POS DISPLAYS TO FOCUS ON ENQUIRER'S NEW IMAGE

JOEL ELSON

NEW YORK -- With 85% of National Enquirer copies sold in supermarkets, Evercore American Media, the tabloid's new owner, plans to promote the weekly later this year with point-of-sale displays that tout its new editorial focus and advertisers' products, Richard Valvo, president of Public Relations Ltd., told SN. Both companies are based here.

Since its re-launch earlier this year, the Enquirer's circulation has risen 5.5% to 2.2 million copies. Yet it still has a long way to go before it equals the 4.5 million copies sold in 1985. The redesign consists of a more up-to-date look and editorial content that focuses on bigger celebrity features. Its new look features a bigger masthead in modern headline typeface. The paper carries more color throughout, offers a regular true-life crime story and has more fashion coverage.

The Enquirer's "new editorial focus will be on celebrity features and Hollywood news, and no more stories on aliens and UFO and Elvis sightings. It will be a better editorial product with more news and celebrity-oriented and human-interest content," added Valvo.

He said de-emphasizing the sensational coverage the tabloid had built its reputation on shouldn't have a negative effect on loyal readers or impulse customers at checkout lanes. Its cover price of $1.59 has remained the same for some time, he pointed out. The Enquirer "still attracts a lot of customer interest and sales with hot stories."

The publisher is advertising the title on newspaper delivery trucks along the East Coast, and plans to run TV ads to make consumers aware of the new Enquirer.