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Download This Topic Previous topic Next topic	POP THE TOP - DOES IT INCREASE RACK SALES?
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Josh Crutchmer

Maestro

Joined: 22 Oct 2004

Posts: 251

Location: Omaha World-Herald

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:24 am

MattErickson23 wrote::

The last time I popped the top, it was a freaking can of Pringles. The Cheddar Cheese variety. And I ate the entire can in one sitting. 'Cause, ya know, once you pop ...

...
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pop the top of this canister of Loaded Baked Potato Pringles.

Recipe for fun and amazement:

1. Take empty Pringles can and put the lid back on it.

2. Poke small hole in bottom of can with pen.

3. Blow in hole and watch hilarity ensue.

Billy Simkins

Contributing editor

Joined: 27 Jul 2004

Posts: 141

Location: Bakersfield

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:00 am

Matt, just remember who popped it first..

EVERYTHING matters, I think I've posted that a few times in this thread. I do admire your spin technique which has me stating "my pop" is the end all reason the paper sold. Every dept should be optimizing what they do to sell the paper to the customer, design is no exception.

CONTENT sells the paper, POP gets them to look. The Californian has great content that undoubtedly sells the paper.

Shrek: The Shrek blowout CONTENT on the inside is what sold some papers. Shrek's huge mug on the cover is what got them to "look" and realize we had that in our paper. That cover treatment tells the customer that we have something over the top inside.
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Last edited by Billy Simkins on Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:35 pm; edited 1 time in total

scavendish

VizEds Moderator

Joined: 08 Mar 2004

Posts: 761

Location: Chicago Tribune

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:36 am

Billy Simkins wrote::

Matt, just remember who popped it first..

La Presse?

Billy Simkins

Contributing editor

Joined: 27 Jul 2004

Posts: 141

Location: Bakersfield

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:44 pm

Here's the choices Bakersfield customers had at the racks 24 hours after the V-Tech shooting. I'm not saying one is better than the other as they are all dynamic in their own way. Does one make you look? Does one stand out? Does it matter? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Do the odds of a rack sale go up by getting the biggest attention? If our paper looked like the competition would it have an impact on our rack sale on this day? All tough questions. Anyway, here's the choices our readers had.

Here's something to try: Take 4 steps back from your computer and look at this page on your computer screen. That may be how a reader views your page in a parking lot, or from a small distance.

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Greg Swanson

Tiki Lounger

Joined: 24 Feb 2005

Posts: 9

Location: The Octagon

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 3:05 pm

I am but a casual traveler through these threads. I must say though, that, Billy, you do give off the smell of a man who is crediting much to your A1 toppers. You say you don't, but most arguments have that as the foundation.

I must agree with Steve that your take on the numbers is wrong. A newspaper can only be compared to itself when it comes to circulation. You do get a gold star for your cool map you included in one of your responses, no matter if it was off target.

Your argument means that if the local weekly printed a million copies then it would be able to compare its numbers with the LAT. I think you even see the flaws in that.

Your Shrek argument doesn't hold water either. Yes, your "pop" got them up to the newspaper, but I doubt each buyer then sifted through the pages to make sure your content was worth the 50 cents. You have to build credit with readers on something like that. If your topper looks great and says "John Doe explains why this Shrek is a turd" then readers will buy because John Doe has a reputation among your readers. You can't assume content purchases unless your reputation warrants it, like, say the LAT's reputation or the Chicago Tribune or New York Times.

Believe me, I worked at a newspaper that tried all kinds of crazy stuff. Some of it worked. Some of it didn't. Some things we knew (or thought) were great but our readers didn't respond and we stopped doing them. I'm not saying your topper should be scrapped. It just shouldn't be your introduction every time you enter a newspaper discussion about Bakersfield.
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Josh Crutchmer

Maestro

Joined: 22 Oct 2004

Posts: 251

Location: Omaha World-Herald

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:38 pm

Billy Simkins wrote::

Here's something to try: Take 4 steps back from your computer and look at this page on your computer screen. That may be how a reader views your page in a parking lot, or from a small distance.

What is the next sentence, Billy? There has to be something other than "yeah. or it may not be" to say in response, so how does this argument play out?

"This may be how a reader views the page in the parking lot, and therefore __________________________________."

...

Also, what size steps are we talking here?

Brian Cubbison

Juke Box Hero

Joined: 03 Dec 2004

Posts: 33

Location: Syracuse

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:48 pm

I think it's worth making the case that these above the fold splashes are for the person who does not subscribe and does not necessarily have an ongoing relationship with the paper. Some people buy the paper at a newstand regularly because it's a handy stop on the way to work. Some might buy it one or two days a week because it fits their schedule and travel patterns. The Shrek graphic isn't for them. It's for the Shrek fans who doesn't usually pick up the paper but will get this one because they want to read everything about this topic. Same thing with Spiderman, or maybe even Bonds.

I also think this is a good discussion to have, because it certainly can't hurt to try to figure why and how people buy the paper. Other industries certainly spend a lot of time on design and engineering their products based on people use them.

Josh Crutchmer

Maestro

Joined: 22 Oct 2004

Posts: 251

Location: Omaha World-Herald

Posted:
Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:58 pm

scavendish wrote::

Billy Simkins wrote::

Matt, just remember who popped it first..

La Presse?

Jim Ed Brown in 1967, apparently:

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Jim-Ed-Brown-Browns/dp/B000002WVM

Billy Simkins

Contributing editor

Joined: 27 Jul 2004

Posts: 141

Location: Bakersfield

Posted:
Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:01 am

Billy Simkins wrote::

You can't compare the L.A. Times to Bakersfield.

Billy Simkins wrote::

All we can do is find something to guage your rack sales. If our average rack sale is lets say 9,300, and our biggest blowout rack sell of the year is 10,200. That sets the bar at 900 bonus copies as being the top of the bar for rack sales (in our case.)

Greg Swanson wrote::

I must agree with Steve that your take on the numbers is wrong. A newspaper can only be compared to itself when it comes to circulation.

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Download This Topic Previous topic Next topic	POP THE TOP - DOES IT INCREASE RACK SALES?
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