Air Canada mailing out copies of enRoute during COVID
#31
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This is all about honoring their commitment to advertisers, who paid to have their message appear before x-number of eyeballs. The postage cost is far, far less expensive than make-goods on existing ad contracts.
No, they can't easily print fewer of them. Ad sales are predicated on x-number of copies going into circulation, so if they want to keep the ad money they better get those copies in front of reader eyeballs one way or another. Postage is expensive, but still far cheaper than a make-good to every advertiser because they didn't hold up their end.
Beyond that, print contracts are typically multi-year affairs with concrete numbers ... you can't just call up and alter the quantity a couple of weeks before you go to press, that's not how it works.
No, they can't easily print fewer of them. Ad sales are predicated on x-number of copies going into circulation, so if they want to keep the ad money they better get those copies in front of reader eyeballs one way or another. Postage is expensive, but still far cheaper than a make-good to every advertiser because they didn't hold up their end.
Beyond that, print contracts are typically multi-year affairs with concrete numbers ... you can't just call up and alter the quantity a couple of weeks before you go to press, that's not how it works.
And where would the tipping point be for AC to end the mail-out campaign? When capacity returned to 50% of pre-COVID levels? 75%?
#33
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Also got mine yesterday. Thought the covering letter said it was for SEs but that could have been my misremembering since I just scanned it and didn't read it carefully.
Was looking forward to reading it on my flight to PHX last month but that obviously never happened. Getting it in the mail yesterday was the second best way to read it but thanks AC. I need to go make one of those AC omelette breakfasts now . . .
(getting restless)
Was looking forward to reading it on my flight to PHX last month but that obviously never happened. Getting it in the mail yesterday was the second best way to read it but thanks AC. I need to go make one of those AC omelette breakfasts now . . .
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#34
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This is all about honoring their commitment to advertisers, who paid to have their message appear before x-number of eyeballs. The postage cost is far, far less expensive than make-goods on existing ad contracts.
No, they can't easily print fewer of them. Ad sales are predicated on x-number of copies going into circulation, so if they want to keep the ad money they better get those copies in front of reader eyeballs one way or another. Postage is expensive, but still far cheaper than a make-good to every advertiser because they didn't hold up their end.
Beyond that, print contracts are typically multi-year affairs with concrete numbers ... you can't just call up and alter the quantity a couple of weeks before you go to press, that's not how it works.
No, they can't easily print fewer of them. Ad sales are predicated on x-number of copies going into circulation, so if they want to keep the ad money they better get those copies in front of reader eyeballs one way or another. Postage is expensive, but still far cheaper than a make-good to every advertiser because they didn't hold up their end.
Beyond that, print contracts are typically multi-year affairs with concrete numbers ... you can't just call up and alter the quantity a couple of weeks before you go to press, that's not how it works.
So if an advertiser has a contract to have their message appear before x-number of eyeballs i.e. all AC passengers system-wide for one month by mailing copies only to elites who represent a fraction of total passenger is AC holding up their end? I appreciate that by mailing copies out AC is doing its best to get the ad seen by as many eyeballs as possible as there really aren't any other better solutions given the circumstances.
And where would the tipping point be for AC to end the mail-out campaign? When capacity returned to 50% of pre-COVID levels? 75%?
And where would the tipping point be for AC to end the mail-out campaign? When capacity returned to 50% of pre-COVID levels? 75%?
The difference in how we evaluate these decisions is really a mix of money spent or not, readership gained or lost and nuance. I am not sure if Symmetre and I worked in the same business or the same side of the business, but my far too many years in this rodeo taught me some things and gave me a lot of insight. That said.....
A make-good in broadcast is a replacement spot for a commercial that did not run as it was scheduled too (e.g. didn't not run, ran in wrong time-slot etc). Simple examples of compensation can be in the form of another spot to be aired later on in the same show or if it's not available, multiple spots in other shows to guarantee the same audience or a make-good for the future or cash back on the invoice. The are other more detailed examples.
In print, a publication is selected because it was determined to be a good environment to reach the client's target audience. How I chose print environments was based on the theme or topic plus the audience it could provide based on demographics and psychographics. There are various research data available that give us info about the average daily or monthly readership as well as who the readers are.
In enRoute's media kit, there is this bit of info. I generally work with far more than this, but for this purpose, it's an example.
![](https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.flyertalk.com-vbulletin/622x230/1mg_9b82495675b278e192548f8989009544038226d6.png)
When we book space in publications on behalf of clients, we and the clients can accept the data available that tells us they print this number of copies - which can be verified, and also that each copy has 14.1 readers, thus potentially delivering an average audience of 1,684,000.
There really isn't a guarantee at the best of times of exactly who sees the commercial or ad. All media have very different measurement processes and tools.
We've had clients choose to pull ads when the readership of a publication drops significantly, but if the publication chooses to reduce the print run, thus reduce the readership, then compensation is due the client in whichever format they agree to - some money returned or additional ads later or etc. Or if the reduction is known in advance, the cost of the ad space can be reduced as well.
I've read how some other airlines have stopped printing their in-flight magazine. I did not look into the reasons. But they have their own contracts with the printers in their own countries. If the ads for all the other clients do not get seen because the magazine is not being printed, make-goods are issued or contracts are revised. Most if not all the clients I ever worked with did not pay in advance for their ad to run. They pay when invoiced by the media, usually within 15 or 30 days afterward (as actual copies of the magazines were shipped to show proof of appearing.
I can't answer the tipping-point question. The publisher would have to advise all the clients that the magazine will not be seen by the audiences they promised. Then the clients can choose to stay with the smaller audience, cancel if possible or take a make-good etc.
AC and the publisher had obviously made the choice to run the issue that people are receiving in the mail. Going forward, I can't speak to what AC and the publisher will do with future issues yet to be printed, or, if they choose to print future copies, how they will adjust ad costs based on reduced audience. And of course, the magazine also has a contract with the printer which has to be dealt with in whichever way.
BTW, there will always be clients who continue to advertise throughout this period of limited travel for a variety of reasons.
Apologies to those who work in industries where exactness is the norm. The explanation I provided is not black and white because the industry itself is not black and white. And yes, it is far easier to pull a broadcast commercial or an online ad than it is to stop presses for print media. But, there is a lot of flexibility in the business and there are always solutions.
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#35
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When we book space in publications on behalf of clients, we and the clients can accept the data available that tells us they print this number of copies - which can be verified, and also that each copy has 14.1 readers, thus potentially delivering an average audience of 1,684,000.
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I hadn't noticed the 14.1 readers per copy. Perhaps keeping up the average readers per copy would be a good reason to send only one copy per household?
#37
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The readership measurement is done by research companies. Having booked ads in enRoute years ago for a variety of clients, the estimated readership is based on pax loads versus typical magazine readership measurement.
AC knows how many SEs there are based on Altitude and AC generally knows where these SEs live
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I agree with AC sending 1 per household, versus 1 per Altitude member. What we don't know is are they also mailing copies elsewhere - corporate executives, VIP clients, business partners in other divisions e.g. cargo.
#39
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So if an advertiser has a contract to have their message appear before x-number of eyeballs i.e. all AC passengers system-wide for one month by mailing copies only to elites who represent a fraction of total passenger is AC holding up their end? I appreciate that by mailing copies out AC is doing its best to get the ad seen by as many eyeballs as possible as there really aren't any other better solutions given the circumstances.
And where would the tipping point be for AC to end the mail-out campaign? When capacity returned to 50% of pre-COVID levels? 75%?
And where would the tipping point be for AC to end the mail-out campaign? When capacity returned to 50% of pre-COVID levels? 75%?
There are obviously a ton of variables here, but that's roughly how they would be able to satisfy an advertiser. Tipping point is subject to whatever agreement was made with the advertisers to begin with ... we can only speculate.
The difference in how we evaluate these decisions is really a mix of money spent or not, readership gained or lost and nuance. I am not sure if Symmetre and I worked in the same business or the same side of the business, but my far too many years in this rodeo taught me some things and gave me a lot of insight. That said.....
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Have worked on both sides of the table ... both as a rep and as a buyer ... that's a very good explanation in rough terms. Nice.
#40
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I would be grateful if any FTer here would be willing to mail me their Enroute post read (happy donate $10 to any reasonable non-profit of your choice for the hassle)
This edition looks to be winner and I hate reading these things on digital.
This edition looks to be winner and I hate reading these things on digital.
#43
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