I like The Guardian. I have consistently bought and read it more than any other newspaper. The thing is, I rarely buy a physical paper copy any more. And I do like it as a physical product - I like the Berliner format. But what was once a daily purchase is now usually Saturday only.
However, my connection with The Guardian as a product and brand continues. I still read their content as a primary source of news. I subscribe to their iPhone app and I have the digital addition bookmarked as a favourite. When I eventually succumb to an iPad, I will probably never buy a physcial copy again.
The other week I caught the long-form Three Little Pigs advert on Channel 4. It was clearly well made and it made me pause from my ususl ad-break rush to make a cup of tea or pour a glass of wine. It was interesting and entertaining. No other UK paper has advertised itself like that before.
If you have missed the advert, you can view it here:
It was accompanied by a blog post by the editor Alan Rusbridger about 'open journalism'. How news is understood, generated and distributed in world of digital and social media. You can read his post here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/insideguardian/2012/feb/29/open-journalism-at-the-guardian
So what was the advert for?
Court new readers. Raise brand awareness. Highlight added value ("we are not just a newspaper"). Indicate how switched on The Guardian is to news creation and how it can go viral with a Tweet, how non-journos can break stories before the mainstream media. The importance of 'open journalism'.
All these things I guess. Alan Rusbridger closes his blog by saying:
"The newspaper is moving beyond a newspaper. Journalists are finding they can give the whole picture better. Over a year the readership grows - a little in print, vastly in digital. Advertisers like it, too."
Ok. But it's been like that for awhile now. It's nothing new.
I doubt I was the intended audience. I get 'digital' and 'social media' (if I didn't, I'd be out of a job). My relationship with The Guadian is already established, regular and online.
But having seen the advert and read the blog, you are left wondering what next for The Guardian. Do they carry on as they are? Do they follow The Times and have a paywall? Do they focus on digital and push cheap or free newspaper 'lites' versions to commuters? Will paid for added value apps be enough to support the free versions?
It's not clear how they can sustain providing qualtiy news and content largely for free, supplemented by advertising revenue. It does not seem sustainable to me.
It would be a sad day if The Guardian had to close due to lack of reserves and income.