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Letter From The Publisher
In the 12-year history of the Newsmagazine Network, I have written exactly three of these 'Letters from the Publisher,' one each for the inaugural issue of West, Mid Rivers and Central Newsmagazines. I mention this only to demonstrate my excitement regarding the program that we now are introducing. Since day one of this company, one of my missions has been to ensure that these newsmagazines serve not just as community watchdogs, but also as community advocates. We have a strong commitment to maintaining our region's local economy and unique character. With that in mind, I am proud to introduce the Shop H.E.R.E. (Help Energize the Region's Economy) campaign. The goal of Shop H.E.R.E. is to encourage local consumers to consider locally-owned businesses in their buying decisions and to educate those consumers on the substantial economic impact of choosing a local business. The idea behind this campaign came about in the simplest of ways. A few months ago, the production department at the Newsmagazine Network needed a new digital camera card reader, a relatively simple purchase. We discussed our needs, went online to research, found a suitable device, and printed out the information. There was an immediate need for this device so we sent someone out to a major electronics retailer, which is a few miles from our offices. Up to this point, there is not a thing that is remarkable or unique about this story. There is nothing that makes this buying decision any different from the millions of decisions made in our community every day. A need was established, a budget was set, research was conducted, the decision was made. Simple, right? It was not until our runner was in his car and on the way to the aforementioned electronics retailer that he realized there was a locally-owned camera store fully stocked with card readers directly across the street from our offices. The store was more convenient, more specialized and more knowledgeable. In short, it was a better place for us to make the purchase. It hit us like a ton of bricks. We had not even considered the local option. We had not thought to Shop H.E.R.E. In the advertising business, we call this "top-of-mind awareness." Simply put, the first brand that pops into your mind when you think of a product has achieved top-of-mind awareness. In the day and age when a company like Lowe's is able to spend $50 million on the naming rights for a race track, it is becoming nearly impossible for the local business owner to compete for top-of-mind awareness. At the same time, the success of locally-owned businesses is essential to the success of a community. When you spend money with a local business, more of that money stays in this community, more goes to area charities, and more jobs are created. These businesses help define who we are as a region, what our values are and what our unique needs are. They are the difference between somewhere and anywhere. It is important to note that this is not a campaign against chain stores or big-box retailers or mega-marts. This is not a campaign against anything. It is a campaign for our region, for our neighbors, and for our individuality. We have a lot of wonderful things planned for the Shop H.E.R.E. campaign. There will be window stickers to help you identify which businesses are locally owned, there will be two issues annually of each publication dedicated entirely to our regional economy and character, and there will be a massive marketing campaign to help illustrate the importance of considering the local business owner. In the coming months we will continue to keep you informed about this program, but in the meantime we are asking only for your input and your support.
Please email us at
Douglas H. Huber Publisher
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and let us know that you have decided to support your community. Let us know that you have decided to Shop H.E.R.E.!