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Part Five Developing the Integrated Marketing Communications Program
Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
V. Developing the
Integrated Marketing
Communications Program
12. Evaluation of Print
Media
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
National advertisers often buy newspaper space on the basis of the size of the market
area they cover. For example, General Motors might decide to purchase advertising
in the top 10 markets, the top 50 markets, the top 100 markets, and so on. A
national advertiser gets different levels of market coverage depending on the number
of market areas purchased.
Audience Information Circulation figures provide the media planner with the
basic data for assessing the value of newspapers and their ability to cover various market
areas. However, the media planner also wants to match the characteristics of a
newspaper’s readers with those of the advertiser’s target audience. Data on newspaper
audience size and characteristics are available from studies conducted by the papers as
well as from commercial research services. As for magazines, a very valuable source
for information on newspapers is the Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS), whose
print and online service provides complete planning information on daily papers,
newspaper groups, ethnic newspapers, college newspapers, comics, and newspaperdistributed
magazines. The SRDS data contain standardized ad rates, circulation figures,
dates, general requirements, contact information, and other valuable information
for media.
Companies such as Simmons Market Research Bureau and Mediamark Research
Inc. provide syndicated research studies on lifestyles, media behavior, and product/
brand preferences that include information on newspapers. These studies can be valuable
for comparing newspapers with other media vehicles.
Many newspapers commission their own audience studies to provide current and
potential advertisers with information on readership and characteristics of readers
such as demographics, shopping habits, and lifestyles. These studies are often
designed to promote the effectiveness of the newspaper in reaching various types of
consumers. Since they are sponsored by the paper itself, many advertisers are skeptical
of their results. Careful attention must be given to the research methods used and
conclusions drawn by these studies.
Purchasing Newspaper Space
Advertisers are faced with a number of options and pricing structures when purchasing
newspaper space. The cost of advertising space depends not only on the newspaper’s
circulation but also on factors such as premium charges for color or special
sections as well as discounts available. The purchase process and the rates paid for
newspaper space differ for general and local advertisers.
General versus Local Rates Newspapers have different rate structures for
general or national advertisers and local or retail advertisers. General advertising
rates apply to display advertisers outside the newspaper’s designated market area
(DMA) and to any classification deemed by the publisher to be “general” in nature.
This includes ads run by national advertisers such as automotive, tobacco, packagedgoods,
and pharmaceutical companies. Retail or local advertising rates apply to
advertisers that conduct business or sell goods or services within the DMA. The rates
paid by general advertisers are, on average, 75 percent higher than those paid by local
advertisers. Newspaper publishers claim the rate differential is justified for several
reasons. First, they argue it costs more to handle general advertising since ad agencies
get a 15 percent commission and commissions must also be paid to the independent
sales reps who solicit nonlocal advertising. Second, they note that general advertising
is less dependable than local advertising; general advertisers usually don’t use newspapers
on a continual basis like local advertisers do. Finally, newspaper publishers
contend that demand for general advertising is inelastic—it will not increase if rates
are lowered or decrease if rates are raised. This means there is no incentive to lower
the national advertisers’ rates.
National advertisers do not view these arguments as valid justification for the rate
differential. They argue that the costs are not greater for handling national advertising
than for local business and that many national advertisers use newspapers on a regular
basis. Since they use an agency to prepare their ads, national advertisers are less