NONE: ONLINE ADS>> Cannibalizing print revenues - response
ONLINE ADS>> Cannibalizing print revenues - response
Marc Gagnon (mgagnon_at_weddingbells.com)
Tue, 10 Jun 1997 11:50:21 -0400
Lance Stendal wrote:
Does anyone have any experience, or know of any research conducted, related
to concerns about online advertising revenues cannibalizing print
advertising revenues? I am not aware of any, and most of the newspaper
people we talk to haven't even been willing to conduct an experiment to see
if that is the case
Hi Lance,
As one-time magazine publishers who have now become both magazine and web
publishers, we had the same question - "won't we cannabalize our own ad
sales by moving ad dollars out of our magazine to our site". If the web
proves to be a long-term effective medium for both readers and advertisers,
then the answer is yes - print ad sales will be cannibalized. If your
clients don't adapt to the shift though, some other company will - and the
web-based ad dollars will go into someone else's pocket.
I think that your clients need to ask themselves what business are they in
- the ad-supported communications business or the ink-on-paper business.
They should define themselves by what customer needs they serve not the
methods that they currently use to meet those needs. Look to past shifts in
industries as a source of inspiration (or fear). How many railroad
companies invested in the "new" airline industry ("people will always
prefer the train")? Compare that to the radio broadcasters who jumped on
the television bandwagon right at the start. No one knows how the
ad-supported web will shake out, but can your clients afford not to at
least investigate the web - their franchise is at stake.
Two years ago, our company took that leap and we are much better for it. We
are connecting with our audience like never before.
Marc
Marc Gagnon <mgagnon_at_weddingbells.com>
Director of New Media
www.weddingbells.com - The wedzine that gets to the heart of the matter
Voice: 416-862-8479 ext. 225 Fax: 416-862-2184
