I recently attended the DMA Insert Days and learned what the Tribune Newspaper is doing to be more competitive. They have a new service offering, Direct Plus that allows them to compete for direct mail dollars because they can target at a sub-zip level to areas that match the desired demographics. Also, unlike direct mail the insert is wrapped around the paper inside the plastic, forcing it to be noticed.
In addition to the sub-zip delivery, they have a very unique targeting capability where they will match a prospect/customer list or demographics profiles against their subscriber database, allowing for great targeting. They can also guarantee in home dates, something direct mail is lacking.
I applaud the Tribunes effort to innovate.