• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, May 30, 2003

How do you reach a large, affluent, audience nationwide one day a week without them having to leave their home to do so? The answer: Place your brand on a Sunday (or Monday) newspaper polybag. Here's a few simple steps to get you started.

First, contact a company such as Valassis that specializes in newspaper polybags. The New York Times, Boston Globe, and The Chicago Sun-Times are just a few of the many newspapers that employ its polybags. Valassis' full circulation is 40 million.

Most advertisers supply their own creative to Valassis for polybag printing, but Valassis has their own in-house creative group if you prefer.

Quaker Oats, Kodak, and General Motors are just a few of the clients participating in the polybag program. Program pricing varies by location and circulation, but CPMs can range from $80 to 250.

Three different polybags are available: Newspouch, Brand Bag, and Brand Bag +. With Newspouch, it is simply ads placed on the polybag, and with Brand Bag and Brand Bag + there is an extra pouch where advertisers can include coupons and/or an actual product sample.