Impact, reach, and results. Three words marketers crave and three words newspapers deliver more effectively than any other advertising medium. A comprehensive advertising package of all things digital coupled with print. Yes print, that in-your- face broadsheet that offers advertisers a chance for impressive, bona fide visual impact. In fact, a recent NAA study revealed that “print users rate highly the utility of print advertising (44 percent) and that they usually notice it (41 percent).” Yes print, the platform Facebook and Twitter don’t offer.

Last month, General Motors stopped advertising on Facebook, concluding that its paid ads don’t have a big impact on consumers — 900 million users and Facebook can’t deliver; what a pity. GM is no slouch when it comes to marketing research and investing ad dollars. Why pour $10 million into Zuckerberg’s pocket when you can capitalize on social media’s doctrine of sharing innovative and relevant content for free?

In a statement, GM said, “In terms of Facebook specifically, while we currently do not plan to continue with advertising, we remain committed to an aggressive content strategy through all of our products and brands, as it continues to be a very effective tool for engaging readers.”

NAA’s recent Newspaper Multiplatform Usage Study provides insight on how and why newspaper consumers access news and advertising content through various channels. The findings clearly define the benefits of newspapers’ multiplatform effectiveness. The study reports, “each platform has different usage and characteristics and values for readers; however they all share important daily newspaper brand benefits, including having advertising information that consumers act upon.”

NAA extracted the highlights of the survey and created a simple but powerful advertisement that accentuates newspaper reach and engagement across all platforms. The five points include:

  • Newspapers reach 74% of Internet users in an average week across multiple platforms and devices.
  • More than 161 million adults read newspapers in print, online, and on mobile devices in the past week.
  • Multiple platforms are used by 54% of consumers who access newspaper content in an average week.
  • Newspaper media consumers act on newspaper digital ads — 66% took action on an ad in the past month.
  • Newspaper circulars are used by 73% of newspaper media users in an average month.

Social media is an effective tool for connecting readers to readers, but when it comes to connecting readers to advertisers, the newspaper multiplatform reigns supreme. Are you listening, GM?


Comments

oh, really?

steve | Sunday, July 8, 2012

"Digital, social and online medias cannot develop a business or organizations brand." really? how many newspaper ads has kim kardashian bought in the last 5 years? and general motors has a history of BAD decisions, so them dropping their electronic ads isn't saying much.

facebook still better.

steve | Sunday, July 8, 2012

i sold display ads for newspapers from 1999 - 2005, and classified ads from 1995 - 1999. so i can sell ads and overcome just about every rejection...but now that i am a business owner. i can get ads for about $0.40 CPM with facebook with a click through rate of about 0.5% and i can target women or men, by age, or location down the the zip code and i can MEASURE it. tell me how i can do that with any newspaper product?

66% take action on digital ads

Jeff Fleming | Thursday, July 5, 2012

Lon Haenel, the study was conducted on behalf of NAA by Frank N. Magid Associates Inc. You will find additional information here: http://bit.ly/Iz5RBV
All the best to you.

Is Newspaper Industry Reading This?

Bob Trapp | Thursday, July 5, 2012

All these positive comments about print and yet NNA, NAA, Inland and state associations continue to focus training on digital revenue and abandoning print. We all have heard advertisers in our own home towns say electronic ads don't work, put me back in the paper. Why do we have to wait for an advertiser to tell us electronic doesn't work? We should be telling the advertiser this.

66% take action on digital ads

Lon Haenel | Thursday, July 5, 2012

To Jeff Fleming-- please provide the research methodology behind the statement,
"Newspaper media consumers act on newspaper digital ads — 66% took action on an ad in the past month."
This is a strong claim-- one I'd like to promote locally-- and an often overlooked strength of our digital fifedoms. Thanks!
Lon Haenel

Finally Something Positive

Joe Calamito | Friday, June 29, 2012

With all the negative remarks being made about newspapers- I welcome your story with open arms.
As the publisher of a local bi-weekly publication in New Jersey I am going to have our sales staff use this information on every sales call.
-Social media is an effective tool for connecting readers to readers, but when it comes to connecting readers to advertisers, the newspaper multiplatform reigns supreme. Are you listening, GM?

Maybe, but we're overlooking the facts.

Jack Denneboom | Friday, June 29, 2012

So why is newspaper circulation less today than it was in 1948, the year I was born?

Great Read

Drew Prescott | Friday, June 29, 2012

I still believe that print media commands authority when read as opposed to the web. Anybody can post something on the internet, where as, to make it to print one needs to be at least in appearance, trustworthy. I'm glad to see GM make this 10 Million Dollar decision.

Online ads annoying

Sandra Symons | Thursday, June 28, 2012

I cannot bear online display advertisements (excluding classified ads). They jiggle around in order to catch one's attention and end up being unbelievably annoying. So at best, I ignore them; at worst, I am totally alienated.

Very True

Kristina Frost | Thursday, June 28, 2012

Excellent article and very true. I cannot wait to share with my Readers/Advertisers.

Great story...

melene alfonso | Thursday, June 28, 2012

Great story to share with your potential clients.

Newspapers Develop Brand

Bill Bowman | Thursday, June 28, 2012

"Social media is an effective tool for connecting readers to readers, but when it comes to connecting readers to advertisers, the newspaper multiplatform reigns supreme." Wow! What a profound statement. Digital, social and online medias cannot develop a business or organizations brand. Multimedia-maltiplatform is the way to go for results.

Comingled ad strategy with effective print!

Larry Riley | Thursday, June 28, 2012

Excellent and tight summary Jeff. I couldn't have said it any better.

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