Advertising Department Update

By Chuck Boteler
Advertising Manager
The Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center proved to be a beautiful setting on April 22nd to honor the "Best of ‘98" advertising contest winners. This year’s contest drew more newspapers than ever into the competition and saw many top-notch entries. Congratulations to the newspapers winning the "sweepstakes" awards, given to the publication earning the most point in the competition. The Baltimore Sun, Carroll County Times, Bel Air Aegis, Ocean City Today and Cape Gazette walked away with these prestigious awards.

Papers are encouraged to continue to collect their best entries throughout this year for the "Best of ‘99" contest.

 As the MDDC Classified Ad Network (CAN) continues to search for ways to encourage its member newspapers to sell into the network (and earn additional revenue), it has become apparent that high turnover at each paper has accounted for the drop in "top of mind awareness" of the network. Here are a few sample questions you may have:

Where do these "MDDC" ads come from anyway?

These ads come from advertisers familiar with statewide classified networks across the country. These advertisers desire broad-based coverage, greater than a single newspaper or group can provide. Most come to MDDC from other state press associations; several come directly to MDDC from inside and outside the MDDC region, and a few are sold by our member newspapers (at 25% commission).

Why do we run these ads for free each week in our papers?

CAN is the primary funding source for many of the MDDC Press Association’s services your papers enjoy. Although your papers receive a participation fee and a share of the CAN revenue at the end of the year, the larger ongoing benefit comes from the other programs that have been able to grow from this revenue. The MDDC Ad Place-ment Service start-up, the MDDC FOI Hotline, low-cost educational workshops, scholarships, internships and the MDDC Press News are just a few examples. In fact, because of the network, the MDDC Press Association has not had to raise dues to your papers in more than five years!

Do you screen these ads for "scams?"

Yes. Every new ad that comes to MDDC is checked out and questioned. We also stipulate certain items that MUST appear in every ad that is "business opportunity" or "financial" in nature. We have had no complaints from readers or news-papers about an ad in more than six months now, partially because of our strict standards of acceptance. There should never be a reason that your paper should refuse to run or selectively drop an ad, unless, of course, your publication just does not run ANY ads within a certain category.

Also, our nationwide relationship with other press associations helps us all keep an eye on misleading or fraudulent accounts and ads.

How does our paper earn the 25% commission?

If you are working with an advertiser that would benefit from this type of coverage, sell the idea of 100 additional newspapers at his disposal for the low rate of $225. If that advertiser meets the standards of our network and you fill out the order form, your paper earns 25% off that sale. Your publication only needs to send 75% of the total cost to MDDC! It’s that easy. If you need additional forms, contact the MDDC Press Association.

Can we still earn a commission without doing the paperwork?

Yes. We are working on a plan whereby newspapers could earn a 15% commission just for running MDDC Classified Network filler ads and generating calls to MDDC. When a potential advertiser sees the MDDC filler ad in your publication and calls us to place an ad, your paper would earn 15% of that sale!

* Several of you have asked about the status of the FY2000 Maryland Tourism "Fun Guide" project. At its April 22 meeting, the committee decided to continue with the project, but first to survey the potential "major" advertising base. If the advertising base is not substantial, the MDDC Ad Placement Service (MAPS) may restructure the proposal to include ROP pages, propose either a smaller version of the guide or a smaller circulation and printing order for the first year, or shelve the project. Staff will report survey results to the committee for a recommendation on the next step.

* MAPS finished 1998 about $50,000 in the black, on gross sales of over $7 million. For the first three months of 1999, MAPS is 27% ahead of last year, but 28% behind budget. The loss of MAPS placement of Maryland Lottery business (over $900,000 last year) is one of the reasons accounting for the lag.

*The committee agreed to examine the rules and procedures of the annual advertising contest with an eye toward developing recommendations that would enhance the contest, which has been growing in popularity.