News Releases
Go! Travel Ideas will reach 2 million readers through American Profile’s network of 360 Midwest newspapers
DES MOINES, IOWA (March 15, 2006) – Midwest Living magazine, published by Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), announced today that it will publish Go! Travel Ideas, a four-color newspaper travel supplement beginning April 2. Go! Travel Ideas will provide Midwesterners with ideas for close-to-home and out-of-the-area trips, as well as detailed trip planning information. Distributed through American Profile’s network of 360 hometown newspapers in 12 Midwestern states, Go! Travel Ideas will provide advertisers with a direct link to a high-value segment not served by national travel publications. It will have a BPA-audited circulation of 2 million.
“For almost 20 years, Midwest Living has been the recognized travel authority for Midwesterners,” states Peter Gross, publisher of Midwest Living. “With Go! Travel Ideas, we’re delving even deeper into America’s Heartland with a niche publication that speaks directly to the travel needs of smaller Midwest counties. This is a demographic that represents 32 percent of all domestic business and leisure travel dollars spent by Midwesterners, and our editors will provide them with specific, useful tips on how to best spend those dollars.”
Midwest Living’s proprietary studies – including focus groups and media buyer surveys – coupled with existing consumer data shows that there is a gap in travel coverage. Smaller counties in the Midwest are underserved by current media offerings, yet average expenditures for vacations taken by residents of those counties match that of larger county travelers. Various state tourism offices – including Missouri, North Dakota, Minnesota and Kansas – are advertising in the premiere issue, along with Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Wildlife Safari.
Each issue of Go! Travel Ideas will include Top 10 Lists on everything from scenic drives and spas to festivals and family attractions, as well as an Editor’s Choice column that expands on one of those picks. Go! Travel Ideas will also devote sections to kids, weekend getaways, restaurant reports, best deals and outdoor activities. Readers will be directed to www.gotravelideas.com for additional information, resources and Web links for all destinations mentioned in the articles.
"Everybody wins here," said Dick Porter, CEO of Publishing Group of America, which publishes American Profile. "Going through a trusted newspaper vehicle lets Go! Travel Ideas build a big brand overnight without the usual circulation costs and timing. At the same time, American Profile and our newspaper partners get top-quality editorial to which readers will respond."
About Midwest Living
Midwest Living magazine (www.midwestliving.com), published by Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), is a regional publication that celebrates the richness of life in the Midwest. Founded in 1987, the magazine is dedicated to providing its readers a wealth of region-specific information and inspiration, focusing on travel and events, food and dining, and home and garden, as well as other editorial content categories. Midwest Living, which reaches 4.1 million readers, is published bi-monthly and has a rate base of 925,000.
About American Profile
Franklin, TN-based Publishing Group of America publishes American Profile, which debuted in April 2000 as the second largest publishing launch in U.S. history. It is distributed through more than 1,200 newspapers with a combined circulation of 8 million. The company publishes a series of cookbooks (“Hometown Recipes”) and operates Hometown Content, a syndicated news service, and Hometown Promotions, an integrated marketing service. In February 2006, the company will introduce Relish, a monthly food magazine with 6 million circulation via newspapers. The company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Franklin, TN.
CONTACT:
Mariela Azcuy
212-551-6955
Mariela.Azcuy@meredith.com