NEW YORK: Reader's Digest, which claims to be the largest circulated magazine in the world, has announced the launch of its first advertising campaign in 10 years supporting the company's flagship magazine. The tagline -- Get Involved -- urges advertisers to tap into the deep connection that 40 million US readers have with the magazine.
In one ad, a young couple is pictured behind the headline, "If we got any closer to our readers, we'd need a pre-nup." In another, a young professional dines at a coffee house reading an issue behind the headline, "If we got any closer to our readers, they'd be finishing our sentences." The ads will appear through 30 June in Advertising Age, Adweek, Mediaweek, Brandweek and The Advertiser as well as on phone kiosks in New York City.
An official release states that as part of the campaign, Reader's Digest will offer members of the media community the opportunity to write copy for future ads and win a weekend at a luxury hotel by completing the phrase 'If we got any close to our readers.'. The contest will reach advertisers via Adweek.com, Adage.com, and mailings.
An official release that the campaign is the latest step in an industry movement that values audience quality, not merely size, in media buying. Reader's Digest has helped lead this charge among major magazines by creating the Involvement Index -- an audience quality metric now used by account teams within agencies across the country. The Involvement Index has attracted support from a growing roster of magazine companies including Disney, National Geographic.
The Index rolls up key MRI involvement measurements (such as average reading time and percentage reading four of the last four issues) into one number, and allows planners to make quick, objective, defensible comparisons on magazine audience quality.
Executive publisher of Reader's Digest Dom Rossi said, "A big audience is only valuable if the right people are paying attention. Advertised brands need prime time with consumers who are overwhelmed with information. That's what counts. That's what we deliver. With this ad campaign, we're telling our story: We deliver consumers who are more involved with our content than any other magazine or TV show."
Among the top 10 magazines reaching women 25 to 54, Reader's Digest ranks second in involvement with an index of 161 (61 per cent above average, 3 points behind Parents). With an Involvement Index of 139, Reader's Digest ranks second among the top 10 magazines for reaching PC-owning US households. National Geographic is first with 146.
