Print matters. There, I said it.

But the fact is, most marketers are lemmings. They follow what they perceive to be the flow. It's called the Wisdom of Crowds — or, not everyone can be wrong.

Tell that to Hitler's Germany. Ah, but I digress.

Print matters. There, I said it again. Print has staying power. It takes real talent to do great print design, whether it be an ad, a package design, or even just a simple post card. People touch and feel print. They smell it. They study it. And often they keep it.

Online is awesome. I love online. In many ways it's just plain better than print. But they don't have to compete. In fact, they should not compete. They should compliment each other, just as print compliments broadcast, corporate identity and all the other marketing you pay money to do.

Right now, almost all the money is in online and for good reason. Most companies were late to the online party and still are. They're playing catchup. But that will change, once everyone settles into a sensible online marketing plan.

Want proof? Look at the best online marketers out there, and you see brands that are (still) pouring millions into print. Target may be the best online company out there, and they do tons of print. So does Pottery Barn. I love what Tractor Supply Company does to coordinate their print with their online. They'd be lost without email, but they'd be equally lost without a presence in print.

It's not either/or. It's both/and. Both print and online, and other stuff that may not even smell like marketing.

Got any good examples of how print and online have worked well together? Post'em here.