Press

Press is a wide ranging medium that includes national press, magazines, regional press and inserts, and the planning and buying process for each require a different skills set. Nevertheless we integrate the planning and buying teams across these media as we believe it’s fundamental that individuals working with one client understand the contribution of each element of the media mix to that client’s objectives, and can therefore recommend objectively for future campaigns. All of our press planner/buyers are therefore trained to understand each of these areas in depth, and to manage the differing currencies associated with planning and buying across these formats.

National Press
Magazines
Inserts
Regional Press

NATIONAL PRESS
National press is a dynamic medium with fluctuating circulations and continual product development and innovation. Our planners and buyers are tasked to keep up to date with the latest new product launches, and to identify new and impactful opportunities that can create stand out in what can otherwise become a ‘cluttered’ environment.

In addition to traditional space advertising, campaigns for our clients have comprised sponsorship, advertorials and reader offers/promotions. Examples of innovative use of national press include the Best Western ‘reader/ hotel critic’ advertorial feature which ran in the Daily Telegraph.

We have an experienced team of individuals who negotiate volume deals for individual clients, whilst ensuring that quality of placement remains uncompromised. All national press campaigns are monitored to ensure that positional guarantees have been met and to understand competitor activity in issue, as well as ensuring that repro quality is acceptable.

Among our national press specialists are Simon Price (0013 394 0000/ price@brilliantmedia.co.uk) and Steve Leonard (0113 394 0051/ leonard@brilliantmedia.co.uk).

MAGAZINES
The magazine marketplace is booming with the number of magazines up by 35% since 1992. 85% of adults read a paid for magazine with UK households spending in excess of £1,950m on magazine products, and there are 1.4 billion magazines sold every year.

Our clients spend in excess of £6m across this medium, encompassing a wide range of sectors that include home interest, women’s and men’s fashion, specialist cars and TV listings to name but a few.

Our planner/buyers have access to online research as a means of remaining appraised of the trends across each sector, and each individual is tasked to stay abreast of the latest industry research, in order to inform planning across this medium.

Campaigns we have planned and bought across this medium are not restricted to traditional space; we have run book-ends for Best Western Hotels as a means of creating impact, and advertorials for Hillarys Blinds to raise awareness of the brand and educate readers as to their product offering.

In addition to this, there are numerous other formats available to create stand out, including barn doors, gatefolds, tip-ons and consecutive ads. Our specialists are trading in the marketplace every day and have an understanding, by title/publishing group, of the types of opportunities available.

All of the above is underpinned with competitive buying and negotiating, to ensure that all activity is bought as effectively as possible.

Specific magazine questions can be directed to Rachel Empson (0113 394 0009/ rachel.empson@brilliantmedia.co.uk) or Louise Wallbank (0113 394 0070/ wallbank@brilliantmedia.co.uk) who are among our team of specialists working across this area.

INSERTS
Inserts have traditionally been used as a cost effective means of lead generation by direct response advertisers, although increasingly they are being used more creatively by brands and retailers as a further route to market. Our experience spans the range, using inserts for direct clients such as Hillarys Blinds as well as with a retail proposition, eg. for the Yorkshire based White Rose shopping centre.

Fundamental to the effective use of inserts is the ability to track their efficiency; the planner/buyers at Brilliant work alongside the analysis department to develop bespoke reports, by client, that monitor calls/appointments/ROI (dependent upon the MI supplied by the client) down to individual title/creative treatment/ geography. This ensures that schedules are continually refined to deliver optimum results for the client.

Should you have a question specific to inserts, please contact Steve Leonard (0113 394 0051/ leonard@brilliantmedia.co.uk) or Louise Wallbank (0113 394 0070/ wallbank@brilliantmedia.co.uk).

REGIONAL PRESS
The regional and local press marketplace comprises 1,299 titles, covering a range of daily and weekly, and paid for and free publications. 84% of all adults read a local press title, and they have a total weekly circulation of 66.8m. Two of our clients ranks in the top five local press advertisers by spend – DFS and Asda; needless to say, both our knowledge of the marketplace and our buying volume and ability are extensive.

We are active in this market on a daily basis; as such we are always aware of new opportunities that arise.

The campaigns that we have planned for our clients include both display and classified, and as well as using traditional space we have a broad experience of more impactful formats, such as wraparounds and paper dominations, which have been used extensively for the likes of Asda store launches.

We work closely with the Analysis department to develop bespoke systems that aid the planning, buying and administration of this medium for our clients. Individual regional press databases allow us to manage amends, sizes and copy changes with a two week turnaround across c. 1,000 titles. For our direct response clients, we can dedupe title catchments to a point where 15-20 telephone numbers can allow us to monitor individual title performance by insertion.

Questions about regional press can be directed to Sara Humphries (0113 394 0050/ humphries@brilliantmedia.co.uk) or Katherine Morse (0113 394 0067/ morse@brilliantmedia.co.uk) in the first instance.