http://www.pubexec.com/blog/channel-trumps-technology-interview-mark-white-vice-president-specialty-marketing-us-news-world-report
US News & World Report discontinued their print
magazine in November of 2010, and now embraces mostly digital products that
fit their tagline: "Life's Decisions-Made Here." But they had a dilemma.
Some of their most popular and profitable products, sold in print magazine
newsstands, had no channel in the digital world.
"We call them bookazines," says Mark White, vice president of
specialty marketing at U.S. News &
World Report in an interview he gave me last week. "They have
no subscriptions, [and mostly] newsstand distribution in the print form.
'Newsstand-only' was a buzzkill for advertisers, and we have a lot of
advertising, especially in Best Hospitals."
Friday, August 2, 2013
DMA Releases Compliance Report
http://www.dmnews.com/dma-releases-2013-annual-compliance-report/article/305717/
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) releases its 2013 Annual Compliance Report, which showcases DMA's commitment to ensure responsible business practices in the industry and champion consumer choice. The report summarizes the findings of the investigations conducted by DMA's Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) department, and contains a list of companies in violation of DMA's Guidelines for Ethical Business Practices.
“The report demonstrates that our members take ethics and compliance seriously, while the bad actors listed are nonmembers who do not follow marketing best practices,” says DMA's General Counsel Senny Boone.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) releases its 2013 Annual Compliance Report, which showcases DMA's commitment to ensure responsible business practices in the industry and champion consumer choice. The report summarizes the findings of the investigations conducted by DMA's Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) department, and contains a list of companies in violation of DMA's Guidelines for Ethical Business Practices.
“The report demonstrates that our members take ethics and compliance seriously, while the bad actors listed are nonmembers who do not follow marketing best practices,” says DMA's General Counsel Senny Boone.
Can Inkjet Do Direct Mail?
To answer that, I guess we have to start by asking…what is it exactly that direct mail is supposed to do?
There isn’t one answer, just like there isn’t one kind of direct mail. “DM” ranges from the piece I find in my mailbox that tries to convince me that Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is the only time any sane person would consider buying a new mattress, to the glossy Cadillac catalog the company sends to me every year.
Standard Register Reports Q2 Results
http://whattheythink.com/news/64726-standard-register-net-loss-widens-q2/
Standard
Register today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2013.
The Company reported revenue of $136.8 million and a net loss of $4.8 million
or $0.80 per share. The results compare to second quarter 2012 revenue of
$155.1 million and a net loss of $1.1 million or $0.19 per share. The number of
shares and net income/loss per share for prior periods have been adjusted on a
retroactive basis to reflect the Company's 1-for-5 reverse stock split, which
was effective May 9, 2013.
Non-GAAP net income, after adjustments for pension loss amortization, pension settlement, restructuring charges and related tax effects, was $1.5 million or $0.25 per share compared to $3.8 million or $0.66 per share for the second quarter of 2012.
Non-GAAP net income, after adjustments for pension loss amortization, pension settlement, restructuring charges and related tax effects, was $1.5 million or $0.25 per share compared to $3.8 million or $0.66 per share for the second quarter of 2012.
USPS Simple Samples Can be a Good Deal
ROI should be the first prescription for every mailbox sampling effort, advises Rocky Abbett, VP of sales for Nova Marketing Services, a sampling fulfillment company. The return on Simple Samples, he says, will be as good as your customer data.
2 Senators' Postal Reform Means Higher Rates Business Mailers
http://www.dmnews.com/senators-introduce-new-postal-reform-bill/article/305880/
The PRA would place a two-year moratorium on plant and retail office closings, a jobs preservation feature likely to win the approval of labor unions and Senate Democrats. The bill would also let the rate cap pegged to the Consumer Price Index expire in 2016, at which time USPS would be able to set its own rates. With postal operations capacity far out-stripping postal volume, the survival of the Post Office would inevitably fall on the shoulders of higher rates paid by the agency's best customers: business mailers.
Sen. Carper unveils a
surprise for direct mailers.
Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Tom Coburn (R-OK), the chairman and ranking
member of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, last night
introduced a discussion draft of the Postal Reform Act of 2013 (PRA) that, if
passed as is, would almost guarantee higher postal rates for business mailers. The PRA would place a two-year moratorium on plant and retail office closings, a jobs preservation feature likely to win the approval of labor unions and Senate Democrats. The bill would also let the rate cap pegged to the Consumer Price Index expire in 2016, at which time USPS would be able to set its own rates. With postal operations capacity far out-stripping postal volume, the survival of the Post Office would inevitably fall on the shoulders of higher rates paid by the agency's best customers: business mailers.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Resolute Forest Products Reports Q2 Results
Resolute
Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) today reported a net loss of $43
million for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, or $0.45 per share, on sales of
$1.1 billion. This compares with a net loss of $17 million, or $0.17 per share,
on sales of $1.2 billion in the second quarter ended June 30, 2012.
(US
$)
Reports Q2 net income of $18 million / $0.19 per share,
excluding special itemsContinues to reduce newsprint cost
Reduces annual cash interest burden by $16 million with refinancing
Excluding
$61 million of special items described below, net income for the quarter was
$18 million, or $0.19 per diluted share. Excluding special items of $50
million, net income in the second quarter of 2012 was $33 million, or $0.33 per
diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA was $90 million in the quarter, compared to $124
million in the year-ago period.
Tembec Reports Q2 Results
Tembec
said consolidated sales for the three-month period ended June 29, 2013 , were
$399 million, as compared to $415 million in the same quarter a year ago. The
Company generated a net loss of $4 million or $0.04 per share in the June 2013
quarter compared to a net loss of $5 million or $0.05 per share in the June
2012 quarter. Operating earnings before depreciation, amortization and other
items (adjusted EBITDA) was $30 million for the three-month period ended June
29, 2013 , as compared to adjusted EBITDA of $27 million a year ago and adjusted
EBITDA of $24 million in the prior quarter.
Domtar Completes Sale of Ariva
Domtar
today announced the closing of the previously announced sale of its Ariva
business in the United States to privately-held Central National-Gottesman
(CNG), and the business will be integrated into Lindenmeyr Munroe, a division
of CNG.
Ariva's
Canadian operations are not affected by the transaction and will be
consolidated into Domtar's Pulp and Paper Division.
Two Sides: Most Consumers Want Paper Option
As pressure to go paperless from banks,
utilities, telecommunications companies and other service providers grows, a
majority of U.S. consumers wants to keep the option to receive paper bills and
statements, according to survey results published today by Two Sides. More than
six in 10 consumers say they would not choose a provider that does not offer
paper bills and statements, and 88 percent want to be able to switch between
electronic and paper bills without difficulty or cost. The survey of 2,000 U.S.
consumers was conducted for Two Sides in June by research firm Toluna.
72 percent agree that print and paper can be an environmentally sustainable way to communicate if responsibly produced, used and recycled.
50 percent of consumers either do not believe, feel misled by or question the validity of claims like “Save Trees, Go Paperless” and “Go Green, Go Digital.”
Over 84 percent of people agree that e-billing and e-statements are being promoted to save costs.
91 percent of consumers say they are unwilling to pay for paper bills.
44 percent prefer to receive bills by postal mail only.
59 percent of consumers would refuse to switch to electronic bills and statements or would not take action when asked to do so.
50 percent of consumers read their bills and statements received both electronically and by postal mail; only 15 percent read bills which they receive by e-mail only.
34 percent of consumers are clearly ‘home printers’ with 20 percent printing up to 20 percent of their bills and 8 percent printing between 80 percent and 100 percent of their bills. 66 percent don’t print out any bills at home.
Cygnus Sells Ag Group
The
American
Farm Bureau Federation,
the largest trade association in the U.S. agriculture industry, will acquire
Cygnus Business Media's agriculture group, FOLIO: has learned.
An official announcement is expected on Monday.
Cygnus announced in February that the group was for sale.
The group includes four agriculture events in a group called IDEAg: Dakotafest, the Amarillo Farm & Ranch Show, the Northern Illinois Farm Show, Farmfest and the Interconnectivity Conference.
An official announcement is expected on Monday.
Cygnus announced in February that the group was for sale.
The group includes four agriculture events in a group called IDEAg: Dakotafest, the Amarillo Farm & Ranch Show, the Northern Illinois Farm Show, Farmfest and the Interconnectivity Conference.
Summit Media Group Names CEO
Angel (pictured) has been with the b-to-b publisher, events producer and custom media provider since its opening in 1993, and continues as publisher of Packaging World and Contract Packaging. Packaging World is the largest of the company's five publications with a monthly circulation of more than 65,000 and about 74,000 monthly unique website visits, per BPA.
Reader's Digest Emerges from Bankruptcy
As expected, Reader’s
Digest Association ended nearly six months of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
on July 31, when U.S. Bankruptcy Court gave final approval. The groundwork
had been set on June 28, when the court approved RDA’s restructuring plan
that reduced its debt burden from $500M to $100M. Much of that was
achieved through a debt-to-equity conversion of RDA’s secured notes. This
ends RDA’s second Chapter 11 filing. The first, from Aug. 2009 to Feb. 2010,
lowered the debt from $2.5B to $500M, with some of the individual creditors
(retired employees, etc.) receiving three cents to the dollar. How well the
current creditors (including 2010-2012 Reader’s Digest N.A. president
Dan Lagani)–will be compensated is not known. MIN says it appears that current
RDA president, CEO Robert Guth will remain in charge.
City, Regional Mags Stick to Print Roots
Folio: survey shows
that, while there are exceptions, city and regional magazines generally still
heavily focused on print. This year, respondents report that print advertising
will account for 71% of total revenue, on average; paid subs 11.4%; e-media 5.2%;
events 3.3%; custom publishing 3.1%; newsstand 2.7%; mobile tablet 1.3%.
City/regional category has shown among the largest growth in new print
launches, per MediaFinder data. But two-thirds of Folio: survey respondents
aren’t planning a print launch this year, while 38% are planning non-magazine
launches. Costs and competition are pressuring financials.
Meredith Names Group Publisher
Staffing its new Allrecipes
magazine, to launch this fall, Meredith has promoted Christine Guilford to
VP/group publisher, with oversight for that new title, in addition to
continuing as publisher of Every Day with Rachael Ray and EatingWell. Cheryl
Brown, previously editorial director of Meredith’s Recipe.com, has been named
editor-in-chief of Allrecipes magazine. In addition, Linda Fears was promoted
to VP/editor-in-chief of Family Circle. She’s been FC’s EIC for eight years.
She will also continue as editorial director of Meredith’s Food Content Center
of Excellence. Also, Britta Cleveland was promoted from VP to SVP of research
solutions.
American Media CEO Interview
Caught by a reporter
over lunch in NYC, American Media Inc. chief David Pecker offered glimpses into
how different AMI titles gear coverage of royal news to their readers’
differing interests. Said the ubiquity of such coverage poses challenges,
noting: “Two years ago, when William and Kate got married, the special issue of
People sold 2 million copies, but last week’s issue with the royal couple and
the baby on their cover sold 1.1 million.” Said Star’s demographics have
changed considerably, with readers falling into the 25-45 age group, competing
head-to-head with People. Praised David Zinczenko (lunching with him), whose
remake of Men’s Fitness as editorial consultant for AMI has upped last two
issues’ newsstand sales 35% vs. year-ago and upped advertising 50%. Said
Zinczenko now working on Shape and other AMI titles. Also, there are at least a
half-dozen books slated to be published by March 2014 under the new AMI books
imprint (Zinczenko’s idea). Piece also offers more, colorful observations re
Pecker’s “holding court” during lunch.
Circulars Still Important Source for Shoppers
Circulars are a primary source for sales: There is a broad mix of where shoppers find their sales. Approximately 59 percent report they uncover back-to-school sales through newspaper ads and circulars, as well as 60 percent via circulars that come by mail. More than one-third of respondents find back-to-school sales via online shopping websites and social media.
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