The planned launch of Westfield Shopping Centre’s biannual customer magazine in March next year proves there is still a place for ‘local’ media in the modern media marketplace. These ‘local’ channels are particularly important for ’one shop’ or miniple retailers looking to drive relevant footfall and wanting to avoid the wastage of national or even regional campaigns.
For example, on a ‘micro-local’ level Westfield offers a network of over 100 digital advertising screens and three large format screens. This must be the most cost effective media for any of their tennants as they don’t have the challenge of convincing people to head out of their homes and over to the centre, merely to take a small diversion once they’re there.
In fact other types of local outdoor can also be extremely effective in driving local store footfall, whether it be escalator panels at relevant tube stations (or the new Digital MEPs) or local ’street level’ campaigns. It’s possible to target the latter to sites within 200m of your store(s) for ultimate cost effectiveness.
Other forms of local media can also play a part. The internet is people’s first port of call for local information, and this trend is only going to grow as the continuing penetration and usage of smartphones means people can access information on whatever they need ‘on the go’.
And local magazines such as Westfield’s new venture, which is due to be distibuted to local postcodes as well as in the centre, are also important- especially for premium brands were the tangibility of media gives them a better opportunity to showcase the quality of their offering. But here, the key is the environment – is the quality of the editorial sufficient for their target market to pick it up and read it. If Westfield creates something of the quality of Country and Townhouse Magazine and maintains that quality, they’ll have a success on their hands. If it’s more akin to some of the estate agent driven regional magazines in the market, advertisers should stay well away.
