Potentially distressing news floated across the pond last week: The Times of London announced that it would create a tabloid version of its larger format newspaper. I hope the new paper will only be a different shape, and not follow in the footsteps of, say, Chicago’s Red Streak, a Chicago Sun-Times tabloid aimed at an audience that really doesn’t care for newspapers. Articles in the Red Streak rarely reach 400 words unless they involve disgraced glitterati.
It would be a shame if The Red Streak (which Chicago locals call “The Red Face”) were the model for the Times of London’s new effort. Although this seems rather unlikely: English readers love the printed word so much that they often slip extra letters into words, such as “honour” and “favourite,” just so they’ll have more to read.
For direct marketers, there’s a more pressing issue. The Red Streak, and other experiments like it, usually target younger adults. Desirable consumers, perhaps, but if they’re not inclined to read to begin with, how does one write a direct mail package that will entice them?
I suspect the last word one would want to use on the outer envelope would be “newspaper.” Instead, the envelope might tout the benefits of receiving information without having to deal with popup windows. The cover letter might focus on the benefits of watered down content: “All the news to make you think – but not enough to alarm you.”
Writers can also probably say goodbye to the multi-page solicitations that publications used in years past. This is an audience that wants fewer words, which means there isn’t going to be space for anything but a socko pitch up front, followed by a response mechanism and an illustration or two. Speaking of response mechanisms, don’t forget Paypal, or another online payment service, in addition to the standard check-or-charge options. It’s what this generation uses to pay for a nice percentage of its online purchases. Get yours.
It’s not just newspapers: The trend toward a lack of interest in reading is distressing to all marketers. Direct mail may remain the last medium unchallenged by the federal government, not because it is unintrusive, but because, in a nation of non-readers, it has become irrelevant.
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