Presenting arguments for and against each issue, the three double posters will ask if trying to slash immigration is a good or a bad idea, whether or not Britain should give up trying to be a global power, and if China is a threat or friend to the West.
The highly successful campaign was first launched a year ago to encourage people to engage in discussion and debate around issues covered in the newspaper. Through the posters, The Economist hopes to challenge non-readers’ narrow misconceptions of the brand by showcasing its wide-ranging editorial content and demonstrating that it might be something they would enjoy. Posters also offer potential readers a free copy of The Economist through a text code. The campaign uses an innovative media buying technique (two 48-sheet posters side by side) to display both sides of each argument, which has since been replicated by a number of leading brands.
The new ads officially launch on Monday 13th June with the posters live until 27th June. The three themes will run simultaneously. To coincide with the campaign, The Economist is distributing a specially-created free sample issue of the newspaper in central London on 20th June, containing articles from past issues designed to show the surprising breadth of Economist content. It includes pieces on The Rolling Stones as a business partnership, how to improve your reputation and quality of death.
In the most recent magazine ABCs, The Economist posted an 11% increase in the UK, rising above 200k for the first time (to 210,204 - ABC UK Jul-Dec 2010).
The ‘Where do you stand?’ ad campaign was created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. Media planning and buying was handled by PHD.
