Read all about it: 'Giant newspapers 'land' at regional landmarks for MNA Weekend newspaper campaign'
16th April 2013
Giant newspapers have been “landing” around the West Midlands and Shropshire as part of the promotional campaign we’ve put together for the new Weekend editions of the Express & Star and Shropshire Star.
Billboard posters have gone up in the Black Country and Staffordshire showing enormous new-look Weekend editions of the Express & Star – Britain’s biggest selling regional newspaper – hitting the ground in Queen Square, Wolverhampton, and Coronation Gardens, Dudley.
Similar outdoor advertisements, featuring the Wrekin, near Telford, and the Old Market Hall, in Shrewsbury, have been placed around Shropshire to promote the Shropshire Star, Britain’s fifth biggest local title.
The campaign promotes the new 80-page editions, which will go on sale for the first time this Saturday (April 20th).
It was launched by the brand and communications team at publisher Midland News Association, based on creative delivered by our creative team.
MNA brand and communications manager Chris Leggett said: “The MNA is proud of its heritage within the region and wanted a campaign which reflected its position at the heart of local communities.
“Wyatt’s creative emphasised the increased size of the new editions, which will be double the current number of pages. The campaign imaginatively reinforced the strong local links we have built over more than 130 years.”
Laura King, account manager here at Wyatt, said the concept was to position the publications as the definitive guides to the weekend for the local community.
Laura said: "We were excited to work with MNA Media on this project, and could see the creative potential from the very start.
“Given the importance and heritage of these publications within their local communities, we really wanted to show what a positive impact these more extensive editions will have on MNA readers."
The advertising campaign includes a mix of 48 sheet and six sheet boards, along with a giant electronic sign next to the M6 in Walsall. The MNA brand and communications team delivered print and digital advertising across the MNA portfolio, a direct marketing campaign targeting newspaper subscribers, sales promotion activity and point of purchase material, all carrying the giant newspaper artwork and messaging.
The campaign was developed after Press Ahead conducted market research on behalf of the MNA to shape development of the Weekend editions. Focus group sessions for the Shropshire Star and Express & Star showed strong support for the new-look editions among readers and people who considered buying a Saturday paper.
Managing director Russell Borthwick said: “We have rarely seen such overwhelming support for a new product as we saw with the MNA focus groups. We were delighted to be able to report back such positive findings, which bode well for the launch into the marketplace.” The billboard campaign was co-ordinated by Midlands media agency Russell Pike Media.
Account manager Laura King with MNA brand & communications manager Chris Leggett
