Entry INMA Awards 2014 Introducing Our Digital News Products
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Entry INMA awards 2014 Introducing our digital news products Category 9: Best Idea To Grow Digital Audience or Engagement Summary A creative, innovate and effective marketing communication concept In 2012 / 2013 Wegener Media developed or updated the following digital products; iPad and smartphone news apps, news sites, E-paper online and tablet apps. To grow digital audience and engagement of our subscribers a unique concept for a campaign for marketintroduction was developed. From a retention perspective, we chose to give our 6 day print subscribers free access to all our digital newsproducts. One daily, Brabants Dagblad, was used as a pilot. After thouroughly Objects evaluating (f.e. by customer panels) and continuous improving, we launched it at the six other dailies. Media Results Main results mix • Our digital audience increased with 30 % • 2/3 of subscribers: ‘Access to digital products adds value to my subscription.’ • The intention to unsubscribe (print) decreased with 37 % • Campaign reach 90% Campaign Synergy • Message recognized 93% • Campaign appreciation 7,5 (out of 10) • Improved Net Promotor Score with 3% (from 26% to 29%) INMA awards 2014 1 Wegener Media is a media company in the Netherlands that publishes seven regional dailies. These seven regional dailies operate in different regions: De Twentsche Courant Tubantia, de Stentor, De Gelderlander, Brabants Dagblad, Eindhovens Dagblad, BN DeStem and PZC. Wegener is rapidly changing to a multi -platform publishing company, loyal to its roots in regional and local expertise, But rapidly transforming to a regional community-oriented company enabled through print and internet. The important values of Wegener Media are: spirit of enterprise, 'results-drivenness', stability and innovation. INMA awards 2014 2 Background information Digital first strategy: introducing our digital news products The digital first program of Wegener Media was started in 2012. The purpose of this program was the development of digital news products to satisfy the needs of the market (both consumers and advertisers). In addition to the current focus on traditional offline products. Wegener Media developed the following digital news products: • iPad news app (2012, updated in 2013) • Smartphone news app (2012, updated in 2013) • Renewing news sites (2013) • Renewing E-paper online and adding E-paper tablet apps (2013) Therefore a campaign for market introduction was developed. From a retention perspective, we chose to give our 6 day print subscribers free access to all our digital news products. Goal was to create added value and to limit outflow. A challenge; concerning our subscribers’ senior age. Non-subscribers have to subscribe (and pay) for access to our digital news. Currently the only digital news product that is free accessible for everyone, is our news site. In 2014 we will introduce a premium model for our news site for subscribers and paying visitors. The pilot campaign started from the end of June until September at Brabants Dagblad. After thoroughly evaluating, we improved our products and also our marketing communication mix. So we could launch it at the six other dailies. INMA awards 2014 3 Objects (1) Achieved…! All of them! 30% registration under subscribers • Brabants Dagblad 35,7 % (live June 25) • PZC 30,3 % (live October 22) • Eindhovens Dagblad 36,8 % (live October 29) • BN DeStem 31,4 % (live October 31) • De Gelderlander 25,7 % (live November 5) • De Twentsche Courant Tubantia 29,1 % (live November 7) • de Stentor 22,5 % (live November 12) Total 30,0 % Added value for print subscribers Added value: 2/3 of all users find that the digital products adds value to their subscription Limiting outflow Declining intention to unsubscribe (print): 1/3 of the subscribers indicates to prolong their subscription due to digital access (versus without digital access). NPS intention to unsubscribe declined with 37% (from 3.7% to 2.7%). INMA awards 2014 4 Objects (2) Achieved…! All of them! These additional objects based on pilot Brabants Dagblad to further (cost)effectiveness campaign Improve contact center support: < 5% During the pilot of Brabants Dagblad appeared that 30% of the subscribers needed assistance from our customer contact center about our registration process and the usage of our digital products. Therefore we optimized our campaign and registration proces. Succesfully: Only 2% of the subscribers of the final daily that went live, de Stentor, needed assistance from our customer contact center. Improve registration funnel: 50% During the pilot of Brabants Dagblad 52.5% dropped out of our registration funnel. We continuously monitored and optimized all our communication f.e. tutorial video’s, user manuals and campaign sites, but also our email campaign. Succesfully: As the final daily that went live, de Stentor, had a loss of 26.6% in the registration funnel. INMA awards 2014 5 MarCom Strategy (1) Theme Call to action Nieuws zoals ik ‘t wil Registreer u nu voor toegang tot digitaal nieuws (in English: News just as I want it) (in English: Registrate now for access to digital news) Core message Communication strategy Gratis bij uw abonnement From newspaper brand to cross media news brand (in English: Free for subscribers) From product appreciation to brand value Current fase (entry INMA awards) 2013: Instrumentally. Product push. Necessary because of the subscribers’ senior age and limited digital knowledge. Focus is on informing, helping with registration process and the usage of digital products. Service instruments included info ads, tutorial video’s, user manuals, FAQ’s, call center support. Future fases 2014: Product experience. User appreciation. Product/news pull. Embedding the (digital) product use in the daily life of subscribers. Let them experience added value. From newspaper subscription to news subscription. 2014 and further: Brand value / brand engagement From news subscription tot membership. From product engagement to brand engagement. The brands play an essential role in the lives of consumers/members. On the field of content, regional engagement/participation, services, etc. INMA awards 2014 6 MarCom Strategy (2) We paid special attention to the following subjects: Enlarge the news brand From newspaper to cross media news brand. Explicit attention for digital channels. Creating value perception of digital news Not only letting subscribers experience a (price) advantage but also recruiting new (digital) subscribers is relevant for creating value perception for digital news. And also the visibility that non (print) subscribers will have to pay for digital news. Activate usage of digital platforms Usage leads to experiencing added value of the (complete) subscription that gives access to all news platforms. Also strengthening the reach position for B2B sales activities. Service/user information Service information to help our subscribers to use our products (registering, installing, (preference) settings, usage). INMA awards 2014 7 Creative concept campaign The fases of our campaign structure The campaign lasted 6+ weeks per daily and had 4 fases: Product Holiday Registration Re-activation information/use activation Fase 2 Fase 3 Fase 4 Fase 1 Fase 1 - week 1 & 2 - Registration Focus: informing subscribers about registration and activating subscribers to sign up for free access . Fase 2 - week 3, 4 & 5 - product information / product activation Focus: informing subscribers about the products and activate product use. Fase 3 - week 6: re-activation Focus: last call to re-activate subscribers to sign up for free access. Fase 4 - week x*: holidays Focus: holidays (summer, autumn & Christmas) * different period depending on live date and holiday periods per title. INMA awards 2014 8 Creative concept campaign Media mix: all selected media types Online Additional • Campaignsite with service information for • Editorial articles print & online subscribers and order options for non- • Barterdeal with regional broadcast subscribers stations (TV commercial) • Email campaign (serie of 4 unique messages, 3 target groups, follow up mails based on open/click/registration behaviour) • Banners on newssites (3 versions) Print • Publicity in own dailies • Appr. 15 various advertisements per daily • Appr. 40 placements in a 6/8 week period per daily Synergy 1 + 1 = 3 for all selected media • Dailies use their reliable image and relation to their subscribers: – Editorial articles and graphics for reliable background information – Advertisements for creating campaign attention and activation Objects • Local TV commercials lead to brand awareness • Email campaign for interaction and activation • Online banners for action and activation Results Media mix • Campaign website for conversion Theme and message ‘for free’ was expressed in all media Campaign Synergy One concept-, creative- and campaign team for consistent use of campaign identity and branding All the ads and communications were directed to the campaign website, where everyone activated their account or found more background information about the products and the usage. INMA awards 2014 10 Art design Concept of all art work First we introduced our new digital product portfolio: explaining the extension of the print subscription to news subscription by giving free access to all our digital products for subscribers. Second we focused on the individual products: recognizing the products and activating digital product use in addition to daily print use. Third we focused on the complementary use of all the digital