INDIA VOTES 2024: Printing industry suffers as parties rely on digital media for public outreach

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, May 28

Ludhiana was known as the hub of the industry printing election-related publicity material like banners, posters, flags, etc. It would take orders from political parties across northern India once, but is now claiming to have little charm left in the printing business. The reason behind the losses being suffered is digital media taking over the printing industry, as the political parties are preferring advertisements on digital space.

Swindling orders

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• Politicians are preferring platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and X for advertisements, leading to the swindling of orders for the printing industry.
• The budget for advertisements for digital space is almost equal or more than the budget for election-related printing material. The reason for its popularity is digital media getting more reach through internet media and an option to target specific audience i.e. on the basis of age, geography and gender, among other aspects.

In the past two decades, Ludhiana printing industry used to cater to entire north India as political parties would give orders for printing posters, banners, flags, cutouts, etc. Though we still get orders from Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, etc, there is a huge decline in orders by almost 60 per cent. Tarun Chaudhary, Owner, Tarun Printers

The Tribune visited a printing press in the city to inquire about the present scenario of printing orders.

Tarun Chaudhary, owner of Tarun Printers, said compared to the last general elections, there is almost 60 per cent decline in the business of printing press, especially the election-related material. “In the past two decades, Ludhiana printing industry used to cater to entire northern India as political parties would give orders for printing posters, banners, flags, cutouts and many more. Though we still get orders from Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, etc but there is a huge decline in orders by almost 60 per cent,”added Chaudhary.

Chaudhary also said he had to employ about 200 to 300 extra workers for three months to fulfil the orders received from the political parties earlier, but this time, he didn’t employ extra labour due to the limited number of orders received.

“Politicians are preferring Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and X for advertisements, which has led to the swindling of orders for the printing industry,” added Chaudhary.

General Secretary Kamal Chopra, Offset Printer Association, said leaving aside flex printing, there is a huge decline in orders related to publicity material. Internet media has taken over the printing business space as latter became the favourite of politicians.

Interestingly, printers told that this time, eco-friendly publicity material is being printed which will not cause any damage to the environment.

A political party leader requesting anonymity said in elections, the budget for political advertisements for digital space is almost equal or more than the budget for election-related printing material. The reason for its popularity is digital media getting more reach through internet media and an option to target specific audience ie on the basis of age, geography and gender, among other aspects.