Newspaper Society Appoints BDH TBWA To £3m Marketing Account

The Newspaper Society (NS) has appointed ad agency BDH TBWA to handle its £3 million marketing campaign. BDH’s brief will be to drive up the share of national advertising in the regional and local press. The objectives for the campaign were first outlined by the Society almost a year ago (see Regional Press Unite To Gain In National Advertising Market), when NS national development manager, Charles Ross, described the plans as “a watershed for the industry”.

BDH TBWA won the account following a four-way pitch including Smith Bundy Carlson, CMB and IMP. The agency is to work alongside NS Marketing on the campaign, which is due to launch in March. The marketing will operate across trade press and regional press advertising, direct mail, PR and promotional literature.

“BDH have an in-depth knowledge of, and empathy with, the regional press, as well as a clear understanding of the challenges it faces as a national advertising medium. We are looking forward to working with them,” said Ross.

Neil Griffiths, deputy managing director at BDH TBWA, says: “Regional press has a great story to tell – now more than ever. But not enough people in the national advertising world are aware of its real strengths. This campaign is about raising the medium’s profile and ensuring that it is placed more effectively on agencies’ schedules in the future.”

This generic marketing campaign is part of a more long-term awareness-building project for the regional press. The regional publishing industry is currently enjoying a strong period in terms of advertising growth (see Regional Press Advertising Shows Strong Growth). However, even though regional papers take £240 million of national advertising, this still only represents 4% of the total UK national advertising market.

Newspaper Society: 0171 636 7014