Hong Kong iMail defies sceptics to hit profitability

New English-language tabloid Hong Kong iMail has defied sceptics by

achieving month-to-month profitability in October, just five months

after launch.

Publisher Nigel Oakins pointed to job ads, which were up 25 per cent,

and substantial growth in public notices and other categories of

classified advertising.

The iMail replaced the previous Hongkong Standard after investment

bankers Lazards took a majority stake in publisher Sing Tao, which also

has a Chinese-language daily, a Chinese-language newspaper network

overseas and several printing companies.

Mr Oakins said the iMail's current print run was 46,500, including

schools, hotels and airlines, and the aim was to hit a consistent 50,000

by the end of the year. The newspaper received a boost when Cathay

Pacific took up a trial order of 600 copies per day from October. Sister

newspaper Sing Tao has joined with iMail to offer joint rates.

"Advertisers tend to throw an English-language newspaper into the pot by

habit," said Mr Oakins, "and the default English paper has been the

South China Morning Post."

He said that although display advertising had been slow "every month has

been better than the month before and it's a question of hacking away at

it."

The paper is now starting to attract display advertisers such as Cathay

Pacific, British Airways and Pacific Century CyberWorks.

"The previous paper never had mainstream display advertisers before and

this shows confidence from clients that iMail should be on the

schedule," he said.

TOP TEN TV RECALL - HONG KONG

1) McDONALD'S: client: McDonald's; agency: DDB.

2) COCA-COLA: client: Coca-Cola; agency: D'Arcy.

2) PARK N' SHOP: client: Park N' Shop; agency: DDB.

2) VITASOY (General Ad): client: Vitasoy; agency: Saatchi & Saatchi.

5) SUNDAY (Mosquito): client: Sunday Mobile Phone Network; agency:

BBDO.

6) ONE2FREE: client: One2Free; agency: JWT.

7) MANULIFE MPF (Wong Chi Wah): client: Manulife; agency: Rapp Collins

Worldwide.

7) SUNDAY (Female Ghost): client: Sunday Mobile Phone Network; agency:

BBDO.

9) MAXFACTOR SKII: client: Maxfactor; agency: Leo Burnett.

9) REJOICE: client: Rejoice; agency: Leo Burnett.

Data on TV ads scoring the highest recall among consumers polled was

collected by MARKET BEHAVIOUR (Hong Kong) LTD, on behalf of MEDIA.

(October 30-November 10, 2000).