Have We Stopped Noticing Print? Reflections from the London Underground

Every now and then something happens that makes you stop and look at the world a little differently. That's exactly what happened to me on a recent trip into London, and I thought I'd share it with you. I'd love to know if you've ever had a similar experience.

My husband and I were heading to an event at the Royal Automobile Club. It meant getting the Tube all the way to Green Park, something I don't do very often these days. It was also about 30 degrees and, as anyone who has been on the Underground in that sort of heat will know, it was pretty uncomfortable. So, like everyone else, I started looking around.

As I looked down the escalators and along the platforms, it actually took me back. We used to print some of those West End theatre posters that lined the stations. Seeing them again brought back a lot of memories. I always felt a little proud whenever I spotted one of ours. As the digital screens became more common, I just assumed they'd eventually replace most of the printed posters.

Looking around last week, I realised they hadn't. Yes, there were digital displays, and they looked great. But there were still printed posters everywhere too.

As I travelled through the stations, I found myself looking beyond the advertising. There was a man drinking coffee from a printed cup. Someone was reading the Metro, several people were reading actual books, and a child was colouring in a book. I saw people carrying paper shopping bags and someone else carrying a printed bakery bag. Because of the heat, quite a few people were even using printed flyers and event programmes as makeshift fans.

And what really caught my eye was seeing tourists still carrying printed maps. In a world where we'd all expect people to be using their phones, there they were with maps folded under their arms. Once I started noticing it, I couldn't stop. Print wasn't just on the walls, it was in people's hands. It was travelling home with them.

By the end of the day, I'd realised I was doing exactly the same thing. I'd tucked the printed menu from the event into my bag without even thinking about it. It got me thinking that maybe we spend so much time talking about print that we stop noticing just how much of it is around us. The more I thought about it, the more I realised this isn't just true on the Underground. It's probably true almost everywhere we go.

Not because print is shouting for attention. Quite the opposite, it's just quietly doing its job.

It also reminded me that this isn't really about print versus digital. I don't think it has to be one or the other. Sometimes a screen is the right answer. Sometimes print is. But more often than not, they can work alongside each other. That Tube journey reminded me that maybe we've been asking the wrong question all these years. Instead of asking whether print is still relevant, maybe we should just look around us a bit more.

So I'm curious... Has anyone else had a moment like this where you suddenly started noticing print everywhere? Maybe it was an airport, a shopping centre, your local high street, a café, or even just your morning commute. I'd genuinely love to know.

Maybe the biggest thing I realised that day wasn't that print is everywhere. Maybe I'd just stopped noticing it.