Client Programs

PEOPLE Magazine

Challenge: PEOPLE Magazine, like many other publications of its industry, is facing a new challenge in the race for market dominance. Generation Y has become the new target market and is turning out to be the hardest to reach as well. Facing a skeptic and over advertised target market, EdVenture Partners offered an approach to bring both positive brand image and unique marketability to this particular segment of the population. EdVenture Partners, through its knowledge and insight of Generation Y, developed a paramount marketing program that exceeded the objectives put forth by PEOPLE Magazine, which were to:

• Create program(s) that deliver magazine subscriptions at a discount to college-age students for whom PEOPLE’s standard rate is too expensive.
• Bolster awareness of PEOPLE Magazine among college-age students.
• Establish an entry-point and foothold in the younger reader market. Build brand awareness and positive perception of PEOPLE among college-age students.
• Implement marketing tactics that impact direct subscription sales within the target market.

Benefits to Clients: While obtaining 53.4 million gross impressions during the campaign, the new product subscription cost was blanketed in the Generation Y target market. The overall media coverage, both locally and regionally, helped bolster brand image to all of the local affiliations. Other benefits included:

• Positive brand image increased toward the younger reader, while establishing affordability.
• Brand image was altered as a result of promotion. The product is not seen as “Your Mother’s Magazine” anymore.
• PEOPLE Magazine has now established concrete ties to the campus life throughout the communities.
• Through the planning and implementation of the marketing strategy, the integrated marketing campaign was successful in reaching a new readership, ultimately resulting in brand loyalty.
• Advertising and PR campaigns developed by students for students, result in a more productive and valued interest for the target market.
• PEOPLE Magazine now owns all marketing strategies and ideas generated by the student interns.

Benefits to Faculty: Faculty at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Portland State University, DePaul University, Ohio State University and University of Southern California were able to give their students a hands-on experience by immersing them in a real-world environment. “It is much more directed and clear in the deliverables and skills that the students will learn. Since everyone is learning together, they do not feel intimidated and feel that they are on the same playing field as everyone else. The program is supervised by faculty, which is not true of many internships.” Dr. Debbie MacInnis, Professor of Marketing at the University of Southern California.

Benefits to Students: As an internship, this program gives the students both opportunity and responsibility to create and manage their own marketing initiatives, whereas other internships don't allow as much creative freedom, or even provide as much experience. This is a very experience based educational outcome as opposed to a theoretical based channel of learning.