Severing Subscription Cards

In September 2006, four Hearst publications will drop their subscription cards and run a two-page Philips ad reading, "Simplicity is not having subscription cards fall out of your magazine." The ads, which cost Philips $2 million, will provide internet links to Philips websites where readers can subscribe to the magazines.

The deal, which publishers met with reluctance, is not Philips' first bold move. In the fall of 2005, the company bought the commercial time for an entire episode of "60 Minutes," enabling the show to air longer news segments with fewer commercials.

Magazine Subscriptions

Philips' advertising executives are taking advantage of the fact that subscription cards may eventually become a thing of the past. Magazines gain only 12% of new subscribers from the cards. Although subscription cards are an inexpensive way for magazines to attract new subscribers, online sales are growing, with the internet accounting for 10% of new subscriptions.

An Online Degree in Advertising

The Philips campaign is the result of bold and creative thinking, two attributes encouraged by online advertising degree programs. An online degree in advertising could also teach you the basics of brand and product management, interactive marketing, and market researchï¿½essential skills that may help you begin your career in advertising.

Source

"Cutting Out the Subscription Cardsï¿½Literally," Wall Street Journal