As print reclaims its place in the marketing mix, Sameer Singh, CEO of HT Media Group, shares how the company is blending legacy trust with new-age intelligence to drive growth. From data-driven solutions to strategic innovation, he outlines why this resurgence is more evolution than nostalgia.
HT Media's print advertising revenue saw a 12% uptick in FY23. What strategic initiatives or market dynamics do you attribute this growth to, especially in an era where digital advertising is rapidly expanding?
We are witnessing advertisers wanting to return to the fundamentals of trust, reach, and attention, all integral to print media. Audiences too are looking for high quality and trusted content, something that print is distinctive at. In fact, this is a trend also influencing content consumption on digital (driving a resurgence of long format pieces, podcasts etc.) In line with these trends, we’ve built a purposeful strategy across 4 pillars, which is now powering this growth: Hyperlocal intelligence and footprint that connect deeply with urban and semi-urban consumers. Category-led editorial and ad innovation, tailored for sectors like real estate, education, and luxury. Print-digital integration in the context of trusted content, where print is not standalone, but a credible anchor of an integrated cross platform proposition. Strategic event properties and festive momentum, which helped unlock brand spends through high-impact, high-recall formats. Our centenary milestone, 100 years of Hindustan Times has added a powerful dimension to our offerings, reaffirming our brand’s role as a cornerstone of national discourse.
By what percentage have the ad rates at HT publications increased, considering newfound demand from advertisers for Print? Also do you feel regional publications are also riding this wave or largely English language newspapers?
As demand sees an upside, premium media start to reclaim their value; so, we are seeing healthy improvements in perceptions of value. This reflects both advertiser confidence and print’s proposition specifically in terms of trust, impact & brand safety. This resurgence is evident not just in English and Business dailies but also in regional media. Hindustan (our Hindi daily), for example, is seeing robust traction in the Hindi heartland markets where print is often the most trusted source of daily information
Which are the new sectors that have started advertising in Print heavily and which of the traditional advertiser categories are still going strong?
Some categories never left print – they just evolved their approach. In addition, we are witnessing new categories coming in: New-age sectors like fintech, online gaming, startups, and digital platforms are using print to build trust and legitimacy — especially in regions where digital-only recall is thin. At the same time, traditional print-heavy categories such as FMCG, Real Estate, BFSI, Education, Auto, Govt., remain robust and consistent contributors. These sectors understand and value the attention, legitimacy, and contextual credibility that print provides, especially when the goal is long-term brand equity or localized impact. Today, even digital-first brands are leveraging print to complement their performance strategies with trust-led storytelling
Why do you think brands are rediscovering the value of print, especially in a digitally saturated environment? And is this resurgence short term or the start of a more sustained revival for the medium?
In a world of fragmented attention, print offers attention that lingers. The re-evaluation of print isn’t just nostalgia, it’s strategic. In a world saturated by digital noise, brands are leaning into mediums that offer depth, context, and authenticity. Print offers a safe, premium, and distraction-free space, especially valuable when campaigns need to communicate trust, nuance, or aspiration. We believe this is not a short-term spike, but a more sustained shift. In fact, even on digital formats, we are starting to witness these content preferences by relevant consumer cohorts. With better data, sharper design, and platform integration, this isn’t just a resurgence — it’s print evolving into its next avatar
With the integration of AI-driven personalisation and first-party data solutions like HT One Audience, how is HT Media enhancing the effectiveness of its print advertising offerings?
Print is no longer just about visibility or just impact - it’s about measurable value across the marketing funnel. At HT Media, we’ve fundamentally reshaped how print fits into the modern media mix, equipped with modern in-sighting and sharp products. Print is in fact an important channel for HT One Audience, our proprietary first-party data platform, where we bring precision, relevance, and audience intelligence to the planning process helping brands reach the right cohorts in the right geographies, with the right content adjacency.
Equally important is how print effectiveness is now measurable across all stages of the funnel - whether driving top of funnel brand awareness, mid funnel consideration through contextual inserts & integrated content formats, or lower funnel action via QR codes, leads, offers and digital linkages. The future of print lies in pairing old-world trust with new-age intelligence, which we are enabling through HT One Audience and integrated solutions.
Ultimately, we believe marketers focus on consumers, not just mediums. The most effective campaigns today are audience-first, format-fluid, and platform-neutral. In that context, print, when powered by data and integrated smartly, continues to deliver deep value. We’re proud to see print not just remain relevant but reassert itself as a medium of depth, trust, and effectiveness in the modern media mix
