by Justine Kawas
Vice President, Communications, Universal News
with Barbara Goodwin

The current nature of the magazine retail business mandates that we employ creative thinking above and beyond setting draws, selling copies, and prominent facing programs. With publishers looking to maximize their circulation promotional expenditures, and advertisers seek-ing ways to reach consumers beyond their in-book ads, retailers are in a unique position to open their venues to merchandising opportunities that benefit all parties and increase store traffic.

Product samplings, premium giveaways, free movie tickets, and publisher-sponsored parties are some of the ways retailers can help. Remember, magazine buyers are a captive, passionate audience with a dedication to reading about specific subject matters. This makes your customers a far more qualified audience that can be reached in a far cheaper way than direct mail. You’ve already got a “destination” store; a reason for people to visit on a weekly, if not daily basis. If you build a promotion (and it’s free), they will come.

While Universal News is a unique entity in that we’re a 14-store, independently operated chain with locations in some of Manhattan’s most heavily foot trafficked areas, the promotional ideas listed below are ones that can be employed by retailers anywhere. The key factor here is that you’re giving the publishers the ability to reach a huge additional audience at no cost to them. You’re providing the physical space for them to get the most out of their titles.

Cocktail / food parties — Nothing brings people in to a store like free food and drink. Retailers can host sampling parties on behalf of advertisers, who not only provide product for the event, but frequently send along posters and other branding giveaways such as t-shirts and key chains. Retailers can promote the event by leafleting, by sending out a mailing to preferred customer lists, and by posting signage throughout the store. Additionally, publishers can list the event in-book as an exclusive offer to readers in a specific geographic area.

Product samplings — Retailers can also offer advertisers a way to “preview” their new product to a select audience. For example, Wired utilized Universal Newsstands stores to hand out thousands of free Windows XP CD samples to anyone who made a purchase in our stores, during the launch of their client’s new system. Advertisers looking for even further targeting can provide premium giveaways with the purchase of a specific magazine title, or conversely, a free magazine with the purchase of an advertiser’s product, when a consumer brings in a proof-of-purchase receipt.

Brand awareness — Publishers, especially of new titles, wishing to extend their brand awareness, can provide retail-ers with shopping bags that say “compliments of X” magazine which will be used for all purchases in a designated period of time. For even more impact, publishers can insert promotional sheets touting their magazine, with a coupon offer to buy a discounted copy at your store.

Movie tickets — Free movie tickets are one of the strongest direct response mechanisms a publisher can offer. With movie admission tickets nearing the $10 mark, everyone wants the opportunity to see a new movie at no cost. When Time Out New York magazine¹s in-book advertising listed free movie tickets to “In the Bedroom,” simply by bringing the ad to a specific Universal News location, consumers lined up around the block to take advantage of the offer. In exchange, Universal saw huge increases in store traffic during this promotional period.

Gift Certificates — As a way of creating synergy between a magazine title and an advertiser’s product, publishers can also offer product gift certificates with the purchase of their magazine at your store. Retailers can either supply special receipts to be mailed into the publisher for redemption or can distribute these gift certificates on premises.

Special Events / Special Issues — Publishers can utilize retail locations to host a launch or special issue party, where publishers provide guest speakers or entertainment. Again, this is a great way to sell more copies and get readers engaged in the magazine. Gift bags given away at the event provide additional sampling opportunities. Retailers can promote this via the aforementioned methods. In short, retailers can do more for a publisher than just sell copies. They can develop integrated marketing promotions which show advertisers that a magazine has a truly dedicated audience: one that responds to promotions and events and wants to be a part of what they’re offering. Give some thought to how you can make this work for your location!

You can reach Justine Orlow at justine@universalnewsnyc.com and Barbara Goodwin at babsgee@msn.com

16th Annual PBAA Convention June, 2002   R E T H I N K, R E F O C U S, R EB U I L D

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