Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Help! Print Media Ad Size/quantity Scenario

Posted by jreedy on 5/10/2012 at 5:55 PM ET 125 Points
Need some help from the pros! Here's the scenario.

Purchasing print ad in one particular magazine. Have purchase 1/3 page vertical. Can possibly split that as well. What's the general industry concensus on this. The ad is promoting a free online tool. Choose one of these scenarios:

1) Take the full 1/3 page for a larger more visible ad on one page.
2) split that 1/3 buy into two 1/6 size ads on two different pages within the magazine, but the same two ads.
3) Split that 1/3 buy into two 1/6 size ads on two different pages within the magazine, but two different ads with different wording/visuals but for the same product.

Which one of these three options gets me the most conversions. Again, the call to action is for the viewer use a free online tool.

Thanks for the help!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 5/10/2012 at 10:16 PM Member
    Of the three, #3 might pull better. But, of the three a direct mail piece to a targeted list might serve you better overall.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 5/11/2012 at 11:43 PM Member
    I'd go with the 1/3rd page. No statistics to back this up, though.

    Or do two 1/6th pages but on facing pages.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 5/12/2012 at 3:31 PM Moderator
    Size and placement matter, but not nearly as much as the benefit promise and the creative. A great picture and a short compelling headline in 1/3 page will beat 2x or 3x the space with boring copy and not much to remember.

    So my vote would be to go with a full 1/3 page and the very best copy, promise, offer, and execution money can buy.

    If you can effectively communicate the same compelling message in 1/6 page -- unlikely, but not impossible -- you can try that approach. (In fact, if you can communicate the message just as effectively in 1/6 page, save the money and just run that.)

    But the real challenge is to focus more on the message (i.e., the positioning benefit) and the offer, and the way they are presented, and not so much on the size/placement within the magazine.

    It's really all about the compelling positioning benefit and how you communicate it.
  • Posted by mholdener on 5/14/2012 at 12:10 PM Member
    Personal intuition only, but I agree with Peter's comments. Stick with a well-done 1/3-page ad rather than splitting into 2 1/6-page ads. Visually 1/6-page ads are not likely to register with a casual reader.

    If possible, it would be interesting to start with 1/3-page vertical ads on opposing pages for the first several issues, then transitioning to a solitary 1/3-page vertical ad (on the right-hand side of a spread for maximum visibility).

    Essentially you are doubling up your presence in the magazine for the first several issues in which your ads appear, which should help your ads get noticed and build retention. Afterward, a single 1/3-page vertical ad may suffice to drive and maintain retention.
  • Posted by jreedy on 5/15/2012 at 6:46 PM Author
    I appreciate all of the responses so far. I think I have some food for thought.

    However, I appreciate the information regarding the importance of the call to action, content and overall design. I'm hoping we will be able to create a great ad that touches on all three of those points regardless of the size of the ad.

    But I'm really looking for more concrete evidence to back up a case for one purchase of the three options I mentioned.

    Does anyone know of any research regarding visibility of different options as I mentioned in my original question?
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