IDEAS Contest Award Winners Announced
McLEAN, VA – Two free, weekly magazines targeting readers under age 35, launched by Gannett’s Lansing, MI, and Boise, ID, newspapers last year, are the winners of the company’s 2003 IDEAS (Innovator Drive for Excellence Awards) competition.
Gannett’s first free weekly publication for readers under age 35 was published by the Lansing State Journal in October. “NOISE,” developed with local research and goals outlined by Gannett’s Generation X Task Force, focuses on “people, places, ideas and fun.” Revenues quickly jumped ahead of projections.
“THR!VE” was launched by The Idaho Statesman in November after a year of research into the needs and interests of readers ages 25 to 35 in the community. The free magazine focuses on outdoors, entertainment and local-interest news, all topics highlighted by the research. The magazine turned a profit ahead of schedule.
Lansing and Boise are co-winners of the 2003 IDEAS competition. More than 115 projects initiated in 2002 were entered in this year’s contest. In addition to the top award, IDEAS judges named five other winners:
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USA TODAY’s Market Trends page
New tools to navigate the stock market are offered by the Money section’s Market Trends page, which launched in 2002 and is scheduled to bring in $5.4 million in revenue by the end of 2003. The page and its pioneering graphics were developed by the editorial department and researched by USA TODAY’s marketing group.
“Lifestyle” magazine, developed by Newsquest Cheshire Merseyside
“Lifestyle” is a glossy magazine designed by Nuala O’Rourke, group advertisement manager, to reach readers and advertisers in an exclusive, upmarket area. The modern design and quality editorial content has been a “phenomenal success” and revenue has been double expectations.
“YES” magazine, launched by The Arizona Republic, Phoenix
“YES – Your Essential Style” – a weekly, full-color magazine aimed at 18-to-34 year-old women in the Phoenix market – was an instant hit with readers and advertisers who craved a fashion/beauty/trends publication with a local focus.
STYLE, a show developed by WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN
Rather than renew “Oprah,” or buy a syndicated show, the creative team at WBIR developed “STYLE,” an afternoon show with topics of interest to women. Local content such as fashion, money and cooking is attracting audiences and advertisers, while lower costs are making the program competitive.
Advertising Matrix rating system by Gannett Corporate Advertising
Until the Matrix, newspaper advertising was sold by pitching one ad to one customer on one sales call. Now, the Matrix brings all the products and services together into one package, then tailors the package to the advertisers’ needs.
“Innovative, creative and successful ideas to grow top-line revenue were the challenge in 2002 and Gannett’s talented employees were more than up to the task. These IDEAS winners are just a sampling of the wonderful projects being developed by Gannett,” said Douglas H. McCorkindale, chairman, president and CEO.
Judges for the competition were McCorkindale; Gary Watson, president of Gannett’s Newspaper Division; Craig Dubow, president and CEO of Gannett Broadcasting; and Thomas L. Chapple, senior vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel.
Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes 100 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns in excess of 400 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest publishes more than 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 22 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.
Media contact:
Tara Connell
(703) 854-6049
tjconnel@gannett.com