What do they have in common?

OOTLP – (Out on the limb prediction)

It appears that Walgreens is either testing or in the process of phasing out its Sunday advertising supplement in the papers. During the past few weeks it seems that the St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press didn’t carry the Walgreens supplement.  H-mm?

Those addicted to seeing it are going bonkers.  The crescendo hasn’t reached the Coke fervor when that bombshell dropped.  It’s not a good idea to antagonize the faithful.  Coke recanted and belatedly brought back the “original” Coke.  Will—if they are  eliminating the supplement—Walgreens take note and retain it?

We don’t know the marketing strategies here and the various data.  Maybe Sunday circulation is dropping and Walgreens doesn’t feel they reach enough of an audience;  Maybe it’s not cost-effective, but Walgreens might consider it a viable loss leader that helps bring in the customers; or Maybe they feel the client base has mostly shifted to the e- world.

That brings us to the newspapers.  The supplements likely add a tidy sum to advertising revenue.  Less revenue pressures profit margins and further places the survivability of papers in jeopardy.  We have come full circle.  Get rid of Coke, end supplements and contribute to the further demise of the newspaper industry.  We hope this is not in the cards. We predict that Walgreens may eventually discover that this is not the smartest move to be making.

Bob Smith 3^rd

Gopher State Politics Institute