Ad buyers see potential in Gannett-McClatchy local ad network’s pitch to national brands

In combining their local print and digital advertising networks, Gannett and McClatchy aim to compete with the likes of Amazon, Facebook and Google for national advertisers’ dollars. Implausible as that may sound, agency executives see reason to believe the U.S.’s two largest local newspaper publishers’ latest sales pitch may be more than a shot in the dark.

“This collaborative effort is an interesting option for advertisers seeking contextual, hyperlocal marketing campaigns, to supplement existing display advertising,” said MediaCrossing CEO Michael Kalman. This is “a trend we see picking up momentum in 2021.”