CBS Makes People Mag Ad Buy

Network to be exclusive advertiser for issue hitting newsstands Sept. 12.

By Robert Marich -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/1/2008 9:02:00 AM

CBS Television is the exclusive broadcast network advertiser in the Sept. 22 edition of People magazine, buying 20 full page ads on consecutive right-hand pages, spreads and gatefolds.

 The buy, which is for an edition that hits newsstands Sept.12, cost in the single digit millions of dollars.

 “The strategy is to dominate and get our voice heard,” CBS Marketing Group president George Schweitzer says. “This will make an impact. Entertainment marketing is about getting noticed and we’re all about competing for that share of attention of the viewer.” He said that CBS had never done such an exclusive magazine buy before.

 People has a paid circulation of 3.8 million and claims a readership of 43 million, which is heavy with female and ages 35+ readers that are a prime CBS target, says Schweitzer. People said the broadcast network exclusive is a first for the Time Warner-owned publication.

 Schweitzer adds that because CBS’ entire magazine print budget is funneled into People, instead of spreading the money across multiple titles, CBS made no increase in its total magazine ad spending.

 CBS exclusivity is just in the broadcast network category, so cable networks are not elbowed out. But Schweitzer said they don’t premiere series in the same time frame so cable nets are less of a concern now.

 The People ads are interconnected, in a creative approach designed to entice readers to view them all. For example, an ad built around a copy line “Always Gets Lucky” showing Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men is followed by another ad “Never Gets Lucky” with Kyle Bornheimer of Worst Week.

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