“I inform them that their whole approach to selling advertising space does not work. No matter how subtle I am, I’m telling them they’re wrong,” says Lucas.
“Their reaction to this is what keeps me motivated. When the response is positive it means we are on mutual ground and the advocates are listening and understanding what I’m saying. When they react negatively, I see it as a challenge to make them understand where I’m coming from,” Lucas adds.
The Sappi Magazine Advocacy Programme is all about information. According to Lucas, “One of the main reasons magazines are losing ad spend is a lack of information. When advertisers plan their spend, they make sure they have the best information of every medium on hand. Advocacy wants to ultimately create a dialogue between the magazine industry and advertisers to inform them”.
Interestingly, there is an increased investment in advertising around the world, yet the Internet is the only medium showing any growth. “Magazines must see this as a positive development and think of creative ways to branch into the World Wide Web,” says Lucas.
It is essential that the magazine industry stands together. “The important thing to remember is that advocacy is essentially about promoting magazines as an advertising medium. When you are sitting down with advertisers, you need first to convince them of the value of print advertising. They don’t want to know the benefits of your publication. They need to be informed of the benefits of magazine advertising before you can start selling your publication”.
The most important lesson Lucas wants the advocates to learn is to stop being victims. “The magazine industry must take control of the share of ad spend their medium is getting. If they don’t participate in the debate, outsiders will decide what their advertising worth is. It’s vital to stand back and let this happen, because magazines are still a great advertising medium” admonishes Lucas.
For more information on the Sappi Magazine Advocacy Programme, contact the Magazine Publishers Association of South Africa on +27 (0)11 721 3200 or email .
