BRAND OVERVIEW

First printed under its present masthead in 1841 – and with a history stretching further back – the print edition of The Sydney Morning Herald remains the city’s most talked-about and trusted news source. That’s because readers associate the paper with its heritage values of fair, independent and accurate reporting. And its resolutely modern approach, with stories delivered at a cracking pace as they unfold overnight. The paper’s elite team of reporters, specialists, editors and photographers are household names and regular media award-winners, representing a spectrum of viewpoints – urban and rural, conservative and progressive, private and public. A highlight of the print edition Herald is its sought-after supplements, including the daily BusinessDay, Review and Sport, and the weekend Spectrum and Good Weekend. These advertising platforms connect with niche readerships in ways unmatched by our competitors. An aspirational lot, our readers are the cohort most likely to be planning a major home renovation, new car purchase, overseas holiday or luxury goods purchase. That’s why we run several strategic features throughout the year on a range of topics.

Online at smh.com.au, The Sydney Morning Herald’s fearless, reputable news team generates a sharp mix of high-quality news, analysis and lifestyle, web-optimised to feed the curiosity of an exacting readership. Tertiary-educated and high earning, these individuals are Australia’s most influential consumers of the news. The compelling site design funnels all the key news stories into a clear, visual block above the screen fold – along with tasty (but never trashy) lifestyle stories. Readers barely need to scroll before they’ve found their favourite business, technology, environment, travel, sport, entertainment and lifestyle content. Here, coverage ranges from breaking news to in-depth analysis. Of course, they might get distracted by our slick, judiciously placed ads. That’s because we offer some of the most compelling and creative digital ad formats in the biz. The growing platform also attracts a steady stream of 24-hour participation via comments sections, ratings and social media sharing.

The SMH m-site is our pocket rocket, showcasing content from both newspaper and website with a strong focus on breaking news from our award-winning team, plus the top sport, lifestyle and entertainment pieces. Tightly scripted headlines, crystal-clear navigation and an optimal mix of video and written content means our ambitious, information-hungry readers can spend hours browsing the hottest news items at Sydney’s virtual water-cooler. Which they do, leaving a digital footprint of tens of millions of page impressions and video downloads as they go. Adding to the appeal of consuming m-site on the go are links to comments sections, social media, and real-time sports scores and finance updates. Advertiser messages occupy prime real estate on the small screen. See our creative showcase to be inspired.

The SMH tablet audience represents a special class of reader. Hungry for the Herald’s in-depth, award-winning journalism and breaking news, these are digital natives who demand specialised content on tap. ‘Paper, what’s that?’ they quip, rifling with ease through the app’s different sections to reach the latest news, views and trends from around the world, maybe stopping to search that recipe they read in last week’s Good Food section. Or getting lost in the moment, with our infographics, videos, social media interactions and vividly imagined advertiser messages. The SMH tablet has perhaps the highest proportion of archived stories – extending the shelf life of content and campaigns alike.