Hong Kong iMail defies sceptics to hit profitability

<p>New English-language tabloid Hong Kong iMail has defied sceptics by </p><p>achieving month-to-month profitability in October, just five months </p><p>after launch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Publisher Nigel Oakins pointed to job ads, which were up 25 per cent, </p><p>and substantial growth in public notices and other categories of </p><p>classified advertising. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The iMail replaced the previous Hongkong Standard after investment </p><p>bankers Lazards took a majority stake in publisher Sing Tao, which also </p><p>has a Chinese-language daily, a Chinese-language newspaper network </p><p>overseas and several printing companies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Oakins said the iMail's current print run was 46,500, including </p><p>schools, hotels and airlines, and the aim was to hit a consistent 50,000 </p><p>by the end of the year. The newspaper received a boost when Cathay </p><p>Pacific took up a trial order of 600 copies per day from October. Sister </p><p>newspaper Sing Tao has joined with iMail to offer joint rates. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Advertisers tend to throw an English-language newspaper into the pot by </p><p>habit," said Mr Oakins, "and the default English paper has been the </p><p>South China Morning Post." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said that although display advertising had been slow "every month has </p><p>been better than the month before and it's a question of hacking away at </p><p>it." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The paper is now starting to attract display advertisers such as Cathay </p><p>Pacific, British Airways and Pacific Century CyberWorks. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The previous paper never had mainstream display advertisers before and </p><p>this shows confidence from clients that iMail should be on the </p><p>schedule," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>TOP TEN TV RECALL - HONG KONG </p><p>1) McDONALD'S: client: McDonald's; agency: DDB. </p><p>2) COCA-COLA: client: Coca-Cola; agency: D'Arcy. </p><p>2) PARK N' SHOP: client: Park N' Shop; agency: DDB. </p><p>2) VITASOY (General Ad): client: Vitasoy; agency: Saatchi & Saatchi. </p><p>5) SUNDAY (Mosquito): client: Sunday Mobile Phone Network; agency: </p><p>BBDO. </p><p>6) ONE2FREE: client: One2Free; agency: JWT. </p><p>7) MANULIFE MPF (Wong Chi Wah): client: Manulife; agency: Rapp Collins </p><p>Worldwide. </p><p>7) SUNDAY (Female Ghost): client: Sunday Mobile Phone Network; agency: </p><p>BBDO. </p><p>9) MAXFACTOR SKII: client: Maxfactor; agency: Leo Burnett. </p><p>9) REJOICE: client: Rejoice; agency: Leo Burnett. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Data on TV ads scoring the highest recall among consumers polled was </p><p>collected by MARKET BEHAVIOUR (Hong Kong) LTD, on behalf of MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>(October 30-November 10, 2000). </p><p><BR><BR> </p>