As part of its new season marketing strategy, the CTV Television Network has created W5 Direct, a direct mail piece on W5 with Eric Malling.

David Ballingall, marketing manager, news, at ctv, says the aim of W5 Direct is to alert viewers to the current affairs program’s new Tuesday timeslot, and to give them an inside look at the show.

As well, Ballingall says, W5 Direct is an example of the network offering advertisers a database marketing opportunity to complement their other promotional activities.

Glossy newsletter

W5 Direct is a four-page, glossy magazine-size newsletter detailing upcoming story segments, brief biographies of Malling, three other on-air reporters and Executive Producer Peter Rehak, and a short history of the show, now in its 28th year.

Ballingall says the W5 Direct mailing list was compiled from the names of the viewers who had contacted the show to inquire about transcripts or to offer story ideas or comments.

Also on the mailing list were the names of educational institutions and organizations which had bought segments of W5 with Eric Malling from the network, and ctv affiliate station promotion departments.

Ballingall says copies of the newsletter were also sent to all W5 with Eric Malling advertisers as well as some of the country’s largest advertisers who do not buy time on the show.

One-time mailing

In all, he says, 5,000 newsletters were sent out in a one-time mailing. There are no plans for another W5 Direct piece this year.

Ballingall says the network will monitor the impact of W5 Direct to see if more ctv programs deserve their own newsletter.

As well as W5 Direct, Ballingall says ctv is supporting the current affairs show with an on-air tv campaign and print ads throughout the year in TV Guide, The Globe and Mail’s Broadcast Week,and other listings magazines.