Gannett gets a new look and new slogan in the US but in the UK the name is still Newsquest
IN a "reset" for the company's image, the giant American publisher is rebranding itself across the country with the tagline "It's all within reach."
But in the UK, Newsquest will remain the company's name with the new identity only being used "at corporate level", said Tim Blott, MD of the Glasgow-based Herald and Times group. Gannett owns 17 daily paid-for titles in the UK and more than 200 weekly newspapers.
"It's a reset" for Gannett's image, says CEO Craig Dubow. The company's US properties — including USA TODAY — have already begun to prominently identify themselves as part of Gannett and a national advertising campaign will feature the new "It's all within reach" tagline. The ads will appear in USA TODAY, Gannett's 81 community newspapers, its 23 TV stations and more than 100 digital properties, including Captivate, which has TV-like screens in nearly 9,000 lifts and lobbies. The promotions will include Gannett's new logo, replacing the long-used image of the letter "G" superimposed on a globe. The new design consists of the company name without illustration in a Verlag typeface. "We're in a world that is highly complex, and what we want to do is put out something that is very simple and that people can remember," Dubow says. Gannett also wants to tell consumers that it can serve their needs. Company research has identified the information that people want, as well as how stories should be presented and updated. Audiences "want to have as much video as possible," Dubow says. "We're going to augment that with text, where appropriate. We are creating an environment of feedback loops so the consumer can talk with us and tell us what it is they would like to see, or not want to see." Gannett is launching its marketing campaign at an uncertain time for ad-supported businesses. "The economy is fragile,"Dubow says. Still, he says Gannett's balance sheet is strong, with the financial reserves to acquire companies that might strengthen its digital and mobile media portfolio. The company generated $588.2 million in net income last year on $5.44 billion in revenue.
"What we want to do is take a leadership role in getting this (message) out," Dubow says.