Wrong Number,  E.T.

Alan Mutter’s got it exactly right – the NAA (Newspaper Association of America) is about to launch an ad campaign that confirms all the worst stereotypes of what’s wrong with newspapers.  I could spend the next ten minutes writing up my version of what he’s got to say, and I wouldn’t say it nearly as eloquently or as succinctly as he has – go read it there, and don’t miss the excellent accompanying graphic of the NAA ad, vs. what should have been the ad.

The NAA and its agency got this ad wrong, because they have fallen into the trap of trying to defend against the perceived deficiencies of their product, instead of crafting a positive message about its strengths.

We all know what’s wrong with newspapers. Print is static in an age of streaming video. The news arrives later in print than via broadcast, the Internet or mobile devices. Print puts editors, instead of the consumer, in charge of what’s covered.