Macy’s advises newspapers how to win back their advertising dollars

Posted by Ben Thalman on May 15, 2007 at 10:46 AM

At a publishing conference held by the Newspaper Association of America, Anne MacDonald, chief marketing director of Macy’s, discussed some of the reasons why Macy’s was moving away from newspaper advertising, citing limited national reach as a key issue.

"In order for your newspapers to be winning our advertising dollars, you need to be winning in the marketplace, and that's not currently the case," MacDonald told publishers.

Macy’s is becoming a national brand and, thus, requires national exposure, whereas newspapers are more effective at delivering local messages. MacDonald suggested that newspapers work together to sell advertising in order to reach a broader audience.

Using her industry as an example, MacDonald emphasized the need for newspapers to change: "Like us, you must change the way you think," she said. As an example, if the New York Times were to somehow send her two favorite sections – science and dining – wrapped on the outside, she would be impressed that the publisher had gained such insight about her reading habits, she told publishers.

Source: Houston Chronicle (chron.com)

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