How SJM went from print-first to offering digital solutions to their SMB clients.
The Case
SJM (Sjællandske Medier) is one of Denmark's largest publishers reaching over 1 million people a day via three dailies, 43 weeklies, a digital agency, local radio, video production, and printing facilities.
The Problem
A change in advertising preferences in recent years made it difficult for SJM to compete. SJM's core problem was in its offerings. Founded in 1969, the core offering to its over 15.000 clients mostly included print solutions in their daily and weekly newspapers. However, with a fall in the total volume of print advertising in Denmark by 66%, a growing number of clients were switching to digital agencies or asking for digital products. It became clear to the firm that the question was not if to update their offerings but how.
Originally, SJM's organization was not very digitally savvy and lacked the competencies to enter and compete in the ever-growing digital-only landscape. The firm also wanted to sustain the existing business and utilize its own inventory and data. This posed the question of how such a transition could be possible without extensive investments and restructuring.
Researching the market for a solution, SJM was overwhelmed by the large variety of available point solutions for both individual digital channels and cross-channel solutions. While these solutions provided extensive customization possibilities, they did not match SJM's requirement for a simple solution to access multiple channels, have an easy order entry, and integrated optimization.
''We engaged with Nexta, to bring in technology and expertise in selling and managing digital advertising campaigns for our SMB clients. It was a tall ask, but we chose Nexta because it’s easy to use and it covers the digital channels our clients are requesting." - Thomas Kruse-Theil, Digital specialist
The Solution
SJM quickly realized that Nexta was the perfect solution for its core pain points.
Nexta's cross-channel functionality and ability to safely use first-party data combined with AI optimization, and reporting features created an optimal solution. Where other solutions required the integration of multiple platforms for booking, handling, and reporting of campaigns, Nexta delivered such integration. This not only made the organizational adoption process easier but also eliminated the need for extensive new hires to handle complex processes, helping to ensure the profitability of new digital-only products.
Additionally, Nexta's simple UI interface allowed SJM's sellers to quickly feel comfortable with selling the product. Equipped with the relevant features, customer support, and simplicity drove up adoption within the firm, paving the way to a successful digital product portfolio.
The Solution
The result of SJM's partnership with Nexta has been significant. Only six months into the partnership, digital product sales goals were achieved. Overall, SJM achieved an increase of 70% YoY in digital revenue only and 131% YoY in combined print and digital growth. The company is now in a position with significantly more knowledge about digital advertising and continues to grow its partnership with Nexta.