Advertising & Marketing

Newsletter n°9/08.03.2007
Uganda: New Vision Promotion Pushes Sales Through the Roof
In July 2005, Uganda’s leading newspaper publisher, the New Vision group, launched the Super Sales Booster, a promotional campaign aimed at the paper’s sales agents, which offered prizes ranging from cash to new motorbikes. This promotion sought to increase sales, decrease the rate of returns and combat the problem of newspaper renting. The initiative was a phenomenal success; more than 200 sales agents participated in the year-long campaign, and the newspaper group boosted revenues significantly for all of its six titles. RAP 21 spoke to Tom Wasswa, circulation manager for the group about the promotion.

Newsletter n°12/20.07.05
MANAGEMENT: African Press Trends 2005 - This Week: SENEGAL
The “World Press Trends 2005” report, released at the WAN 58th Annual Newspaper Congress in Seoul, shows an increase in circulation and revenue from advertising for the newspaper industry worldwide in 2004. As part of a five week special, RAP 21 will publish African data from the report and speak to the leaders of some of the most successful newspapers on the continent about trends in their markets and their views on the future of the newspaper industry.

Newsletter n° 9/20.06.05
THREE WAYS OF ATTRACTING ADVERTISERS
Generating revenue from advertising is one the major obstacles that African newspapers face in making their newspapers a financial success. However, motivating advertisers to buy ad space is a global challenge that all newspapers must contend with. At one of the sessions of the World Newspaper Congress, participants heard from three major advertising agencies on what impedes and encourages - a profitable relationship between potential advertisers, newspapers and their readers.

Newsletter n° 8/3.06.05
Cameroon: Rural newspapers face unique challenges

Despite daily obstacles such as low purchasing power and a weak advertising market, the rural weekly l’Etoile de la Menoua (the Menoua Star) continues to fight for a rich newspaper culture in Cameroon.

I should say that my decision to launch a rural newspaper came mainly from the fact that I am from a rural background. Not many newspapers really focus their attention on events that happen in the countryside. I wanted to bring to the limelight the lives of my brothers and sisters, says Jean Robert Mbané, editor-in-chief of the French-language newspaper.

Newsletter n° 4/01.03.05
CONFERENCE: Revenue Generation 2005
At the WAN 2005 World Newspaper Advertising Conference & Expo held in Rome, Italy, on 24 and 25 February, participants were presented with case studies of innovative ways to take advantage of what remains the best medium for advertising: the newspaper.

Newsletter n°19/10.11.04
Management: Learning from Across the Continent II
In June 2004, Crispin Tulay, editor of The Vanguard newspaper, based in Liberia, travelled to South Africa to participate in a week-long newspaper management course with a select group of editors from the Southern African region. The newspaper editors were trained in various aspects of newspaper management such as: Leadership Skills, Change, Circulation, Budget, Advertising and Team Management.

Newsletter n° 15/
09.07.04
Nigeria: The PUNCH newspaper seeks to knock out the competition
The PUNCH newspaper in Nigeria is the countrys number one publication with an average daily circulation of 80,000 - almost double that countrys second largest publication, a tabloid called The Sun. Despite its dominance in circulation figures, however, PUNCH has only in recent years started to become a more prominent player in the countrys advertising market.

Newsletter N° 12/
19.05.04
Botswana: Combat for survival turns into commercial success
The launch of a distribution company, a move from weekly production to four times per week and restructuring the advertising department are some of the main initiatives undertaken by the private newspaper Mmegi in Botswana, in a strategy to remain on top despite market saturation and government efforts to dominate the advertising market.

Newsletter n° 7/
11.03.04
Gabon: Lessons learnt two years on
When the Gabonese newspaper "Le Journal" was launched two years ago, RAP 21 reported on its efforts to become part of the Gabonese newspaper market (Newsletter No 74). Today, the newspaper has found its place among competitors and colleagues, and has also gathered many experiences on the way. RAP 21 spoke to Wilfrid Koumba, the publisher of "Le Journal", which has a circulation of 5,000 and employs 10 people in its newsroom.

Newsletter n° 2/
23.01.2004
Uganda: Newspaper Scores High with Bingo Competition
The "Bukedde" newspaper in Uganda combined an innovative marketing strategy, extensive planning and a balance between production and demand when it launched an ambitious 8-week competition last week in a move to boost circulation and attract advertisers.

Newsletter n° 34/
16.10.2003
Somalia: Managing a Newspaper After a Conflict
Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan, editor-in-chief of the Somali-language daily newspaper "Ayaamaha" speaks about the logistical challenges his newspaper faces in post-conflict Somalia, and the first steps to rebuilding the newspaper industry in the country.

Newsletter n° 15/
28.02.2003
Internet is becoming more attractive
At the 2003 Newspaper Advertising Conference held last week in Amsterdam, Holland, participants learned how internet is now becoming more attractive for advertisers. Danny Meadows Klue, president of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, spoke about how the "myths" about internet advertising are exploding, opening up new completely horizons.

Newsletter n° 89
Promoting a reading culture among school children

Newsletter n° 79
U.S. media training center publishes newspaper management manuals
The U.S.-based International Center for Journalists has published a set of three new manuals aimed at helping newspaper managers in emerging democracies learn new skills to compete and thrive in difficult economic circumstances.

Newsletter n° 68
Current and Future Threats to the Newspaper Market
During the past year, newspapers around the globe were caught in a three-way burst of crossfire, says Jo Van Croonenborch, chief executive officer of Belgium’s VUM Group. And looking ahead, the industry faces another three-way threat. To meet the challenge, newspapers will have to emphasise their unique value to customers, he says.

Newsletter n° 67
Mixed Fortunes for Newspaper Industry
The newspaper industry faced major challenges in 2001 but performed well in many markets, according to the annual survey of World Press Trends published on 27 May by the World Association of Newspapers.

Newsletter n° 65
Publishers strengthen independent media
A dozen publishers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have created an association to help reinforce independent media in the country. The "Congolese Independent Press Publishers Group" plans to set up a central buying service, create a common advertising agency and organise training and development seminars for journalists.

Newsletter n° 51
Gambian ideas for increasing advertising
In response to an article about the lack of an advertising market in Gabon (RAP 21 Newsletter no 49), Paschal Eze, editor-in-chief of Gambia’s only business magazine, The Entrepreneur, provides some ideas about how to increase advertising.

Newsletter n° 49
Non-existing advertising market silences the Gabonese press
Gabon has the highest income per capita in West Africa, thanks to its oil wealth. The Gabonese press, however, does in no way reflect the general wealth of the country.