Evaluating Print Media Buying: Discount on Rate Card, Negotiated Rate, Cost Per Thousand (CPT), Market Share Incentives, Readership v/s Circulation Track, Growth Incentives, Combination Rate Incentives, Full Page Discounts and Size Upgrades, Discount for Colour Ads, Date Flexibility Incentives, Positioning, Innovations

Discount on Rate Card

This is one of the primary parameters, the quantum by which the card rate is lowered or actual savings for the client. For print Ads, the market-leading publications offer lesser discounts when compared to the comparatively newer publications. Due to extreme competition, even the leading print publications have come up with attractive discounts nowadays.

Negotiated Rate

Discounts alone are not the deciding factor for buying the print plan, instead inflation in the costs are to be closely considered as well. Certain publishers price cards at a higher rate & offer large discounts, thus monitoring inflation & increasing costs are supremely important. A good print buy has lesser inflation in negotiation rates than the inflation in card rates.

Cost Per Thousand (CPT)

The best way to judge a print buy is to pivot on the delivery vs cost. The CPT reached in print is calculated by the number of print publications in which Ad communication is carried & not the actual number of people the Ad message has reached through those publications.

Market Share Incentives

Readership v/s Circulation Track

It gives an idea of total copies in circulation and the number of readers per copy. Fortnightly publications & magazines have more readers per copy than in daily newspapers.

Growth Incentives

If the print publication agency gains substantial growth after the Ad campaign in their publications, the publishers offer additional discounts to the brand and makes its relationship stronger. Growth incentives can come in the form of free ad space on the newspaper which the Advertiser can utilise within a specific time period.

Combination Rate Incentives

Most of the print buy deals are an effective combination of several chunks of discounts. From discount on card rates to differential discounts on colour, growth incentives and upgrades, the savings for the brand, therefore, is a factor of all these elements.

Full Page Discounts and Size Upgrades

Discount for Colour Ads

Color Ads carry a higher price tag than B&W ads. But in the last few years, some of the major publications have reduced the price gap between B&W ads and colour ads, some publications even offer all colour advertising patterns as well. Publications offer better discounts on the colour Ad space since it nets better realisations than the B&W ones for the publications.

Date Flexibility Incentives

Positioning

Position of the Ad placed in the print publication plays a stupendous role in noticeability of the Ad. Publishers charge premium rates based on which page advertisers need their Ad to be placed. Front page Solus ad can cost 3X more than an inside page Ad. A regular Ad can be upgraded to a special position to ensure higher noticeability as well.

Innovations

With increased competition in all forms of media including print, publishers are obligated to adapt to more innovative strategies for Ad placements. At the highest level of adding value, innovations help brands stand out in the cluttered environment. There are several innovations possible now such as layout based, format based, editorial supported, exclusives etc. Clients & agencies approach innovations from different angles to get most of their campaigning process.