The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the leading journalism organization in the Southeast, today announced a tightly focused brand strategy that recognizes the enterprise’s long history, points to an increasingly digital future, and highlights the personal calling and rigorous work of its journalists.
As of today, all products will carry a single, new masthead, designed to ensure readers know all news and information produced by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is credible, fact-based local journalism regardless of where or how it is published. The new masthead is inspired by the 1939 flag used when Cox Enterprises purchased the newspaper. It will now live across the printed paper and a wide portfolio of digital products including the ePaper, ajc.com, smartphone apps, podcasts, email newsletters as well as social media channels.
“Whether in print or across a robust offering of digital products, we are one brand, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution,” said publisher Donna B. Hall. “Subscribers and general news readers alike really trust our full name and the important role journalists play in the community. They tell us, through in-depth research, that they turn to us for real, rigorous news and that they see an active free press as essential to a functioning democracy. We are so honored to fulfill that public service duty and responsibility for Atlanta and Georgia.”
The move comes after an unprecedented year for the newspaper’s public service journalism focused on public health, social issues and Georgia elections. “Readers are increasingly turning to our digital formats and are subscribing to them more than ever. It is important to know that wherever they see our name they can be confident the journalism they are reading is rigorous, fact-based local news. We are continuing to focus on these readership trends to ensure the journalism is funded by the community. Our name and our journalism have real value. It is worth reading and worth paying for, and we will reserve complete access for our subscribers, who help pay for our journalists’ work,” she said.
Kevin Riley, editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said, “Journalism is a fundamentally human endeavor. That is what sets us apart from the automated, repetitive news cycles that seem to have taken over. Across all our products, readers can expect to consistently find the extensive in-depth reporting of our journalists — the kind of hard work that only real journalists can do. The newspaper played an important public service role during COVID-19, keeping the community informed as the pandemic unfolded and evolved. Journalists on the front lines captured the demonstrations and unpacked the issues driving the national conversation on social justice. Reporting by one of our journalists led to a man being freed from prison for a double murder he insists — and evidence strongly suggests — he did not commit. And the newspaper’s groundbreaking ‘Unprotected’ investigation revealed the truth inside Georgia’s private-pay senior care industry and led to a new law that brought on sweeping reforms to protect senior citizens in these facilities. We provide the irreplaceable public service that our single name represents.”
In support of the single brand strategy unifying all products, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has launched its largest-ever effort to focus on the hard, behind-the-scenes work of its journalists. The multimedia campaign, which will span digital and social channels as well as broadcast, print, and outdoor, highlights 11 journalists and what makes them press on with their work, especially given the challenges in today’s news business. “It’s all about their calling and their persistence to get the facts, the real story,” said vice president of marketing, Amy Chown. The yearlong campaign carries the consistent message of “Press On.”
Chown, who led the comprehensive overhaul of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution brand with Hall and Riley, said, “The campaign is just one expression of all we are doing. We are focusing on the value of real, fact-based journalism across the board. It is who we are. News may seem like a commodity now given its free availability on social media, but the people keeping the First Amendment active locally certainly are worth celebrating and, frankly, paying for. The benefits of a free press can’t be provided for free. We are unapologetic in proudly saying our brand and journalism deserve the support of our community.”
To learn more about The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s strategy, unified brand portfolio of products and examples of the “Press On” campaign, please visit www.ajc.com/presson.
