Case Studies

U.S. Newspaper Publisher

Background

A large U.S. newspaper publisher needed unbiased estimates of local advertising spending across 28 major metropolitan areas. Executives required these estimates for corporate planning and for determining compensation of regional executives responsible for specific markets.

Solution

Global Insight was uniquely qualified to meet this client's requirements. We provided estimates and forecasts, consistent with our national outlook, of advertising spending by metropolitan area, designated market area, and other regional geographies. We developed detailed forecast estimates using data from:

• Jack Myers Report
• Universal McCann, Coen Report
• Paul Kagan Associates
• Vernois Suhler Stevenson

Results

Our solution enabled this client to achieve consistency across markets, timely availability, and defensible forecasts linked explicitly to local and national forecasts. The publisher ultimately developed a set of consistent estimates that proved significantly more accurate than other "industry-standard" forecasts.

Newspaper, Broadcast, and Cable Firm

Background

In an environment of poor performance by global and national media firms, a large newspaper, broadcast, and cable firm needed to clearly communicate the advantages of its unique focus on three U.S. regions.

The client required an independent regional and industrial analysis to support ad-spend forecasts. Executives also needed help in presenting these results to different audiences to demonstrate the exceptional strengths of the company's core markets.

Solution

Three separate divisions of the client's company—the investor relations, advertising sales, and marketing groups—participated in this project. Each division had a stake in the results.

Global Insight developed a three-part solution:

1. We analyzed the client's markets and ad-spend prospects by media, benchmarking these results against U.S. and regional averages to highlight the relative strengths and weaknesses of the client's assets. We then placed these results in a set of presentations to be distributed to the investment community.
2. We prepared a set of four detailed regional reports containing forecasts by MSA, state, and regional grouping. These reports are aligned with the client's sales and marketing structure to ensure a solid foundation for setting sales quotas and forecasting budgets.
3. We prepared technical papers covering data sources, definitions, and methodologies for the client's internal users, enabling them to adopt our solution as an ongoing and integral part of their planning process.

Results

Armed with the knowledge provided by Global Insight, this client now showcases their assets to investors, sets expectations among their sales and advertising staff, and updates their estimates quarterly.