Not Sure That It Will Become My Daily Habit

As a former journalist, I’m more of a news junkie than most. As a dinosaur, I regularly read the print editions of my hometown newspaper and national daily USA Today. Despite my more traditional content consumption habits, I had to jump in and read The Daily the day it launched. In my view, it looks, feels and reads like a magazine. What is new about this new format? Well, I do like the incredibly vivid photos and rich content that accompany a selection of stories. (For example, preview coverage of this Sunday’s Super Bowl was enhanced by videos of Fox Sports personalities discussing what we can expect from the teams.) Granted, The Daily’s target is much younger demographic, but I frankly saw little content that would grab my niece or younger colleagues. However, that doesn’t stop major brands such as Pepsi and HBO from spending to advertise in The Daily. (I read this as a move tied to boosting cool factor, not communicating directly with a brand’s customers or prospects.) Where does this leave the rest of us marketers? Yes, we have another format to consider. But it’s prudent to watch closely before investing too heavily. For more on more thoughts on The Daily, please see my column here http://bit.ly/hemtVY