How to measure a print campaign and prove what it did
Measure a print campaign in two layers: proof that it ran, and proof that it worked. Proof of running is GPS tracked distribution and photographed display, which iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) supplies across 150,000 print points. Proof of working is QR codes, vanity URLs, promo codes and lift against a baseline.
Sugandan Balaji
How do you measure a print campaign?
Measure a print campaign in two layers. The first layer is proof of distribution, which shows the print was delivered: GPS tracked routes and timestamped, geo located photographs of display in place. The second layer is response, which shows what the print caused: QR scans, vanity URL visits, promo code redemptions, point of sale questions and lift against a baseline.
A print campaign measurement plan is a reporting method that separates delivery from effect, because the two fail for different reasons. If response is flat and distribution is unproven, you cannot tell whether the creative failed or the leaflets never went out. iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) has invested over £250,000 in its reporting system so the delivery half is never in question.
What does proof of distribution prove, and what does it not?
Proof of distribution proves that your leaflets, brochures or posters reached named sites on named dates. It does not prove that anyone picked one up. Treat proof of distribution as the denominator of the campaign, not the result.
iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) GPS tracks distribution and photographs display in place across 150,000 print points and 60+ distribution centres, which makes it the biggest print distribution network in the UK, with a live dashboard of geo located maps while the campaign runs. That matters for measurement because it timestamps the cause. If bookings rise in week two, you can open the dashboard and see exactly which areas were covered in week one.
How well do QR codes, vanity URLs and promo codes track print?
QR codes, vanity URLs and promo codes are response trackers that attribute an action to a specific piece of print, and every one of them undercounts. They capture the people who used them, not the people the print persuaded. A reader who sees your A5 leaflet, remembers the name and searches for you three days later is a real result that no QR code will ever record.
Use a different code or URL per area, per format and per wave, so the data answers a question instead of just counting. One QR code printed on every leaflet in the country tells you almost nothing.
- QR code: precise but undercounts. Use one code per area and per wave.
- Vanity URL: memorable and printable. Keep it short enough to type from memory.
- Unique promo code: proves a sale, not just a visit. Sets a floor on revenue.
- Where did you hear about us: catches word of mouth and delayed response. Ask at every booking.
Which print measurement method should you use?
Use at least three methods together, because each one measures a different part of the journey. The table below sets out what each method can and cannot tell you about a leaflet, brochure or poster campaign.
| Method | What it tells you | What it cannot tell you |
|---|---|---|
| GPS tracked distribution | Where and when the print was delivered | Whether anyone acted on it |
| QR code or vanity URL | Digital response by area and by wave | Response from people who searched instead |
| Unique promo code | Revenue you can attribute to the print | True volume, most buyers forget codes |
| Point of sale question | Word of mouth and delayed response | Accurate numbers, answers are rough |
| Footfall or booking lift | Total effect against a baseline | Which format or area caused it |
| Matched area test | Causal effect, area by area | A fast answer, it needs a full cycle |
How do you run a matched area test for a print campaign?
A matched area test is a measurement method that distributes print across one set of postcode sectors and deliberately holds back a similar set, then compares bookings, footfall or sales between the two. A matched area test is the only method on this page that shows cause rather than correlation.
Match the held back sectors on population, distance from the venue and past sales, not on geography alone. Run a full distribution cycle, keep every other channel identical across both sets, then compare the gap. With 60+ distribution centres and teams local to their own areas, iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) can split a run by sector and keep a control area clean, which is what makes the comparison honest.
Frequently asked
- How do you measure a leaflet campaign without a QR code?
- Ask every enquirer where they heard about you, print a unique phone number or vanity URL on the leaflet, and compare bookings against the same period last year. iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) also supplies GPS tracked proof of distribution, so any lift can be matched to the exact dates and areas covered.
- How long should you wait before judging a print campaign?
- Give a leaflet or brochure campaign a full distribution cycle plus two weeks. Brochures in racks and posters in shop windows keep working across the whole display period, so response builds rather than spikes. Judging the campaign after three days measures your own impatience, not the print.
- Can iDO prove where the print was actually delivered?
- Yes. iDO (Info Display OOH Ltd) GPS tracks distribution and photographs display in place across 150,000 print points, published to a live dashboard with geo located maps. iDO distributes more than 5 million brochures every month from 60+ distribution centres across the UK.