Regional publisher Johnston Press has created a new team to offer advertisers new ‘branded content’ across its local newspaper titles.
A small number of new roles have been created as a result of the launch of Voice Local, a native advertising product which the company says is “designed to connect brands and local enterprises with their consumers.”
The team, made up of dedicated commercial editors and product managers, will be responsible for producing commercial features that sit naturally within JP’s companion websites,
It follows a three-month pilot project which saw it deliver 59 content marketing campaigns across its portfolio, ranging from national supermarket discussion cooking tips for salmon, to a local vet helping the local audience keep their animals safe this coming bonfire night.
Chief digital and product officer Jeff Moriarty said: “We have an opportunity to create highly relevant local content for advertisers that uniquely resonates with local readers. We’re thrilled to unveil Voice Local and are looking forward to working on truly innovative and original campaigns with leading advertisers across the UK.
“With Voice Local, we can help businesses across the UK capitalise on our unparalleled knowledge of consumers at a local level, and therefore create engaging and relevant content that will further enhance the online experience of our readers.”
The product manager for Voice Local is Liz Percy-Rob and the Commercial Content Manager is Jackie Mitchell. Both are newly-created roles.
They will report to Rob Sheppard, head of display products, and Nigel Leigh, director of commercial platforms and products, who both joined JP earlier this year.
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Hahaha. Priceless.
I realise I’m almost 60 and not exactly savvy when it comes to this Internet bull but I’m fairly good with the English Language. Houston, we have a problem. I didn’t understand a word of that. Seriously. I could read it over and over again and it would make no sense.
Is it this? Johnston Press, a zombie company that has axed hundreds of journalists, employs two people to flog some Internet advertising?
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Wow, so many managers of products and platforms. Still, it’s good to see chief digital and product officer Jeff M is ‘thrilled’ about the ‘truly innovative and original’ campaigns. Er, like how to cook a bit of salmon and a vet’s tips on keeping pets safe on bonfire night. Why on earth has nobody thought of that before? Stunning. It’s all a load of babble of course. Who are they trying to kid? Only each other. Oh and the advertisers of course.
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Ah Moriarty – isn’t this what we used to call in the olden days (or as hipster dudes might say it, ‘back in the day’) – advertising features?
You spoke to a vet about Parvo Virus and getting your dog vaccinated, and sold an ad on the back of it. Perhaps they have never done them in the US?
Still it is good to see Jeff is back in the game. JP shares were 60p yesterday.
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I run a company outside of journalism. I tried to advertise in one of our papers and also specifically asked for lots of online advertising on the paper’s website. I couldn’t even get a call-back. When I phoned again they put me through to someone in Scotland (I live 350 miles from Scotland) who claimed to be an ad rep for my area. I asked if they had ever been here. No. I asked for a local ad rep to call me back. Three months later I’m still waiting. I’ve just advertised on Facebook instead.
So Jeff, I’m one of your potential advertisers and I couldn’t understand a word of your press release. What’s the point in these ‘innovative’ advertising schemes that no-one wants?
I want online advertising that is specifically targeted to a certain demographic. You have at least 10,000 of those people as FB friends on your page. So why can’t you sort it out so I can advertise to those people?
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Corporatism gone mad. Surely, this concept can be exported to South Korea if successful. Crackers!
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Seriously, does JP really believe this will enhance the online experience of its readers? Let’s hope the people writing the ad copy have a better communication skills.
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@Confused. Yep, ad features. Nothing innovative about that. in fact it’s all Emperor’s New Clothes. I read this twice and then realised even Jeff probably Doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He certainly appears to have no idea about communicating with local advertisers, judging by his quotes.
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Now this is either down to the comments on HTFP, or the stream of thrilling news coming out of Cavendish Square – but JP shares are now tumbling – 55p at 10.30am. At this rate they will reach pre-consolidation values and put this once good media company further into the maw of Newsquest.
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Back in the day (thanks, Confused) I recall “a native advertising product which… connected brands and local enterprises with their consumers”. It was called a local newspaper and did very nicely, thank you. Oh, those halcyon days before these damned electrical devices ruined everything!
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“With Voice Local, we can help businesses across the UK capitalise on our unparalleled knowledge of consumers at a local level” ….
So by local you mean India, as that seems to be where these advertisement (both print and online) will be created. The pre-press and studio teams that JP culled had a far better knowledge of the LOCAL market than our Indian friends.
Does your right hand know what your left one is actually doing ?
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Aw bless…
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Why is HTFP advertising a JP ad feature service?
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Mr M, clearly, has a double first in businessspeak, but I note that, though ‘thrilled’, he has omitted the word ‘exciting’. Which is just as well, because it isn’t exciting.
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There’s two things that spring to mind here. These people don’t respect and/or don’t understand readers.
From the day dot readers were complaining about ‘too many adverts’. Here’s the point – listen up Mr Moriarty (if that is in fact your real name) READERS DON’T LIKE ADVERTS.
You can pull it off with a scalpel, but not a sledge hammer like this.
Secondly, they know all this I’m sure – but they don’t care. The whole industry is a study in pretend denial. They all know it’s finished, everyone, they’re just plodding along pretending each thing they try is going to work, their meetings must be filled with complete double speak.
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What’s these two words that i have rarely heard in the past 7 years — I’m sure i read something like ‘jobs’ and ‘created’…. I must grab my glasses and check the words again because this must be an error!
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Any other JP news today? Shares dropped 14% to 53p today!!
Keep up the good work Ash.
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It might work if the advertisers and readers are stupid.
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John – 50p at 4.30pm!
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Re my earlier post – sorry, I meant holed below the waterline.
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Jobs paid for by end of year cover price increases, threatening a never ending decline in copy sales and less eyes for advertisers?
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Me again. At 4.28pm today, a major shareholder dumped 875,000 shares – 0.83% of the company for just 50p a share. They must have read these comments and decided to cut their losses, the shares were £1.70 not that long ago so they have lost over £1m.
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How about An ‘innovative and exciting’ policy of producing newspapers and website of acceptable quality, not like the dross that has emerged as the result of sacking so many talented and respected journalists throughout Britain. Number one rule of business – a quality product.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-34867820
Now 46.8p a share and a new low – a year ago £1.59. Surely there’s a story here?
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The shares now are less than half the price three months ago, thanks to the unbelievable decisions being taken by the bean counters. But, like lemmings, they continue to make for the cliffs of suicide. Nothing, it seems, will stop them on the road to destruction.
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Shares update. Now just 45p. A 15% drop today – a bigger drop than yesterday. Zombies walking. But only just.
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It could be worse
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c4bab3aa-8eb1-11e5-8be4-3506bf20cc2b.html#axzz3rxJKf2j6
Indeed, a few hours later it was.
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More than 4.3 million JP shares sold today.
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Warning. The Newsroom of the Future is heading across the Irish Sea. ‘May God have mercy on you all’ to quote the Captain of the Titanic.
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End of year increases of 10p instead of the usual 5p? Seems simple!
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Native advertising. What a jungle of deluded managers is JP. Expect more office closures as this initiative fails. I hope for the poor souls left I am wrong.
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