But a recent switch at one of Gannett's biggest newspapers, The Indianapolis Star, shows the company is trying to expand its public image beyond those legacy brands. Last week, the Star told employees that it had officially recast itself as Star Media for the purposes of promoting itself to current and future customers. (Memo's full text, below.)Other Gannett operations have done the same -- or likely will soon, I imagine -- as they draw more attention to Web ventures like Metromix and Moms Like Me, and away from aging print products. This shift comes after a report that Corporate itself has been considering a new branding campaign with the tagline, "Gannett . . . Connecting you to your world." And it follows a February notice to shareholders that Gannett now regards itself as "an international media and marketing solutions company."
In Minnesota, the St. Cloud Times has been calling itself Times Media ("One media company, countless solutions") for two years now, a Gannett Blog reader says.
In Kentucky, it's now CJM, or Courier-Journal Media. "Rethink the possibilities,'' the Louisville paper's marketing site says, foreshadowing a headline last Sunday above an op-ed piece by Publisher Arnie Garson. (Subliminal messaging?)
And in Ohio, another reader says, the company's chain of smaller dailies will be known as Media Network of Central Ohio. It registered the domain www.mncogannett.com back in February.
Text of Star memo
We have officially launched Star Media as our business-to-business branding effort. The purpose is to communicate to advertisers and potential advertisers that while we still publish the state’s largest newspaper, we offer many other products and services that deliver to a variety of audiences. We are a dynamic media company that offers mobile messaging, search-engine marketing and text-loyalty promotions, as well as our traditional online and print vehicles.
A new sign has been placed over the Employee Entrance downtown. You will also be seeing the new Star Media logo on letterhead, business cards, sales presentations, and other materials.
We kicked off a significant advertising campaign targeting business decision makers. The campaign includes geo-targeted online ads, billboards, radio spots, e-mail messaging and print ads in the Indiana Business Journal and the Star. Our ultimate goal with this effort is to promote new brand awareness, transformational messaging, grow new active accounts and improve customer retention.
In the coming weeks, most employees will be provided with new e-mail signatures, templates for PowerPoint presentations, electronic letterhead, as well as other items. We encourage all employees to change their voicemail message to reflect Star Media.
Our President and Publisher, Michael G. Kane, will be sharing additional information regarding this Business-to-Business branding effort during the upcoming quarterly Employee Meetings.
Is a similar effort underway at your site? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.
[Image: yesterday's Star, Newseum]
They are putting lipstick on a pig.
ReplyDeleteGannett Wisconsin Media has been around several years, having replaced Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers. Makes sense calling ourselves what we are - most of our products aren't daily newspapers.
ReplyDeleteNiche pubs, video, online, non-dailies, specialty pubs, podcasts, social media, text updates, marketing agency - we stopped being just a newspaper company long ago, even if that's still where most of the money comes in.
It's been called Star Media now for more than three years. Maybe they're just making it more public.
ReplyDeleteSignage finally made it into the publishers' "under $20' money....
ReplyDeleteI suppose this is for the best. Once upon a time, newspapers were considered authoritative and trustworthy. Since neither of those terms apply to most Gannett papers anymore, we might as well call them what they are. Media can refer to everything from advertising to DVDs. If nothing else, this is a move toward accuracy.
ReplyDeleteWe started using Advertiser Media Group here in Montgomery June 2009 three months after my promotion. We also do public relations work when we bill the City of Montgomery to publish their press releases.
ReplyDeletewtf????
ReplyDeleteI worked with Michael Kane for a while. Not many better guys in this company.
ReplyDeleteI am stunned that no one has slammed anyone in this threat yet. People here are slipping.
ReplyDeleteDid the C-J get someone else to post that marketing information? If the same person who dropped the ball on that Newseum page was running things, the Derby betting ledger might be online.
ReplyDeleteSeveral employees of the Detroit News have been without health care benefits as of Jan. 1 thanks to a Gannett Benefits snafu. No one was alerted to that fact and in some instances people have been turned away from hospitals and medical appts for procedures. Prescriptions are also not being covered. Gannett has been slow to fix the problem without so much as an apology. Nothing like spending your valuable work time on hold between health care provider and Gannett Benefits. Happy new year.
ReplyDelete