GWADS Promotional Awards
2019 Award Submissions
Print Growth
Bay Area News Group
In-Stadium Kiosk Sales Expansion
City: San Jose, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 310,217
Sunday audited circulation size: 471,130
Objective
To expand new subscription sales to all Bay Area college & professional stadiums at a profit.
Strategy
Reduce low profit door crew sales and fund expansion of in-stadium kiosk sales.
Increase pricing and establish a single EZ Pay only price point of $14.90 per month for all FODS including digital.
Results
Stadium Kiosk Program: We sell subscriptions at all Bay Area professional & college team stadiums of note. Combined, they average 364,072 attendance per game.
In 2018, we sold 19,311 subscriptions, 4,045 of which were digital only. All sales regardless of FOD are $14.90 per month. EZ Pay required. Profit is $427,000 by year 2.
Bay Area News Group
Email Acquisition Campaign
City: San Jose, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 310,217
Sunday audited circulation size: 471,130
Objective
To increase new subscriber starts secured via e-mail and achieve high retention rates.
Strategy
We significantly increased the volume of e-mails to former subscribers & newsletter subscribers.
Results
E-mails: Acquisition
In 2018:
- 32,457,220 sent (+750% YOY)
- 2,408,866 opened
- 1,825,530 read
- 2,795 new starts (+350% YOY)
- 52-week retention 85%
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Local & National News Co-Promotion
City: Fort Worth, TX
Daily audited circulation size: 191,498
Sunday audited circulation size: 164,105
Objective
Fort Worth Star-Telegram & Wall Street Journal
The objective of this promotion was to sell more newspapers for both titles, by establishing additional secondary locations in our top retail chains. The promotion was designed to pair a national newspaper with our local newspaper during the month before the elections.
Strategy
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram did an analysis of the top selling locations for both its own product and the Wall Street Journal. The top selling locations included Krogers, 7-Eleven, Race Trac, Albertsons, Walgreens and Tom Thumb stores. In total, we had 25 new secondary locations in Fort Worth. We had additional McClatchy markets participate, with a total of 165 new secondary locations.
Results
McClatchy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram and WSJ saw increases ranging from 12-15%. Our daily sales increased in some weeks as much as 400 papers on a base of 1,400, and Sunday increased as much as 500 papers on a base of 3,100 papers.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Distributor Sales Contest
City: Fort Worth, TX
Daily audited circulation size: 191,498
Sunday audited circulation size: 164,105
Objective
Drive new starts utilizing our contract distributors to increase market growth and route profits while offering a commission incentive.
Strategy
Implement a McClatchy wide distributor sales contest encouraging our partners to grow their routes, earn commission while having some fun competing with all McClatchy’s 30 markets throughout the enterprise.
The Fan Development (Acquisition Sales Team) partnered with the Logistics (Home Delivery Distribution Team) to create “The Great Money Race” Distributor Sales Contest. Contest was from 6.11.18 – 7.15.18.
Marketing material was distributed in each market collectively outlining the contest details and rules. Weekly communication was sent out with weekly bonus incentives to increase morale and entice participation along with the weekly sales report to show sales rankings.
Contest drive was created to include a sales kit for every market that consisted of marketing materials, sample flyers, sales offers, commissions, order forms, order submission and commission process & procedures, generic contractor addendum, weekly winner announcements and daily sales tracking report.
All orders had to be 100% prepaid. Every distributor had unique campaign codes for tracking purposes and commission payouts.
Results
Fort Worth Star-Telegram was our Grand Prize Winner with 145 orders SOLD and 32% of all sales generated for the contest. 136 or 94% were 7-day orders.
In addition, the work from the distributor did not end with the contest. They bring in 20-30 starts EVERY week.
The Fresno Bee
13 for $13 Direct Mail Campaign
City: Fresno, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 54,813
Sunday audited circulation size: 90,632
Objective
To increase new acquisition starts in our core market via direct mail highlighting our two new bonus eEdition sections and rewards program. And increase our response rate and decrease our cost per order for the overall mailing.
Strategy
Develop an attractive offer, “13 for $13” highlighting the lowest delivery schedule to drive new start volume while promoting new digital content sections filled with additional news and sports coverage, EXTRA, EXTRA & SPORTSXTRA. The goal was to drive more added value content to the mid and daily delivery schedules while improving our response rate and CPO from the previous months.
Results
Campaign generated 269 orders, 1.39% response rate and a $31.52 CPO. This was one of the best response pieces of 2018.
Daily order production – 103 orders or 38%
Weekends – 64 orders or 24%
Sunday only – 102 orders or 38%
Response rate improved month-over-month by .58% and CPO improved by $21.24.
The Herald-Times
Mail-back card sampling program
City: Bloomington, IN
Daily audited circulation size: 15,688 non-audited
Sunday audited circulation size: 24,885 non-audited
Objective
To create a new mail-back card to use for sampling leave behind, inserting single copy, kiosk/event work, etc. that offered a special rate of 31% off our regular seven-day rate.
Strategy
We use the card for District Manager and carrier sampling efforts, especially during our back-to-school time. We insert single copy with them and insert giveaway copies at events as well.
Results
In the first 6 months of use of these cards, we've shown a return of a little over 2% for all channels of distribution.
The Herald-Times
Carrier Contests
City: Bloomington, IN
Daily audited circulation size: 15,688 non-audited
Sunday audited circulation size: 24,885 non-audited
Objective
Carriers won't participate in contests anymore. Right? Wrong! We still have some that are willing, especially when offered various options of participation. We wanted to get our carriers involved in our back-to-school contest.
Strategy
Our plan was to offer 3 different back-to-school contests to get our carriers involved. Part one was for carriers interested in sampling and building their routes. Part two was a trivia contest with some facts about route management slipped in. And part three was looking for new carrier and substitute names that they could supply us. We even decorated the dock area where they pick up their newspapers.
Results
We had 24 new subscriptions turned in by our carriers during the 7-week contest period. 45% of our carriers participated in the Legends of Circulation Trivia Contest and 11 new potential carriers/substitutes were turned in to us during the Bounty Hunter portion of the contest as well!
The Herald-Times
Fall Special Discount Campaign
City: Bloomington, IN
Daily audited circulation size: 15,688 non-audited
Sunday audited circulation size: 24,885 non-audited
Objective
Our goal was to convert Sunday only and Saturday/Sunday subscribers into 7-day subscribers by offering our $82.00 Fall Special discount. We hoped for a 2% to 3% return rate.
Strategy
We created a very simple 1-sheet mail piece and sent it along with a postage-paid envelope to Sunday only and Saturday/Sunday subscribers of The Herald-Times.
Results
We mailed 893 letters in early August of 2018 at the beginning of our back-to-school period. We were able to capture slightly over 2% return and conversion to 7-day subscriptions! The main cost we had in the project was the postage for the mailing. We were very happy with the results and plan to run it again this fall.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Newspaper Sales for PACT Fundraiser
City: Honolulu, HI
Daily audited circulation size: 110,000
Sunday audited circulation size: 126,000
Objective
Each year, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser partners with Parents and Children Together (PACT) – a leading local nonprofit that provides innovative educational social services to families in need, and particularly to children and youth – to hold its major annual fundraiser, Keiki Day. (“Keiki” is Hawaiian for “children.”) This effort takes the form of producing thousands of copies of a special 24-page wrap around the newspaper’s regular edition and getting volunteer celebrities to sell the special edition on the streets of Honolulu, with proceeds going to PACT.
Strategy
On Keiki Day (Thursday, May 10, 2018), newspapers sold for $1.00. Then, over 1,100 volunteers – including the governor of Hawaii, mayor of Honolulu, city council members, University of Hawaii coaches, and local print and broadcast media personalities – went out on the streets of Honolulu to sell the Keiki Day newspaper. Businesses sold the Keiki Day edition at their branches and offices.
On Keiki Day morning, TV and Radio stations covered the event live and informed the public of the various locations where celebrities were selling the paper.
To market the Keiki Day paper ahead of time, we ran quarter-page ads in the Star-Advertiser and in our sister publication, MidWeek (mailed free to each household in Honolulu), at the beginning of March and end of April.
We also ran Keiki Day VIP ads featuring well-known local figures and celebrities from Hawaii TV personalities, the mayor, and the governor starting in April and the beginning of May.
We created all VIP ads in house with approval from PACT and the Star-Advertiser marketing team.
Results
All told, we sold 55,713 special Keiki Day newspapers statewide, raising thousands of dollars for PACT and its 15 programs serving kids and families in Hawaii.
Idaho Statesman
#OneTeam Total Newspaper Initiative
City: Boise, ID
Daily audited circulation size: 29,618
Sunday audited circulation size: 52,814
Objective
Idaho Statesman #OneTeam
Idaho Statesman
The objective of the #OneTeam event was to pull our whole team together to do a market refresh and community connection. The team pulled together for a week to do a single copy refresh, growth of our Scene entertainment weekly, subscriber retention activities and subscriber growth activities.
We also worked closely with the publisher, editor, and marketing on marketing materials to promote our reporters and content.
Strategy
We pulled a team of eight together from five markets, proving that the power of a team is better than one. Half the team came from other states, all to participate in this campaign. We had single copy, home delivery, sales, retention and our budgeting team involved.
Our strategy was to market our news content, clean and update every rack and retail location in town, have a new subscriber call night, have a current subscriber retention night and grow the locations for our Entertainment publication. We met with each distributor. We also worked with the publisher and editor, to include kicking off a content marketing campaign. Each day and each night was filled with a unique activity.
Results
The results were amazing.
We went to over 400 single copy locations and cleaned racks and displays, changed out windows, updated POP, improved positioning and rebuilt relationships with stores.
We had a sales call night where we sold 20+ new subscriptions.
We also had a retention call night, where we called over 300 active subscribers with only one message – THANK YOU for being a Statesman subscriber.
We grew by 32 new locations for our free publication Scene, inside of restaurants, hotels and other businesses in the downtown market.
And we came together as #OneTeam to make a difference.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Golden Knights Single Copy Promotion
City: Las Vegas, NV
Daily audited circulation size: 90,865
Sunday audited circulation size: 109,657
Objective
Increase single copy volumes/revenue by leveraging community excitement around the Las Vegas Golden Knights as they made the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season.
Strategy
Our strategy was to promote the historic first season of the Vegas Golden Knights from pre-season to the Stanley Cup. We started with four separate Season Preview magazines, which helped introduce the team to our community. We ended the regular season with a Season Review bonus section, which we also priced to sell in retail outlets during the playoffs. For each round of the playoffs, we produced a special section highlighting the series, “Knights Quest”, “Shark Hunt”, “Knight Flight”, and finally, “Holy Grail”. We worked with multiple internal departments to add the new publications and to build on our relationships within the community to secure retail outlets to promote and sell the new products. Some points on our strategy and steps taken:
- Identify chains that support the Vegas Golden Knights NHL hockey team
- Set up meeting with the key corporate decision makers to gain chain approval
- Internally work with production, editorial, creative and our business office to get the publications off the ground
- Promoted on social sites, emails to non-subs, radio and billboard
- Communicate with our dock employees and delivery contractors
- We placed new sleds with POP sled cards in the top 10% of approved locations
- Place stack cards in all retail locations with pricing and location availability
- After delivery, complete filed audits and identify restock opportunities
- Keep on sale during the entire playoff run
Results
Overall we had a successful first year:
- Sold 476 locations for the Season Preview and Season Review pubs
- Sold over 8,700 copies of the Season Preview and Season Review pubs
- Sold an additional 15,500 Daily copies
- Sold an additional 3,800 Sunday copies
- Added over $55,800 in single copy revenue
- Used in-store POP and email blasts to non-subs to promote
We met our objective to increase single copy revenue and introduce our community to the new Vegas Golden Knights NHL hockey team!
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Launching Company Store
City: Las Vegas. NV
Daily audited circulation size: 90,865
Sunday audited circulation size: 109,657
Objective
The objective of starting a company store was to increase revenue through other avenues using the Review-Journal's advertising power. I included this entry because it's a great way to generate additional revenue outside of subscription sales.
Strategy
Use content that was already produced to create products and sell them on our company store, https://store.reviewjournal.
Results
Since the start of the company store, we have sold 720 products with a profit margin of 59%. We’ve also sold 10,388 Knights to Remember books through print, online, and retail channels with a profit margin of 55%.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Sunday Print Upgrade to Digital Subscriptions
City: Las Vegas, NV
Daily audited circulation size: 90,865
Sunday audited circulation size: 109,657
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to increase Sunday print circulation and preprint revenue by offering new in-market digital subscribers a Sunday paper at no additional cost.
Strategy
Include an upgrade offer at the order review stage on checkout pages. We have two digital offers, one monthly and one annual. The Sunday upsell was added to both offers.
Results
Averaging 12 additional print starts per week.
Converting 12% of potential in market digital subscribers into print subscribers.
The Modesto Bee
Email Creative A/B Testing
City: Modesto, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 33,857
Sunday audited circulation size: 53,136
Objective
To develop an email series to test local photography creative vs. type-attack email creative and measure its outcome on conversions.
Finding the best lead asset type will pull a former subscriber further down into the promotional email in order to learn more about re-subscribing. This directed interest will to lead to increased click through rates and result in additional subscription purchases.
Strategy
We developed an A/B test in 4 markets to include Modesto to see if local imagery changed conversion rates. We tested 4 campaigns that used local photos vs. type-attack block graphics as per 50/50 split. We then measured open, click and conversions across the 4 markets vs. 26 other markets that used type-attack graphics only.
Results
In our testing in Modesto, we found that 2 to 1 photographic was the winner in start conversions. Overall, open rates and click-through rates for Modesto did not change with the test compared to the average.
The Oregonian
Direct Mail and Email Acquisition Campaign
City: Portland, OR
Daily audited circulation size: 168,212
Sunday audited circulation size: 213,180
Objective
Attract "formers" and "nevers" to subscribe using best practices for direct mail and email marketing.
Execute other time-sensitive email promotions tailored for the fourth quarter of the year.
Strategy
Target 18-month formers in select zip codes through discounted offer of $1.49 per week for the first 26 weeks. Create sense of urgency by promoting value of Thanksgiving Day newspaper; "Orders received by November 18 will receive our Thanksgiving edition."
Aggressively promote other timely email offers to finish the year on a high note.
Results
The Thanksgiving promotion resulted in 340 new sales. Additional email offers resulted in 462 sales for a total of 802 direct response sales in Q4 of 2018.
The Sacramento Bee
California Wildfires Donation Campaign
City: Sacramento, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 104,228
Sunday audited circulation size: 202,958
Objective
To create an email campaign to "Give Back" to the communities impacted by the California wildfires.
Strategy
The campaign was a simple message to help with relief efforts for the American Red Cross with a $5 donation for each new subscription purchased. The campfire was the deadliest and most destructive fire in state history and the timing of the email campaign helped to show our support.
Results
Sacramento generated 15 starts from the campaign over the 7-day period and a $125 donation was made to the local American Red Cross for relief efforts. A total of 24 starts were generated to include Modesto and Fresno markets.
The Sacramento Bee
Build 7-Eleven Partnership while Increasing Newspaper Sales
City: Sacramento, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 104,228
Sunday audited circulation size: 202,958
Objective
The objective of this promotion was to build our relationship both locally and nationally with 7-Eleven, while selling more newspapers.
Strategy
We partnered with 7-Eleven on a Sunday newspaper plus coffee campaign. Customers received $1 off their cup of coffee with their Sunday newspaper. The campaign ran from March 4-April 8, 2018.
We promoted the campaign with rack cards, bundle hangers, cooler decals, wobblers, TMC ads, email marketing and social media.
The cooler decals and wobblers gave us new positioning in the stores – in the coffee area and around the coolers.
One awesome feature of this campaign was that our promotion was on the 7-Eleven app in the market – so we received promotional value from 7-Eleven. They were anxious to promote their new app and rewards program and we benefited with this nice co-promotion.
Results
While the promotion was specifically for Sunday, all of the additional marketing materials helped us grow daily sales as well. We increased sales in Sacramento by 6.73% daily and 12.51% Sunday.
We re-established both a local and national relationship with 7-Eleven.
We extended our marketing reach outside of our own products – outside of the stores – by having presence on the 7-Eleven app.
Skagit Valley Herald
Promotional Subscription Landing Pages
City: Mount Vernon, WA
Daily audited circulation size: 10,009
Sunday audited circulation size: 10,086
Objective
NSS Promotional Subscription Landing Pages
To implement a user-friendly and seamlessly accessible digital method of obtaining new subscription starts.
Strategy
We began working with NSS to assist us in setting up promotion-specific landing pages in February of 2018. When a promotion is created, I reached out to NSS and provided them with the pertinent information (promotion launch/end date, whether it will be digital/print only, etc.). I provided them with a potential URL link to the page (for example, during our "Summer Scorcher" promotion, the URL link to the page was www.svhoffers.com/deal/scorch) and generally, as long as the URL link hasn't been used/isn't currently being used for a different promotion, NSS accepts the URL link. I also provided them with an image, usually cropped from the promotional ad or flyer I built, for NSS to incorporate into the landing page as a banner across the top. A banner that is similar or identical to the promotional flyer or ad that will be put out to the public reassures anyone visiting the landing page that he or she is in the right place, and signing up for the intended promotion. Once the landing page has been set up, I then feature the corresponding URL link on any and all promotions I put out to the public, along with a number to call should they prefer to subscribe over the phone. This provides potential subscribers with multiple options for how they can subscribe to our newspaper. With numerous subscription options to choose from, we can entice different audiences with different preferences (phone calls vs. the internet) and make it easier to complete the subscription process. In terms of motivating non-subscribers to subscribe, the simplicity of the process can make all the difference.
Results
Each start we receive through NSS costs us only $4 dollars. We have been able to create standard subscription landing pages with our standard home delivery and E-Edition offers, as well as promotional landing pages- not only for our paper but also for the other eight properties which make up our division. Since October 1st, 2018, between all nine papers in our division, we have received a total of 2,841 subscription starts through our assorted NSS landing pages. Broken down further, each paper would have obtained on average around 52 starts per month, for 6 months. Our Customer Service Reps can access the starts through the NSS Client Portal, thus making the information easily accessible on our end as well.
The Tribune (San Luis Obispo)
Holiday Email A/B Subject Line Testing
City: San Luis Obispo, CA
Daily audited circulation size: 16,917
Sunday audited circulation size: 27,361
Objective
Generate subscription sales based on new tech purchases over the holiday season and test with three different subject lines to improve open rates.
Strategy
Develop an email campaign that focuses on the new tech purchases such as smart phone, laptops, tablets and AI and the needed subscription to complete that experience.
Subject line test was to help determine if price point made a difference in open rates and conversions. The A/B splits included: (1) Cost per day (2) Last Chance Offer (3) General message.
Results
In San Luis Obispo, this was our top campaign of 2018 with us generating 250% more starts than the average for the entire year.
Overall click-though rate was 7.31% but our subject line test of adding cost per day in subject line had the highest click-through rate at 11.39% and conversion rate of 3.43%.
Overall for McClatchy markets, we generated 500 starts with this one campaign.
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