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Called “missing pieces,” the campaign by Victoria-based Copeland Communications features historical news photographs such as Tiananmen Square and Pierre Trudeau celebrating Canadian independence. The ads look like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing. The tag line is “Giving Victoria the complete picture. Since 1858.”
“Readers and viewers have to figure out in their mind what the missing piece of this is,” explains Kathy Baan, the daily newspaper’s promotions and marketing manager. “The basic premise of the whole campaign is that the Times Colonist is providing the missing piece of that history and we’ve done that for over 150 years.”
The TV, radio and print launched at the end of December to advertise the special 80-page commemorative issue sent out to subscribers Jan. 2 and through participating Canada Safeway stores, HBC and Zellers in the Greater Victoria area.
“With all the discussions about newspapers and where they are going, it was important for us to create some relevancy for newspapers today and build some awareness,” says Baan. “We want to tell Victorians that newsprint is still a viable resource and that we are still relevant today and we are also hoping to leave some lasting legacies in the community from the anniversary.”
One of those legacies will be the book called Making the News: A Times Colonist Look at 150 Years of History, slated for release at the end of February. The book will include coverage of events from the inception of the colony of British Columbia as well as archival photographs. Baan says the paper is also working with the University of Victoria to offer the first 50 years of the newspapers archives online and free to the public.
