Newspaper marketing

Wired magazine published an article yesterday by Meghan Keane which asks whether the future of newspapers is high-end magazines.  The article was prompted by the launch this week of WSJ, a magazine to accompany The Wall Street Journal.  One only has to look at how magazine inserts here in Australia are used to drive retail as well as home delivery sales.  Fairfax has had considerable success driving sales of The Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review with high-end magazines.  While managing these thick magazine inserts is not without its problems, there is no doubt consumers look for them.   They are an important part of the mix to support newspapers in the face of other challenges.

Just as they did with the free light globe giveaway on Saturday, the folks at the Herald Sun have provided us with excellent point of sale and electronic marketing collateral for Valentine’s Day.

By getting this material early we are able to appropriately dress the store to drive sales. We’re also able to load the content into the software managing plasma screens at out Watergardens location.

Getting electronic content from other newsagent suppliers is not as easy.

We have a structured approach to using newspaper promotional material. Given that it’s usually a one-day event, we like to skirt the counter several days before and also set-up A4 posters at each register – reminding people of what’s coming. We also brief the sales team well in advance. On the day, we boldly dress the store the day of the promotion. By getting the material electronically we are able to print additional copies as needed.

Nothing special in all this activity – except that it takes a forward thinking supplier to help one achieve all this. This is why I’m so happy with Saturday’s globe offer and Valentine’s Day in the Herald Sun.

The South China Morning Post is sold ar Pacific Coffee House outlets here in Hong Kong. For two weeks the deal is that you can use a coupon in the newspaper and receive two coffess for the price of one or you can get a double upgrade free. It’s an excellent deal for the consumer and excellent for the newspaper publishers and the coffee house.

Given the Starbucks / Fairfax and Gloria Jeans / News Ltd relationships I wouldn’t be surprised to see a promotion like this in Australia – it may be there already.

Newsagents need to proactively play in this space – promoting with other businesses, building their business and them building yours. Such mutually beneficial promotion is simple and sensible.

We got out onto the streets of Hong Kong after rush hour this morning and missed the free newspaper frenzy I’m told you can see at the exits of the main railway stations.

This lady was busy handing out one free broadsheet. She was in uniform and quite proactive – standing in the middle of the footpath – making sure everyone passing was offered.

This chap was the only other person we saw. No uniform. Less proactive. I guess the paper is known – his was brighter looking and tabloid. One of our party who went for a walk at 7:30 said it was a frenzy with people reaching for the free newspapers.

I checked Dr. Piet Bakker’s excellent blog on free newspapers – Newspaper Innovation – for an update on free papers in Hong Kong but there was not much. We will keep our eyes open for the rest of the trip. Newsstands are full of paid for newspapers but I suspect the free and paid are focused on different markets as is the case in Australia.

In Hong Kong this morning I noticed one of the local newspapers was being sold in a plastic carry bag. That was to keep the newspaper and the free promotional pack of tissues together. Some were handed out as two items but most were given to customers pre bagged.

You can see the bagged newspapers to the left of the photo.

With so many newspapers, free and paid, here in Hong Kong I am not surprised at such giveaways. It’s interesting to see the bag approach given that all the giveaways in Australia are coupon based with the premium item being held being the counter.

I’d be surprised if this kind of promotional offer made its way to Australia but I am no expert.