MPA-Led Promotion of Magazines Boosts Overall Sales 15% at Harrisburg News
December 1, 2009

New York, NY (Dec. 1, 2009)—A joint newsstand promotion by Magazine Publishers of America (MPA) and wholesale distributor Harrisburg News led to a 15% rise in magazine category sales and a 25% lift in sales of nine titles that received special display support. Single copy sales increased by 70,000 incremental units and generated an additional $325,000 in consumer revenue.

The promotion was held August 14 to September 5 in supermarkets Giant Carlisle, Weis, Wegmans, Darrenkamps and Bozzuto’s (formally Mattsons) located primarily in Pennsylvania with locations extending into parts of New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. The nine titles with special display support included Cosmopolitan, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Glamour, InStyle , Men’s Health, More, Oprah, People and People StyleWatch.

The promotion offered customers a $2 discount off their next purchase when they bought two or more magazines in a single shopping trip. Marketing messaging for the campaign focused on the unique benefits of the magazine reading experience, with the theme “Magazines Put the World in Your Hands.” The offer was successfully communicated in-store via a nine-pocket display as well as shelf flags that were placed near participating titles at mainline and checkout.

Spearheaded by MPA, this promotion was notable because it involved the entire magazine category, including hundreds of titles across all subject categories. Funding for the effort was provided by MPA and a consortium of leading publishers, including Conde Nast Publications, Hearst Magazines, Meredith Corporation, The Reader’s Digest Association, Rodale Inc. and Time Inc. Planning for the program involved all four national distributors – Comag Marketing Group, Curtis Circulation Company, Kable Distribution Services and Time/Warner Retail Sales & Marketing- as well as Distribution Services (DSI) and the wholesale distributor, Harrisburg News Company.

“In addition to increasing magazine sales, our principal goal was to create excitement around the category. Based on the enthusiasm shown by our retailers, this program generated that excitement,” commented Steven Etter, president/CEO of Harrisburg News, which coordinated the program. “The positive results can serve as a catalyst for promotions going forward.”

“This publisher-funded promotion brought additional attention to the magazine category at retail, and enhanced the revenue and profitability of single copy magazine sales for retailers and all of our channel partners,” said Ken Godshall, Executive Vice President, Consumer Marketing, MPA.

Harrisburg News Company distributes magazine, book and newspaper distribution to over 2,000 retail store locations in Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.