SmartMatrix 3.0 Debuts at News America Marketing
Upgraded FSI Planning Tool Offers Enhancements & Increased Targeting Efficiencies
New York, NY (December 20, 2004) – News America Marketing, a division of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS), has introduced SmartMatrix 3.0, an enhanced, comprehensive web-based solution for promotional planning. SmartMatrix is News America Marketing’s analytical decision support tool, which enables clients to create, analyze and manage optimal marketing plans for Free Standing Inserts (FSIs) and corresponding In-store Programs. SmartMatrix 3.0 features major report additions, upgrades and capabilities to help organizations target customers better and reduce support costs.
“SmartMatrix analyses provide insights into distribution, performance, and costs, providing brand managers with key information during the planning process, ensuring achievement of their program goals,” said Jesse Aversano, EVP of Marketing for News America Marketing. “Our clients consider SmartMatrix to be a differentiating factor for us.”
One enhancement to the system is the addition of a top-line Summary Report, a one-page brief for market lists presented in an easy-to-read format. This report will assist brand and promotion managers present big picture circulation and cost figures to management.
A second enhancement monitors the market list planning process. The system can track all steps taken to create an FSI list and designate which markets meet each promotion objective. The report allows users to compare markets based on the number of promotion objectives met by each, facilitating the list selection process.
Another significant enhancement with SmartMatrix 3.0 is an upgrade to the retail coverage tools. New reports provide detailed store and All Commodities Volume (ACV) coverage of retailers for a selected market list.
“News America is committed to continually upgrading and advancing the SmartMatrix technology so it continues to exceed our clients’ requirements and enables them to maximize the effectiveness of their programs with us,” said Bill Christie, EVP, CIO, News America Marketing. “As the industry faces greater challenges to improve program efficiencies, SmartMatrix will remain the premier tool of the planning process and help marketers stay ahead of changes.”
News America Marketing, a division of The News Corporation Limited, is the leading single-source provider of consumer advertising and promotional services. The company’s product portfolio, marketed under the SmartSource brand name, consists of the first branded free-standing insert, known as SmartSource Magazine®, various in-store advertising and promotional products, merchandising services, database marketing tools and online promotions. These products and services allow marketers to deliver a brand message to over 200 million consumers each month via a network of 1,161 newspapers and 34,500 supermarket, drug and mass merchandisers locations across the country, including Albertson’s, Kroger, Winn Dixie, CVS, Eckerd and Rite Aid.
News America Marketing’s diverse portfolio of consumer-marketing programs includes:
IN-STORE MEDIA
SmartSource® At-Shelf Sampling SmartSource Price PopSM
SmartSource Shelftake OneSM SmartSource® Bonus Box
SmartSource Price PopSM Banner SmartSource ShelfvisionSM
SmartSource CartsSM SmartSource Freezer Price PopSM
SmartSource Showcase® SmartSource Coupon Machine®
SmartSource Freezer ExtraSM SmartSource Showcase® Extra
SmartSource Floortalk® SmartSource Price Pop® Guaranteed
Merchandising Services
HOME-DELIVERED MEDIA
SmartSource Magazine®
SmartSource Custom PublishingSM
SmartSource Price Feature Plus®
INTERACTIVE MEDIA
SmartSource Direct® Relationship Marketing & Technologies
SmartSource Online Savings NetworkSM
News America Marketing—International provides consumer-marketing services in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to a network of advertising and promotion partners in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim.
News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) had total assets as of June 30, 2004 of approximately U.S. $51 billion and total annual revenues of approximately U.S. $21 billion. News Corporation is a diversified international media and entertainment company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines and inserts; newspapers; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and the Pacific Basin.
Contact: News America Marketing
Laura Richards
212.782.8145
lrichards@newsamerica.com
Rubenstein Associates Public Relations
Robin Wagge
212.843.8006
rwagge@rubenstein.com
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