Editorial Supplements Promote “Soft” Product Awareness
Situation: A well established RV, Marine and Automotive & Van conversion manufacturer, Starcraft, had the standard Public Relations system steady and in place, but were seeking other affordable means of brand building exposure for the RV, Van and Marine lifestyle.
Response: By forming a co-op with other non-competing outdoor/recreational product manufacturers such as fishing equipment and camping accessories manufacturers, we helped Starcraft to produce a nationally distributed supplement (we now suggest the use of CD-roms) containing hands-on editorial features that provided even greater customer exposure.
Rationale: This supplement provides freelance and outdoor writers, newspaper special section and magazine editors with a wide variety of editorial copy and photography to run for free in their publications. This type of passive promotion is viewed as more “objective” than traditional forms of advertising and promotion, purveying the manufacturer as an expert in the field and solidly reinforcing the brand name under the radar.
Results: In just one year, the Starcraft RV division lifestyle features ran in over 400 newspapers across the country, with a total circulation of over 6 million readers. Numerous regional recreational magazines also used these well-researched practical features with themes like, “Traveling with Your Dog”, “Food Preparation & Storage on the Road”, “Winter Driving Tips for RV Enthusiasts” and “Tips for Traveling with Kids”.
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