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).

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