Unilever and J&J to boost regional press spend after study

Unilever and Johnson & Johnson are planning to significantly increase their spend on regional press advertising following the latest research on campaign effectiveness in local newspapers.

It is believed that the companies will increase their spend on regional press advertising from a few thousand pounds to &£1m or more this year.

Roy Jeans, managing director of Unilever Europe at Initiative Media, says: “The regional press has been quite aggressive in selling itself to the industry and to Initiative.”

The Newspaper Society, which lobbies on behalf of the regional press, has just unveiled evidence taken from a &£250,000 Millward Brown Conversion Study that it believes proves the effectiveness of the medium. The study examined 26 campaigns over five months.

Jeans says the research supports the use of regional press for directional activity and brand reinforcement. He adds that Initiative Media recently won London Zoo’s media business by recommending a strategy of using local newspapers throughout the South-east (MW November 28, 2002).

The Newspaper Society is now sending the research to potential clients and media strategists and planners, and promoting the report through trade press ads. The body is also to offer potential advertisers the chance to carry out pilot tests, funded by the regional press.