ACG Relies On e-Data to Target Clients’ Newspaper Advertising

Headquartered in Torrance, Calif., ACG provides ad placement, rate negotiation, marketing, and media analysis and reconciliation for retail stores throughout the United States and Canada. Founded in 1987, ACG is a privately held company that billed more than $460 million in 2005.

Specializing in media planning, media analysis and vendor rate negotiations, ACG helps major retailers such as JC Penney, PETCO, and LONGS Drug Stores determine where to invest their advertising dollars. To service their clients, Ray Young, director of IT development and his team use ABC’s eNewspapers to target specific ZIP codes where clients’ stores are located. Using this data they are able to determine which newspapers cover these regions, their circulation and, most importantly, their household penetration.

ACG’s clients buy millions of dollars in ad space based on a newspaper’s circulation. Therefore, having accurate data is vital to ACG’s business. To guarantee the most accurate, up-to-date circulation numbers, ACG utilizes ABC’s e-Data services. ACG uses the newspapers’ actual draw numbers in addition to ABC data and cross-references the data provided with their own in-house system. ACG’s analysts then use the final analysis to advise their clients and quickly negotiate ad buy contracts with newspapers.

ACG also uses verified newspaper circulation and household penetration numbers to compare and validate existing regional and ZIP code profiles. The accurate and quick retrieval of these numbers via eNewspapers gives ACG leverage during contract negotiations. The fact that the numbers are from an independent third-party also adds validity to ACG’s numbers and provides reassurance to their clients that the data is credible and verified.

Additionally, ACG uses ABC’s twice-yearly newspaper FAS-FAX report to keep up-to-date on circulation figures until audited numbers are released. Young’s group also uses ABC Audit Reports to track changes in circulation for targeted ZIP codes.

Increased efficiency in obtaining circulation numbers

Using ABC’s e-Data on a weekly basis, ACG’s IT team can access information electronically and upload data into an application where users can manipulate it and get the results they need for a specific region or ZIP code. Before using ABC’s e-Data and eNewspapers, this process was only performed quarterly when the hard-copy reports were released and the information was often already outdated. Additionally, the process of uploading the data was done manually and was very time consuming.

“ABC’s e-Data is cleaner, quicker and widely accepted as the best,” said Young.

Improved newspaper ad buy negotiations

With e-Data, ACG can tailor their media plans to the changing needs of their clients. For example, if a retail store wants to target a specific group for a special promotion, ACG’s analysts can determine the demographics of a newspaper’s readers and thereby determine the appropriate newspapers in which to buy ad space. Knowing the appropriate newspapers and their circulation and penetration numbers, gives ACG and their clients leverage in contract negotiations.

Young said, “ABC gives a lot of credibility, making our data more credible and accepted.”

In the rare event that ACG employees do have questions related to ABC’s e-Data services, Young is quick to point that ABC’s customer service providers are quick to respond.

“They are very responsive and I always get the answer I need,” said Young.

For more information, contact at 1-877-222-0932.