NOTW rivals ready fresh activity to cash in on closure

Trinity Mirror, owner of the Sunday Mirror, The People and the Sunday Mail in Scotland, and The Daily Mail and General Trust, which owns the Mail on Sunday, are also upping their print runs by hundreds of thousands of copies this weekend to capitalise on the fallout of the recent scandals surrounding News International and attract some of the estimated 7.5 million former News of the World readers.

The Mail on Sunday has launched a direct mail campaign aimed at newsagents and extended its existing front page voucher offer, in the wake of the News of the World’s closure.

Speaking to Marketing Week at an event earlier this week to convince brands of the continued power of advertising on Sundays, the Mail on Sunday’s managing director Marcus Rich says there is now going to be a gap in the market and his title needs to ensure it has the best product to fill it.

The Sunday Mirror, now the biggest UK Sunday red top has launched a four-week money-off voucher promotion in a bid to attract readers to the title.

Trinity Mirror is also speaking to former News of the World advertisers to convince them of the power of its Sunday portfolio – particularly its reach in Scotland. The company says last Sunday, sales of the Sunday Mirror were up 2.5% and sales of the People up 12%.

Northern and Shell’s Daily Star on Sunday is thought to be increasing circulation by 25% – or 70,000 copies – this weekend. The red top is also thought to be readying a TV and in-paper promotional campaign.

Amy King, head of press at MPG Media Contacts, warns: “Newspapers have to be very careful of running campaigns at a very sensitive time for the national press – especially if they also run the risk of being exposed.”

“Newspapers should try to be an editorial replacement for the News of the World, rather than advertising blatantly.”