Big win again for the Big Walk

Big win again for the Big Walk

In just two weeks, The New Paper has clinched two international awards for improving marketing and circulation.

Yesterday, TNP walked away with the second prize in the Best Idea to Grow Subscription Sales category at the International News Media Association (INMA) Awards 2015 in the US.

The New Paper Big Walk 2014 campaign won the award, which was given out at The Edison Ballroom in New York's iconic Times Square.

The category recognises creative marketing activities by news media companies to acquire and retain subscribers in print and online publications.

TNP's creative editor Ken Jalleh Jr, 57, said the idea of linking digital subscriptions to the TNP Big Walk was a "light-bulb moment".

He said it would not have been so effective without the support of his TNP colleagues, especially his core team, comprising special projects editor Jacqueline Wu and assistant editor for special projects Robin Kong.

Said Mr Jalleh: "Today's challenges demand that senior journalists strategise and innovate beyond our traditional role in editorial.

"It's imperative that we are acutely aware of the bigger picture, and apply our minds to circulation and marketing issues, synergising and adding value where we can."

The INMA Awards 2015, an international sales and marketing competition for the news media sector, received 578 entries from 190 companies across 38 countries.

Said Mr Jalleh: "That a team of journalists could gain international recognition for a circulation-marketing type award makes it sweet."

SECOND AWARD

The Big Walk also helped TNP clinch the Bronze award for the Best in Newspaper Marketing category at the Asian Media Awards 2015 in Bangkok on April 29.

The Big Walk is Singapore's largest mass walking event.

In 2000, it won a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest walking event, when a record 77,500 participants took part to mark its 10th anniversary.

TNP Big Walk 2014, which was held on Nov 30 last year and drew 18,000 participants, made a difference on three fronts.

First, it generated a revenue of more than half a million. In just 19 days, all 18,000 tickets were snapped up, with each participant paying $12.

Second, it boosted advertisement revenue from sponsors.

Third, by handing out three-month TNP digital subscriptions to the walkathon participants as part of the goodie bags, the walk successfully boosted TNP's circulation.

TNP gained a whopping increase of 36,000 daily subscribers - overnight, said Mr Jalleh.

Mr Jalleh, who was the chairman of the 2014 Big Walk organising committee, walks the talk when it comes to thinking beyond editorial.

He recently initiated Think (thinktnp.com), offering the newspaper's international award-winning expertise on a commercial basis.

Big Walk fans, he added, can look forward to an even bigger event this year, with a unique route, more fun and more goodies.


This article was first published on May 14, 2015.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.