where it can be browsed, shared, and revisited,” adds Martin. “Even if one person isn’t interested, another might pick it up and say, ‘Oh, that looks interesting.’ That’s something online simply can’t replicate – it’s much more social than a solitary click on a website. Arriving quarterly, it reminds customers of seasonal offers or trips they might have forgotten. It’s a subtle nudge rather than a hard sell,.”

Complementing a wider marketing mix

The newsletter sits alongside Bakers Dolphin’s TV advertising – produced in-house by Empica – and social media, orchestrated by the Empica team, helping to promote trips in a personal and authentic way.

By featuring real customers, drivers, and staff it brings the holiday experience to life and keeps readers thinking about future trips. Its physical presence at home makes it easy to browse, share, and return to, helping the wider marketing strategy reach customers in a natural, human way.

“It’s a reminder that even in a digital world, tangible, well-crafted content has a unique power,” says Martin. “Having worked with Bakers Dolphin for over 30 years, we’ve seen how the newsletter, alongside TV, social, and other channels, isn’t just about marketing – it’s about PR that tells stories, celebrates journeys, and keeps a community of travellers inspired year after year.”