Just back from hols and skimming through the accumulated copies of various trade mags, I came across a double page spread in Marketing Week entitled 'Making new connections with newspaper ads'. It's pretty clear that it's an advertising feature, created by the Newspaper Marketing Agency.
I'm not sure how long this body has been around (its website suggests 2003) but this is the biggest advertorial I've yet seen for the promotion of newspaper advertising.
I know that local and regional newspapers in particular are having a tough time of it these days, and my own local paper finds plenty of room each week for quarter- or half-page ads promoting either its own (sadly abysmal) web portal or rather unsubtle messages that 'advertising works!'
Ten years ago I don't think newspapers needed to do this kind of selling of themselves as vehicles for advertisers. They were the media, and advertisers paid to be in them because that was one of the few effective ways to reach their audience. Now: a very different media landscape. It looks like the boot is on the other foot.
This reminds me of a discussion I had the other day about direct mail, and that maybe the day is coming back where we might write personalised letters to people on real paper, as this is so unusual nowadays. While there might be some mileage in that, it’s probably going to be a while before I’m recommending that my clients advertise in newspapers.
Ooh yes – personalised letters, I agree! Funny how all the stuff that seemed so cool when it first appeared (full colour printed mailers starring *gasp* your name) is now just more junk. Thanks for commenting, Julia.