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School of Journalism and New Media
University of Mississippi

ACT 8 Experience: Kintzer speaks about recovering a brand and reaching broader audience through digital

Posted on: April 19th, 2018 by ldrucker

The ACT 8 Experience lineup today included a packed schedule of speakers.

Bonnie Kintzer, from Trusted Media Brands, spoke in the first session about recovering the brand from struggle. She returned to Trusted Media Brands, the parent company of Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home, and The Family Handyman after its bankruptcy.

“The key is to be adapting and adopting to the changes in culture and technology,” she said.

When Kintzer arrived at Trusted Media Brands, it had not adapted to these changes and was not getting information out to millennial markets focusing on an improved online delivery. Instead, magazines were just mailed. The younger market gets most of their media from the internet.

The company was still producing strong content, but it was reaching all consumers. The internet was needed to achieve that, but the company was not using the latest tech to do it.

“They were focusing on survival, not growth,” Kintzer said.

Shifting the focus to social media and improved web design, they began to bounce back, and now have two of the most popular brands on Pinterest. They focus on responsive, cross-platform design across all devices.

“Our approach is to create a strong personal relationship with the consumer,” she said.

Focusing on readers and analyzing how people interact online boosted the company to its current state. Kintzer said a new wave of employees skilled in both business and tech are needed in the industry now. Editors who can focus on and understand web traffic data are needed to keep business afloat.

By Brian Barisa

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