FT to launch U.S. ad campaign

Maisie McCabe of MediaWeek reports that the Financial Times is planning a television ad campaign in the United States during the second quarter that will aim to increase its digital subscriptions.

McCabe writes, “Pearson cited its desire to build subscription and other revenue streams in its results to protect the FT from the cyclical nature of the ad market. Hughes said he can see a ‘time when online is a big as print’ in circulation terms.

“However, he said, despite the need to diversify revenues, advertising and their agencies are ‘still hugely important’ to the FT but the way newspapers must sell opportunities has changed dramatically.

“Hughes said: ‘When I started selling newspaper ads all you used to do was go to see the agencies and ask them how much space. Now we have to sell across all platforms – print, online, magazines, mobile and conferences.

“‘Some major brands advertise across platform because they want to reach a c-suite audience at different times in their working day. We’re not a simple newspaper ads sales business any more. We’ve got to make brands stand out from their competitors.'”

Read more here.