NMA: Topical ads 'become part of the story'

Posted by Savita Sauvin on January 13, 2010 at 4:57 PM

Topical advertising that links a brand with the day's news can be a powerful connection for consumers, the UK Newspaper Marketing Agency announced this week. It is also a good example of print's benefits, persuade potential clients of the benefits of the print medium, MarketingWeek reported Monday.

Maureen Duffy, CEO of the NMA, was quoted by Marketing Week as saying, "Given that newspapers are all about the here and now, it's surprising that more advertisers don't run newsy ads," Maureen Duffy, CEO of NMA told MarketingWeek. "Newspaper readers really notice ads that make clever connections between the brand and the news. The best topical ads get talked about, they become part of the story."

A Microsoft Advertising study on 26 leading UK retailers seems to support NMA's claim. It found that every £1 spent on print ads yields £5 in revenue, compared with £2.15 for TV and £3.44 for online, The Times Online reported Dec. 28.

"Print is very good for targeting specific audiences and getting eyeballs on key products, but the smarter businesses are integrating digital advertising into the planning process," Joel Dawson, head of Online Marketing at Boots, told The Times.