Investment and financial news publisher SmartMoney will break a print ad campaign the week of Aug. 6 to change consumer perceptions of SmartMoney.com.
Created and executed by independent marketing and Web agency Digital Pulp Inc., the campaign through year's end addresses a problem many publishers and multichannel marketers face.
“Consumers had a perception that SmartMoney.com was simply the online version of SmartMoney magazine, and we had to demonstrate a reason why somebody who also may be a subscriber of the magazine should go to the site,” said Lee Nadler, president/CEO of Digital Pulp, New York.
The five ads, the first of which shows a man and a woman in business attire staring at a map graphic, try to dispel that notion.
Placed in The Wall Street Journal, Barron's and SmartMoney magazine, the first ad highlights SmartMoney.com's Map of the Market tool. This Java-based, stock-tracking feature lets consumers keep on top of general market trends and yields detailed breakdowns of stocks and categories.
The ad directs consumers to www.smartmoney.com/maps and the AOL Keyword: SmartMoney. The tagline sums up the intended message: “Our Insight. Your Vision.”
Founded in 1997, SmartMoney.com is part of the SmartMoney publishing joint venture of Dow Jones & Co. Inc. and Hearst Communications Inc. The ads run in media owned by Dow Jones and Hearst.
Nadler said the creative sought to take advantage of the Internet's interactivity. The ads zero in on SmartMoney.com's investment news, tools and advice. But the tools take center stage.
“In the execution essentially we've taken several tools that have been up [on SmartMoney.com] and bring them to life so that the user is compelled to go to the site and try them,” Nadler said.
But the company is at pains to convey that the site is not simply a reflection of its print sibling.
“I think this is a common challenge that publishers are facing, and part of that is because many publishers in the beginning did put up an online version of their print publications, and users realized that there wasn't a reason to go to both,” Nadler said.
SmartMoney's magazine focuses on feature stories and the site on tools to coordinate with the write-ups. A recent magazine article on the Bush tax plan was followed by tools on the site that let consumers enter their salary and other details to learn the implications on their income.
Besides, tools on the site that add value to the magazine's articles also drive online traffic on a more frequent basis.
“I think it's encouraging people to realize that SmartMoney.com is beneficial to them on a daily basis in conjunction with the magazine,” Nadler said.
