Valassis launches Rapid Response program offering promotional, advertising media solutions for crisis management, utilizing cross-platform opportunities

Kendall Sinclair

LIVONIA, Michigan , August 10, 2011 (press release) – Valassis (NYSE: VCI), one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, announced today Valassis Rapid Response, a range of new capabilities offering promotional and advertising media solutions for businesses to employ as part of their strategic crisis management plan. Drawing on the strength of the RedPlum® Media Portfolio, Valassis Rapid Response assists companies that are facing a crisis or undergoing a merger and acquisition with maintaining and rebuilding customer confidence, reestablishing brand recognition and upholding public trust through best-in-class media solutions.

Valassis Rapid Response combines national reach with hyper-local messaging to provide customers with an unparalleled ability to reach target audiences effectively through media during times of crisis. The program works with brands across multiple industries, including retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG), energy and insurance to capitalize on a varied media mix that gets out the message and communicates effectively with consumers and stakeholders.

"Successful crisis management largely depends on developing a planned, blended media solution and a sustained communication approach," said Larry Berg, Valassis Vice President of Communications and General Manager of Newspaper & Rapid Response. "The official launch of Valassis Rapid Response draws upon our nearly 30 years of experience deploying multiple cross-media vehicles that have proven effective in crisis situations requiring mass saturation or pinpoint household level targeting."

Valassis has been providing companies with media solutions around crisis management since 1982, when a CPG brand facing product recall first approached the company to provide strategic media placement. Valassis executed a run-of-press (ROP) newspaper campaign for the food brand, alerting consumers about the recall and educating the public about the brand's actions to resolve the situation. Now nearly 30 years later, Valassis has expanded its range of media products to include a multiple platform offering, such as RedPlum ROP, Inserts and Shared Mail, RedPlum Digital Display Advertising, RedPlum Email Marketing, RedPlum In-store and RedPlum Frequent Shopper Card Direct Mail.

Valassis Rapid Response utilizes a varied media product mix to execute its five-phase communications process – Prepare, Alert, Communicate/Educate, Rebuild and Reward. Following the preparation phase, Valassis works with companies in each step to help minimize impact of a crisis on sales and consumer opinion.

In response to the recent H1N1 flu scare, a hand-soap manufacturer needed to get its message out quickly to take advantage of the sudden increase in demand for the category. Valassis was able to facilitate a nationwide, locally targeted full-page, full-color ROP ad within 24-48 hours of the advertiser's request. This enabled the advertiser to speak to consumers at the high point of interest in preventing the spread of the H1N1 flu virus. As a result, 39 percent of consumers said that they had either already purchased or planned to purchase the product based on the ad, with 61 percent saying that they felt more positive toward the brand because of the ad.*

"Post-crisis, companies sometimes overlook important opportunities to continue engaging with their loyal customer base and regaining trust," Berg continued. "Valassis Rapid Response media products enable brands to build back consumer confidence and strengthen reputation by leveraging a blend of media outlets and tactics that maximize reach and frequency to shorten the road to recovery."

For more information about Valassis Rapid Response and RedPlum ROP, visit:
http://www.valassis.com/1024/Products/ROP.aspx.

To learn more about the RedPlum product portfolio, visit:
http://www.valassis.com/1024/Products/products_home.aspx

Source: Research & Analysis of Media, 2009
*Based on consumers who recalled the ad


About Valassis

Valassis is one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, offering unparalleled reach and scale to more than 15,000 advertisers. Its RedPlum™ media portfolio delivers value on a weekly basis to over 100 million shoppers across a multi-media platform – in-home, in-store and in-motion. Through its digital offerings, including redplum.com and save.com, consumers can find compelling national and local deals. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan with approximately 7,000 associates in 28 states and eight countries, Valassis is widely recognized for its associate and corporate citizenship programs, including its America's Looking for Its Missing Children® program. Valassis companies include Valassis Direct Mail, Inc., Valassis Canada, Promotion Watch, Valassis Relationship Marketing Systems, LLC and NCH Marketing Services, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.valassis.com, http://www.redplum.com and http://www.save.com. To learn about advertising opportunities with RedPlum, please call 1-800-437-0479.

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