The brief asks creative minds from within the Idea Bounty community to submit their best digital marketing Ideas to increase the number of new subscriptions to the Financial Times online offering FT.com.
The Financial Times is a leading global newspaper specialising in ?nancial and business news. The newspaper is facing the same difficulties as the rest of the traditional media in trying to monetise their online offering, and turn offline readers into online subscribers. This, in an age of unparalleled consumer choice, made possible by a growing mass of (mostly free) content on the Internet.
Another problem, of course, is that when newspapers began to put their content online in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they allowed readers to access it for free. That decision has created a major dilemma, because consumers now feel that they have a right to free news content, yet online advertising does not currently generate enough revenue to support the free content model.
Financial Times UK is determined to ?nd a way out of this impasse, one that ensures the survival of the newspaper and offers readers the high standards of quality editorial that they have come to expect. The newspaper has been seen to be an authority on the business world with a long-established credibility - the result of consistently accurate and timely reporting, solid international journalism, daily news, commentary and multimedia content.
The best idea will help to convert FT.com traffic and offline Financial Times readers into paid subscriptions for FT.com.
To participate, simply register on www.ideabounty.com, read more about the brief, and send in your most original idea. The winner will receive US$5000 (about R37 500) and the top 10 shortlisted Ideas will also be awarded a full annual subscription to the Financial Times.
Currently, Idea Bounty has over 11 500 registered participants and has hosted 10 successful briefs since it launched in November 2008. First National Bank, Levi's and BMW have all worked with Idea Bounty to solicit marketing and advertising ideas from a diverse group of thinkers based in over 20 different countries. More than 6000 ideas have been submitted, with 11 lucky winners so far. Idea Bounty has a 100% success rate with all brands rewarding a winning idea.
