Debunking Ad Myths

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Here’s a great piece from digiday.com where Tom Goodwin debunks five often-repeated statements about where advertising is headed in the future.   The 5 Biggest Myths of Modern Advertising from July 28, 2014.   Though it’s unfortunate for those of us living in the print biz to admit, TV is certainly far from dead.   We’re glad to see someone remove the gauze over the ad industry’s hyperbole.

1.  TV is dead

2. Consumers want conversations with brands

3.  Brands must create great content

4. Advertising is about storytelling

5. Advertising spend should be correlated with consumer’s time spent with media

Isthmus in Madison Sold by Longtime Publisher

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By Mark Hanzlik, Executive Director

Isthmus, a long-time member of AAN and AWN charter member changed ownership for the first time in it’s 38-year history.  Veteran publisher Vince O’Hern, along with his wife and co-owner Linda Baldwin sold Isthmus Publishing Co. to three local Wisconsin businessmen.     Read more about that sale at Altweeklies.com, posted July 10, 2014.

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Linda Baldwin served several key leadership roles in the AWN cooperative between 1996-2003 including Vice President of the Board of Directors for the first six years of the network.   Both Linda and Vince were stalwart supporters of AWN for the entire history (20 years) of the network.  They became a model for many other AWN members, a highly-respected, independently published alternative weekly that stayed true to their mission.

The new owners, Jeff Haupt, Craig Bartlett and Mark Tauscher are a good fit for new Isthmus leadership.  They have a strong local presence in the Madison market, experience publishing (The Onion) and marketing to students and their parents through the Red Card, a prepaid dining and discount card.

Media Sales Veteran Returns to AWN Central

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By Mark Hanzlik, Executive Director

Some of our advertiser and publication contacts may have noticed a familiar name and voice appear earlier in the 2nd quarter.   AWN sales veteran John Morrison returned to our central staff after spending four years exploring other interests and advertising/media posts.  He replaces ad coordinator Ligia Bremerman who had worked for Hanzlik Media since December 2012.

John served as director of AWN sales from 1997 – 2010 where he was at the forefront of the sales and member growth in the 90’s and eventual decline in the late 00’s.    During his years in sales leadership, John oversaw a cooperative sales force comprised of dozens of sellers at individual AWN publications across the U.S.

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Before re-joining Hanzlik Media in our Sacramento office, John was planning and coordinating ad inserts for retail chain-store clients like Menards for Quad/Graphics.   In January 2013, Quad acquired Vertis allowing them to enter the retail ad insert, direct marketing and in-store marketing solution business.   When that change occurred, John moved from Vertis over to Quad to continue his work on Menards which ended a year later which coincided with Ligia’s departure at Hanzlik Media.   It is all about timing.

 

Metro Times Merges with Real Detroit Weekly

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By Mark Hanzlik, Executive Director

Two long-time Detroit rivals became one last week in a deal announced by Euclid Media Group owner of Metro Times.    Published in the market since 1980, Metro Times and its upstart rival, Real Detroit Weekly (launched in 1999) merged into what the owners are calling the largest newsweekly in Michigan.   Owner and publisher of Real Detroit, John Badanjek will serve as president of events of the newly formed company along with Chris Keating, publisher of Metro Times.

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Both publications have been represented by AWN numerous times over the past 20 years beginning with Metro Times as a charter member in 1994 under its original owners Ron Williams and Laura Markham.   When Times Shamrock purchased Metro Times in 1999, the publication moved representation to The Ruxton Group (New Times) creating an opening for Real Detroit to become an AWN member for the first time in 2000.   Five years later, Metro Times returned to AWN, and  Real Detroit followed by moving to Ruxton Group  (Voice Media).  In 2008 Metro Times moved once again to Ruxton and within a year Real Detroit was back with AWN where they have remained until the merger.

We never quite understood the reason for all the movement but never complained as AWN was always representing a viable alternative product in a market that never failed to appear on most national ad buyers lists.

One item has remained constant since AWN first broke in to Michigan,  Jim Cohen, Ad Director at Metro Times in 1994 is still Ad Director in 2014.   As a board member for several years he spearheaded the first marketing projects for AWN in 1996.

 

Where Alt Weeklies Become Alt Media

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A nice lift from a relatively new and young voice posted yesterday on the AAN (Association of Alt Newsmedia) site  providing a positive spin the future of AltMedia.    It’s certainly true, many “alt weeklies” are now providing content all the time, and have moved beyond simply posting a static version of their print product for aging hipsters to view.   If all the independently published papers we’re doing all the great things mentioned in this article, they will likely be the ones standing after the dust settles (paraphrased from SF Reporter editor in the article) in each of their respective markets.

Check out the author of the article, Christina Cauterruci’s video interviews from AAN 2013 conference in Miami here.