(LETTER ONE -- written by Barry Jarrell, TPS Advertising Director)
Dear [Campaign Strategist]:
Running for office used to be easier and so did making campaign media decisions. Buy 100 points of TV, throw in some radio and put the signs out. Times have changed! Today's voters have more choices than ever. Technologies like TIVO, Hulu, podcasts and streaming programming are driving voters away from TV commercials. Broadcast, direct mail and phone calls can still be a part of the mix but today's campaigns need to employ other avenues to get the message across, a balanced mix of media that include newspapers. Here's why:
1. Newspaper readers are
voters - In the 2004 presidential election, 9 out of 10 newspaper readers
cast a ballot. In the 2006 mid-term elections, when voting is typically much
lighter, newspaper readers still delivered the vote, with more than 8 out of
10 newspaper readers going to the polls.
2. Newspapers are credible
- Voters look to newspapers for the information they need to make up their minds
about candidates and issues. Newspaper advertising gives a campaign an aura
of credibility and respectability that's unmatched.
3. Newspapers consistently reach voters - Voters consistently
look to newspapers to help make up their minds about how they'll vote. While
the perceived usefulness of other media rises and falls as the campaign progresses,
newspapers maintain their strength for influencing voter opinion. Voters count
on newspapers to deliver the whole story about the candidates and issues, from
the earliest moments of the campaign right up until Election Day.
4. Newspapers reach crucial undecided voters - The conventional
wisdom among consultants says that only 10-15% of the electorate is typically
up for grabs at the end of any campaign. But in reality, that number is much
higher. That's because while only 10-15% of voters may be truly "undecided,"
many more are far from certain about their vote. Among those who say they experience
some indecision, three out of four are regular newspaper readers. Newspapers
can put your message in the hands of this crucial constituency.
5. Newspapers are reliable - Nobody reads the newspaper to
escape from reality, as is often the case with television and radio. And unlike
annoying telephone calls, people actually enjoy reading newspapers. Newspaper
readers seek out in-depth, detailed political information. With newspaper in
your media mix, you can be sure your ad dollars have been well spent.
6. Newspapers can provide more information to voters - Use
newspapers to highlight endorsements, issue clarification, and candidate comparisons.
Candidates can also use a compelling newspaper ad to generate interest from
the press and garner valuable earned media opportunities.
7. It's easy to advertise in newspapers - Placing political
ads in newspapers has never been easier. Typically the media buy can be completed
with a single order and check. Tennessee has its own press association that
can help you with all of your planning and buying needs. You can always contact
newspapers directly as well.
8. All politics is local - Voters know newspapers are the place
to go to find out what's going on in their communities. They know that unlike
television or radio news programs, newspapers cover local issues in every edition.
And they know with a newspaper, they'll get real, in-depth coverage of the local
issues most important to them. The same issues that often determine how they'll
vote on Election Day.
The (insert name of your newspaper)
will be contacting you soon to discuss the many options available to you to
get your message out to the voters.
[Publisher of Newspaper]
*All statistics based on a nationwide poll of voters and the media conducted
jointly by the Cromer Group, a Washington, D.C. based Democratic firm, and Moore
Information, a Republican firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon. 1,200 registered
voters were contacted by telephone. The poll's margin of error is +/- 3%.
###
(LETTER TWO -- written by Rhonda Graham, TPS New Business Development Manager)
Dear Candidate:
Two in three active voters in Tennessee
turn to their local newspaper for information each day.* As you plan your campaign
and marketing for 2010, I strongly encourage you to make newspapers an even
larger component of your media mix. Community Newspapers are the backbone of
local communications and information across the country, and no more so than
here in Tennessee where small towns and the people that live there are the cornerstone
of our state.
The newspapers in these communities
are generally read cover to cover and are part of every day life; one that encourages
involvement. In these communities, people are very engaged, interested, knowledgeable
and involved in the happenings of their state and community and are very loyal
to their local newspaper.
Regardless of what the perceptions
may be, newspapers, particularly community newspapers, are very much a vital
part of life for their readers and are still going strong. As SNA President
Nancy Lane says, regarding the results of a national survey; "Community
newspapers are not experiencing the major declines that we are seeing with large
Metro Dailies.... Our beta reports show they are very optimistic...and the majority
are launching new products or looking at acquisitions, and in some cases, even
growing their staffs-a stark contrast to most of the news that is reported about
the newspaper industry in general. The need for Local, Community news has never
been greater. Readers can't get this news anywhere else and advertisers love
reaching this engaged audience and appreciate the precise targeting these publications
offer."
At Tennessee Press Service, we have
over 1,300,000 potential customers/readers and we can assist you in tapping
into this great market easily, affordably and efficiently. We simplify the newspaper
advertising process for you; our clients' have one contact, get one invoice
and make one call, regardless of how many different newspapers they advertise
in. We provide these services to you at No Additional Charge over what you pay
for your advertising, as well as full-page tear sheets, circulation and demographic
figures and any other information regarding Tennessee newspapers you may need.
So put your ads where they will be
seen, read, and acted upon; send those voters to the polls by advertising your
message in Tennessee community newspapers!
Sincerely,
Rhonda Graham
Tennessee Press Service
*in the 2006 mid-term elections, when voting is typically light, newspaper readers delivered the vote, with more than 8 out of 10 newspaper readers going to the polls
###
(LETTER THREE -- written by Barry Jarrell, TPS Advertising Director)
Dear [Campaign Strategist]:
Running for office used to be easier
and so did making campaign media decisions. Buy 100 points of TV, throw in some
radio and put the signs out. Times have changed! Today's voters have more choices
than ever. Technologies like TIVO, Hulu, podcasts and streaming programming
are driving voters away from TV commercials. Broadcast, direct mail and phone
calls can still be a part of the mix but today's campaigns need to employ other
avenues to get the message across, a balanced mix of media that include newspapers.
Where do most people turn to get
information on political candidates or issues? The local newspaper! In print
and online, newspapers are a destination, not a distraction. Unlike broadcast,
newspaper readers are more likely to vote and are more receptive to advertising.
One out of every two voters goes to papers specifically to read advertising.
Your message can be delivered to the very doorstep of your potential voters,
the people concerned about the issues, more likely to be receptive to your ads
and most likely to vote.
Out of all mediums, only television
surpasses newspaper in grabbing attention but newspapers surpass in credibility*.
Seven out of ten voters read newspapers on a regular basis. In the 2004 presidential
election, an unprecedented 9 out 10 newspaper readers cast ballots. Voters count
on newspapers to provide them with the information to make an informed decision.
Newspapers can help or hurt a campaign. If you're relying on newspapers solely
for editorial purposes, you're taking a big risk. Only paid advertising can
deliver the message you want potential voters to see.
The (insert name of your newspaper)
will be contacting you soon to discuss the many options available to you to
get your message out to the voters.
Sincerely,
Publisher of Newspaper
*Source: Moore Information Survey, April 2008
###
(LETTER FOUR -- written by Rhonda Graham, TPS New Business Development Manager)
Dear Candidate:
As you prepare and plan your advertising
and marketing for the remainder of the 2010 campaign, I encourage you to make
newspapers an even larger component of your media mix. According to Scarborough
Research; three-quarters (74 percent) of U.S. adults, or nearly 171 million
people, read a newspaper - in print or online - during the past week.* This
analysis indicates that newspapers are still read in print or online by a critical
mass of adults in the U.S. on a daily and weekly basis.
In comparison to Broadcast media,
newspaper ads are not limited to 30-second intervals at certain times during
the day. Readers seek and find newspaper ads in a rich editorial environment.
These ads can be perused, compared, clipped and saved. Newspapers not only reach
a wide audience, but impact decisions as well and provide a captive audience
that is actively engaged in reading that product!
With Broadcast as the main source
for communications to potential voters, you may be missing a vital segment of
the voting population and running the risk of receiving a smaller return on
your advertising investment. With more than 112 million TV households nationwide,
television would seem very broad as a medium. But, only 45 percent of adults
are watching television during an average, half-hour of primetime; the peak
hours of viewership. The number of available channels per home has increased
more than tenfold from 10 in 1980 to well over 100, significantly fragmenting
the TV landscape. This has caused a decline in time spent viewing each channel.
So, the TV audience continues to be more elusive for advertisers as they have
to spread media dollars across more channels to reach their targets.** But,
in the 2006 mid-term elections, when voting is typically light, newspaper readers
delivered the vote, with more than 8 out of 10 newspaper readers going to the
polls! This is where newspaper demonstrates its value as the premier medium
for advertisers.
At Tennessee Press Service, we simplify
the newspaper advertising process for you. Our clients have one contact, get
one invoice and make one call, regardless of how many different newspapers they
advertise in. We provide these services to you at No Additional Charge over
what you pay for your advertising, as well as full-page tear sheets, circulation
and demographic figures and any other information regarding Tennessee newspapers
you may need.
So put your ads where they will be seen, read, and acted upon; send those voters to the polls by advertising your message in Tennessee newspapers!
Sincerely,
Rhonda Graham
Tennessee Press Service
* latest Integrated Newspaper Audience finding from Scarborough Research, the audience ratings measurement service for the newspaper industry. The company examined newspaper readership in its recently released Scarborough USA+ Study, which captures media patterns and other consumer behaviors of adults across the country. **Sources: Mediamark Research Inc., Doublebase 2007; Nielsen Media Research; TV Dimensions 2007