Sports Illustrated’s Best Premium Position Gone

Inside back cover advertising positions usually command a 10-15% premium on ad space costs. The ad readership results for this position are typically 6% higher than a regular page within the issue which does not warrant the increased spending for the position. There is one clear exception that I have seen in my 20-year advertising career. This would be the inside back cover of Sports Illustrated and running opposite the column entitled “Life of Reilly.”

Every Saturday when our SI issue arrives, Rick Reilly’s column is not only the first thing I read, but the only thing I read within the issue before it becomes the bathroom bible for the next week. I read it because each week I never know what it will bring. Will I laugh hysterically like I did at the column which captured two dads discussing how they are helping their kids get ahead in sports, but yet their kids are still in the nursery at the hospital?  Will I cry like I did when I read about a dad donating his daughter’s organs after she died and then becoming friends with and even running with the man who received her lungs? Or will I get out my checkbook and donate to a worthy cause like the Nothing But Nets program in which millions of dollars have been raised to provide netting to Africans in an antimalaria campaign?  These are the variety of stories that are covered by Rick Reilly in his “Life of Reilly” column each week.

Rick Reilly has an incredible writing skill that captivates a reader and has helped SI extend its audience beyond the core testosterone-based subscriber. Bringing this diversity to a targeted publication is a rarity in the publishing industry and a true talent by Rick Reilly. SI has probably attracted many advertisers to this inside back cover position because of what Rick has to offer to each advertiser—which is an extended audience of readers that normally wouldn’t read SI or the ad within the inside back cover.

With all this said it is truly unfortunate that SI is losing this writer and the premium position associated with his column.  Rick Reilly is going onto a TV career with ESPN and our Sports Illustrated subscription is going back to the male audience within our household. If you want to let Rick Reilly know how disappointed you are in his decision, or to wish him luck in his new venture you can reach him at RickReillyonline.com.  I know I am!

Washington D.C. Untapped Media Market

As media professionals, we are always looking for the next untapped venue in targeting an audience. On a recent trip to Washington D.C. I saw so many unique opportunities for media exposure within the city. Afterall, the amount of visitors and the diverse age range of individuals who come to this city to experience all the culture and educational activities is staggering. So why not cave like so many other venues to the advertising/sponsorship opportunities 

Think about these ideas:

• Congressmen having to wear sponsored suit coats (Nascar drivers wear jumpsuits with advertising--why not have the gallery see who their Congressmen is supported by?)
• Projected advertising on the Washington Monument (Wouldn't a 555' 5/8” billboard be the largest in the world?)
• Bus wraps on the tour-mobiles (Yes the buses are red, white, and blue to represent this country and freedom, but wouldn't Dr. Scholl’s love to promote their product to all the visitors who are experiencing aching feet from the miles of walking around town?)
• Naming rights to the monuments (Wouldn't the Lincoln Town Car make a great representative for the Lincoln Memorial?)
• Exhibition Sponors (What about Crest sponsoring the Sharks 3-D exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History?)

I am glad to see that even though in this day and age in which we try and make everything a sponsorship or advertising opportunity, we have not tried to do this in Washington D.C. The untainted experience of this city is refreshing and provides the visitor with a clean educational environment. Go and enjoy Washington D.C. and all it has to offer from how money is made, where John F. Kennedy is laid to rest, see what the scarecrow wore in The Wizard of Oz, experience what Congress does during a voting session, and so much more but know you will not be surrounded by advertising messages until you go back to your hotel room and relax in front of the television.

Paris Hilton Rebranded

Even though Paris Hilton has hit a tough spot there are still marketing opportunities for her to pursue based on this new experience.  Here are five for which she'd be the perfect spokesperson:

 1. Personalized license plates--With all her experience in the big house making plates I am sure she would have great insight on what works and doesn’t work for the consumer.

2. HGTV’s Decorating Small Spaces--Because of her current limited living quarters I am sure she has some great ideas she can bring to the show.

3. Food Network’s Eating on $40 a Day--In jail they have to limit the spending per inmate for food consumption to keep on a budget.  Paris will have many meal suggestions for how to live on $40 a day.

 4. Curves 30-Minute Workout--With one hour a day in the yard there is only so much time to get a workout in so Paris will be able to relate to these busy women who are trying to schedule their daily fitness routine.

 5. Style Essentials Editorial in Elle-Jail doesn’t allow for a variety of clothing options and make-up applications therefore consumers would appreciate how Paris has managed select the essentials for her new environment.

It is important to know that no matter who your client is there are marketing opportunities to explore on their behalf.  It just takes a little creativity and an open-minded client. --Karen Hudock

KFC's Offer to Sanjaya is a Media Masterpiece

Have you heard about the offer that KFC has given to Sanjaya of American Idol?  If you haven't then I am absolutely shocked because it is everywhere. 

Does KFC really care if Sanjaya accepts their offer of a free lifetime supply of KFC Bowls?  Or that he would star in a KFC ad?  Or that they would pay $5,000 for him to accept this offer?

No, what they care about is that the name KFC is being tossed around like a salad. People are discussing it at the water coolers in offices, kids are laughing about it on buses, local and national TV stations are covering the offer, newspapers are highlighting it on front pages, radio stations are devoting entire programming around it, and web sites are saturated with the story.  KFC is cashing in on the exposure which has cost them absolutely nothing except possibly 37-cents to mail the open letter offer to the contestant.   KFC is now also linked to a national icon--American Idol--which Ford is paying millions to partner with.  The exposure is unbelievable with a 99.9% reach and a 3+++ frequency based on millions of impressions at a price of $0.  This is every Media and PR agency's dream is to come up with an idea like this and have it warrant such prolific coverage.  It will be interesting to see if we ever hear the benefits KFC reaps from this promotional masterpiece.  But in the meantime--what are you having for dinner?  My kids have asked to try a KFC Bowl!

Creative Media Executions

My favorite unique media execution is by Folgers with the steaming coffee over the manhole cover.  It provides the appeal of outdoor with its large reach opportunity.  It is also clever and effective in the execution.  What are your thoughts?

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Cygnus makes a move to take on Hanley Wood regarding duplication

Cygnus Publishing is a giant within the publishing industry. They are relatively small though within the category of building materials publications where Hanley Wood leads the pack. Cygnus Publishing has decided to take on Hanley Wood and promote their low duplication numbers between two of their building publications (Qualified Remodeler and Residential Design & Build).  They have had their circulation audited by BPA which is an independent source.

They challenged Hanley Wood to do the same among their publications.  Hanley Wood responded with a duplication positioning statement.

I find this effort by Cygnus who was a distant competitor to Hanley Wood to be very interesting.  The challenge has raised some questions within the building community of corporate marketing directors and with agency media executives.  Such questions include—How much duplication does Hanley Wood have between their titles?  Should I expand my marketing mix beyond the current titles to extend my reach?  Why is Cygnus making this movement to focus on duplication?  It is great to see a company make their clients as well as prospective clients think how they evaluate their media decisions.  It has made us look beyond the traditional circulation audit with its total circulation figures, audience composition, percent qualified per year, regional distribution, etc.  It has also made us question even the giants of the media world because even though they may be leaders due to their size we still need to be sure they are offering the best product. 

My experience has been that most clients would like a plan to remain consistent from year to year for ease of execution, but is that the correct approach to take?  A plan can only get better if different elements are included within the evaluation process.  Since being approached by my Cygnus rep, I am now going to add within my trade analysis a segment which verifies duplication numbers with publications.  By including this element to my plan I can prove to my clients that I am maximizing their reach. 

It’s great to be challenged by publication reps because clients and media executives are better off for it.  It is also critical that publications have strong competitors who offer a challenge because it makes both publications great assets to the industry.  Kudos to Cygnus for setting forth a challenge within the building publication’s industry!