The
Minneapolis Star-Tribune has announced that they are launching a Sunday opt-in program for non-subscribers called the
StribExpress, per an
announcement in Editor & Publisher. This is a variation of the Sunday Select program initiated by other publications across the country.
The StribExpress will launch this Sunday, September 12th, 2010, with an distribution of 20,000. Per Star-Tribune Chief Revenue Officer Jeff Griffing:
“This is an innovative way to have a direct relationship with non-subscribers. There is a segment of the market that does not want a complete newspaper but does want the advertising and coupons. And there are a number of advertisers who are very interested in expanding their reach in selected areas. We put all that together with StribExpress, and everybody wins.”
The Star-Tribune already has a total market saturation product called the Twin Cities Values (TCV), that is delivered to non-subscribers of the paid paper. Those individuals who have signed up for the StribExpress will be treated as subscribers, and not receive the TCV.
In our opinion the ability to remove the duplication from the TCV, and ensuring that the StribExpress is requested by the recipient, does greatly increase the value of this new program offering; you are reaching consumers who specifically want the inserts/coupons. It would seem to also indicate that if you are buying the TCV right now, you may need to start incorporating the StribExpress into your plan, as you may lose those individuals. Perhaps the Star-Tribune has a plan in place to cover that.
