newsXpress has gently launched #NOTANEWSAGENT, the next step in building focus for the newsXpress as distinct from the newsagency channel.
A brand is only seen as a brand if you promoting it as such. Promotion starts with explaining what the brand stands for. That is what the first communication piece, an in-house produced video, is all about. Here is the video launched yesterday:
Branding away from the term newsagent or newsagency is important for several reasons:
- Major brands no longer lend against the value of a newsagency business.
- Major landlords no longer permit newsagency businesses, instead preferring branded more current businesses.
- The ATO benchmark for a retail newsagency business is out of date and not relevant to a transforming business.
- Some suppliers will not supply newsagency businesses.
- Some traditional newsagency suppliers no longer recognise the newsagency channel as a distinct channel.
The #NOTANEWSAGENT move is not intended to disrespect newsagents or newsagency suppliers. Rather, in addition to serving the needs of newsXpress members, it seeks to open consideration by others as to the role of the old-school shingle. It is part of a considered and researched strategic plan.
Magazines, stationery, newspapers and other core categories remain important. However, new traffic is coming from other categories and that is vital to the health of the business in the future.
The recent newsXpress branded Tv commercial delivered excellent new traffic to newsXpress businesses. They sought out that brand and not the generic shingle. This is important in a competitive retail environment.
We see change all around us in our ‘newsagency’ businesses. While we can react to change, we are better off leaning in, better off chasing change, so we are ahead of the curve.
There is no end-game here. Change is the new normal in retail, in newsagency retail especially.
There will be some who criticise the #NOTANEWSAGENT positioning. They are entitled to their view. I am reminded of those who criticise me in 2010 for my prediction then of where magazine and newspaper sales would be today. Unfortunately, I was right. Those who acted in 2010 are better off today than those who did not.
Regardless of what the channel is (or channels are) called, I hope for a strong future for all businesses that identify themselves as newsagencies today. The strength of the future depends on your commitment to change today.
My personal hope is that #NOTANEWSAGENT gets newsagents thinking about the positioning of their businesses in the context of print media disruption, retail disruption and changes in economic conditions. Thinking alone is a start.
Mark – a couple of comments in response.
If you’re not a newsagent, what are you? (Is that the next instalment in the campaign? LOL)
I thought that there might have been another reason: ‘not a newsagents’ respond to customers’ needs and interests. The old-style newsagent presents agency lines to the public – the push style of selling. The ‘not a newsagent’ monitors the needs of customers and brings things to them to meet those needs – the pull style of selling.
Megan the video answers the first question – we are newsXpress. Just like Typo is not a gift shop os a stationery shop, simply … Typo.
The goal of the campaign is for inside and outside the businesses to be seen as newsXpress.
The agency model has no upside.
We are also newsagents
which is on newsxpress website ??
Paul as I mentioned this is a gentle launch. If you trawl through all newsXpress collateral you will find more examples. Knock yourself out.
The key message here is the statement being made, the conversation being commenced. Personally, I think it is vitally important. Others will disagree and that is their right.
What about taking a step further and branding as NuExpress? I aM serious.
I have not watched the video yet ( not showing up on my screen ) so I probably shouldn’t even comment but I cant help myself 🙂
Just my 2 cents worth if you want to get away from the Newsagent you have to loose the NEWS part out of your name . To me NewsXpress is just a newsagency and a bloody well branded one at that . I am not really understanding why you would want to keep News in the name at all
Shaun if you ever got a chance to look under the hood you would see this is not true, not by a long shot.
I don’t disagree about the term news but that is a story for another day. #NOTANEWSAGENT is nothing to do with the name. Different projects.
Lots of businesses given their time over again would have made their shingle more relevant to “today”. Super Cheap Auto for instance started out as such but has now evolved into a wider product category retailer. I am sure at board level there are sparodic discussions regarding wether today’s shingle represents the offer however starting again with a revised shingle is probably a dangerous move. More relevant in the newsagency arena is wether the category is relevant to the next generation customer. A good looking,well run, fully stocked Newsexpress store is miles in front of a newsagent… however at this point the consumer still sees it as a newsagent. Until all traditional newsagency product is out along with their fixtures including spinners then you are what you are. From the video if you focus on the product on the front table, it is eclectic in its selection, well merchandised…its not a newsagent. Can you have 150 sq meters of this look, feel and product rang.. not be a vertical retailer, not have 180 stores identical and survive…that’s the challenge.
Ken there is no reference to the front table in the video.
230 stores are currently in newsXpress. The 12 points in the video state what they love. No more, no less.
The objective of the video is as stated in my post.
Mark – your responses to the comments on this post seem a bit ‘snippy’. I don’t think any of us is criticising the campaign or pouring scorn on the objectives. I think we’re all just giving you our reactions in an attempt to provide feedback on whether you have achieved your objectives.
I agree with ShaunS – that it would be a good idea to remove ‘news’ from the brand name.
And I disagree with your comments about Typo. Those of us who are not business owners in this sector would use a generic name for Typo – and the one that I personally would use is ‘upmarket stationery shop’. I put it in the same category as Kikki K.
At this stage, I don’t feel that the campaign to say that ‘newsXpress’ is quite different from a newsagency will be successful in the near term. Of course, you wouldn’t expect to shift public perception after decades with one video, but I think it’s going to be a very long haul. I hope that you succeed.
Megan you and anyone can label my responses what you like. Such is the openness of this place I have created. However, I did not write them with the intent of being ‘snippy’.
It is frustrating that some have responded negatively about things I did not mention in the post, things not related whatsoever to this move. But some people like to complain to their own agenda.
The objective of this gentle step solely relates to banks, landlords and consumers. I shared it here as I figured newsagents might be interested.
The video is a small element of a big and thoughtful strategy. While some will judge without understanding the bigger picture, even without watching the video, thankfully there others who do seek out to know where this fits overall.
While you can call Typo what you like, I know what researchers have found about consumer perception re the brand.
Here’s the key takeaway to my post as I see it – newsXpress is making a gentle public statement that reflects what it has been quietly doing for well over a year. The alternative is to do nothing. That would end up badly.
Anyone can do this, make a move like this and / or create an alternative name for newsagencies. This video is a narrow and brief insight into what newsXpress is doing. What people make of it is up to them.
I shared the video with suppliers earlier this week. The response from them has been 100% cheering the move on.
I like it alot !
I think it’s a great point of difference for NewsXpress and in my view ticks another box if I was looking at a marketing group (I’m not a member of any currently and haven’t been previously).
I’ve thought for a while as to how I rebrand my business because I really want to get away from the NewsAGENT title as it has a rapidly diminishing value.