Insert Media Buying Guide: Help Wanted

The insert media channel rewards those who carve their own path

September 2007 By Hallie Mummert

multipage

But smaller programs are essential to the medium. Niche programs can be very responsive, but the quantity is not enough, and so we need even more programs.

It’s important for new large programs to come on the market. When companies test into insert media for the first time, they test a variety of options in addition to a big program and find responsive sources they might not have considered before.

TM: What currently are the biggest opportunities for success with insert media?

LH: From the buyers’ point of view, I would say just using the media is the opportunity. When you are able to dig into the big buyers and get them to open up, you see that this is a dynamic medium with excellent response rates and ROI. Unfortunately, it takes considerable time and patience to get to this point, i.e., big usage. The upscale gift houses such as Oreck, Bose and Sharper Image are examples of insert advertisers that are new to the marketplace.



TM: Where do you see growth coming from in the near future?

LR: There are relatively few Hispanic insert media programs currently, and with that being the fastest growing market segment we’re likely to see new programs to reach this group. Catalog blow-in programs will continue to grow, as catalogers look for revenue to offset the continual paper and postage increases. And we will see more dot-coms start package insert programs; Amazon.com started its program two years ago, but it just now has become more publicized and is coming into its own. We need more large programs like this.

TM: What strategies are paying good dividends in the insert media space?

LH: You have heavy price negotiation going on by brokers on behalf of their mailers. With increased distribution available, you have typical supply/demand issues in favor of the buyer.

There are some new players in the market such as charitable offers. This is a very large potential that is just opening up.

LR: The direct marketers doing the best in this medium test new offers and mix up their creative, especially when inserting into a statement stuffer. My opinion is we need more advertisers in the mix. It’s better for everyone—consumers, direct marketers, program owners. Right now, consumers see the same companies and the same offers over and over, so response declines as they stop looking. Response would be better if there was a greater mix of advertisers and if more insert media marketers mixed up their creative.

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