Today’s young adults
are always up to date on the newest fads, knowledge of the best apps, and latest viral videos - thanks to the
extended reach of the technologically advanced world we now live in. However,
recent research shows that one trend that hasn’t quite become so popular is the
transition from traditional print books to eBooks. According to a recent survey
from The Guardian[1],
62% of young adults’ ages 16-24 years old prefer traditional books over
electronic books. This statistic may seem very surprising to many given the
constant rate of change in taste in today’s popular culture, the pace at which
young people are exposed to the latest trends, and how quickly they adapt to it
and make it their own.
Now you may be
wondering; how is this possible in today’s culture? Well, according to Luck
Mitchell of Agency Voxburner - his research suggests that these young adults
prefer print media as they feel there is more emotional and monetary value that
can be extracted from hardcopy books as oppose to eBooks. Additionally, individuals
from this group also indicated that they prefer to physically hold the product,
as their mobile or tablet devices restrict product utility, packaging
preferences, resale value and ease of sharing.
Another striking
statistic lies in young adults’ preference in physical vs. virtual products;
where most youngsters prefer hard copy versions of newspapers, magazines,
movies, etc. Although both mediums serve their purpose of conveying a story and
message through words, the emotional attachment to print books far outweighs
the convenience of eBooks. Readers who pride themselves on their vast book
collections tend to lean towards the side of printed books, as there is mere
satisfaction in looking at a packed bookshelf. Therefore, the physicality of
owning printed books as oppose to having them stored electronically in one
place - although quite convenient, loses some of its pizazz to these avid
readers.
All in all however,
although eBooks represent another facet of where the world of technology is
headed, it is important to note that not every new trend will be replacing the
value of traditional media such as printed books.
