Focus on Travel
Hachette joins Holiday with photo properties
by Karen Hudes
Heightening the synergy between travel and photography advertising, Hachette Filipacchi is incorporating Travel Holiday, which it acquired from The Reader's Digest Association in March 1996 into the publishing group of American Photo (circ. 254,000) and Popular Photography (circ. 459,000).
Travel Holiday, with a circulation of 575,000, trails Conde Nast Traveler (circ. 805,000) and American Express' Travel & Leisure (circ. 990,000). However, TH's association with the photo books, and with the travel-related partnerships they have sponsored, could help to enhance its position in the category.
All in one: Singapore Tourism’s ad includes a photo contest and a prize trip.
Richard Rabinowitz, vice president, group publisher, has headed up both of the photo titles since 1992. Before moving on to other Hachette projects, Rabinowitz had previously served as the book's associate publisher in 1986. The March 1997 issue of Travel Holiday is the first to be published under Rabinowitz' group charge. Sharri Jurmain remains vice president, publisher of the title.
Rabinowitz says the association is founded on the premise that "the camera purchaser is also a travel purchaser, and the travel purchaser is also a camera purchaser." Hachette's photo books alone have have sponsored special travel partnerships for years. In 1993-94, the photo books sponsored travel/photo television specials on ESPN, and since 1995, the books have deepened their relationships with travel accounts through programs that appeared on the Travel Channel, accompanied by promotional advertorials in the magazine.
For example, Rabinowitz says that for one of the half-hour programs, called "Freeze Frame," Popular Photography sent a photographer with a Pentax camera and Agfa film to Hawaii. In the second installment of "Freeze Frame," a Sony videographer was sent to Tahiti. To publicize the shows the magazine produces a four-page advertorial section, the cost of which is shared by all sponsors involved and feature images from the locale and scheduling information. As for the shows, the photographer explores the landscape and presents tips on how to take better photos.
Additionally, some cross-promotional events provide camera discounts to those readers who purchase certain travel packages. Also to the advantage of the camera and film manufacturers, all photos featured in the promotional sections are accompanied by details on the types of camera, lens, film and shooting techniques responsible for the image.
Reader contests and live events have also served as components of the join promotions. In March, 1966 American Photo ran a contest sponsored by Nikon and the Wyoming Board of Tourism revolving around the state's tagline "Like No Place On Earth." In July 1996 American Photo and Popular Photogarphy worked with Hyatt and Marriott, along with Minolta and Konica, in Kauai to provide photo instruction tours to guests. Travel Holiday will promote a similar New Orleans program in its May issue, publicizing a week of free photo instructions/walking tours organized by 12 of the city's hotels this August. Rabinowitz says he expects the program to round up 5,000 attendees.
The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, touting a photo contest and prize trip, will begin a series of ad installments in all three May issues, as well. Charles Leong, senior vice president, Americas, for the Singapore Board, says his company has worked in the past with Travel Holiday, but not with the photo books. he says that TH's link to other Hachette books opens up the extension of Singapore's "New Asia" branding promotion.
Rabinowitz says he will look to involve different types of accounts in upcoming joint promotions. Some categories he sees as naturals--especially for involvement in the live-event tie-ins-- are automotive, fashion, credit cards, walking shoes and bottled water.
Jerry Grossman, general manager of communications at Nikon, saysz that Hachette understands how to serve the "cross-pollination" of the travel and photo categories. In its participation in the advertorial partnerships, Grossman says that Nikon gets "a very good bang for the buck."
Adds Bill Duggan, vice president, management supervisor at Grey Advertising, who oversees the Canon account, "It's a value-added piece that makes sense."
As Hachette regroups the title, the magazine is also being positioned within the travel category to represent "Real Places for Real People." Rich Melin, media director at Cramer-Krasselt, says, "Travel Holiday is trying to capture the practical travel position, but I don't know if it's a practical position." He thinks that the product looks better than it did years ago, but does not think the look communicates the magazine's approach to consumers.
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