Key Takeaways:
- A newsalog looks like a newspaper but is actually a powerful direct response tool designed to sell.
- In a Wasatch campaign, the newsalog delivered an 80-to-1 ROI, outperforming every other channel.
- Its success comes from combining long-form copy, USP clarity, multiple CTAs, and precise targeting.
- Few marketers use it — making it disruptive, memorable, and trusted by recipients.
- Newsalogs reinforce multi-channel campaigns by anchoring digital ads and email with a tactile “authority piece.”
- With proper execution, newsalogs can dramatically increase leads and sales.
80-to-1 ROI.
That’s not a typo. It’s the real result from one multichannel campaign — and the search engine to success was a “newsalog.”
Most marketers have never heard of a newsalog — much less used one.
But that’s exactly why it works.
And it can work for most B2C and B2B products and services.
A newsalog is a direct-mail format disguised (and formatted) to look like a newspaper.
It reads like editorial content, with headlines, sidebars, stories, and ads — but underneath, it’s built with direct response copy and a sales objective.
In a campaign we ran for Wasatch Investment Newsletter, we layered channels — email, pre-roll, paid search, native ads, Meta, addressable TV — but the highest single-channel performer (by far) was the newsalog, delivering 80-to-1 return on investment. 
Here are six reasons why this format crushed it — and how you can borrow the same levers for your own campaigns.
1. The Format Is Disruptive — And Commands Attention
Because people don’t expect direct mail to look like a newspaper, a well-executed newsalog stops the scroll (or the “junk mail skim”).
The format itself becomes the hook.
In our campaign, the piece mimicked a 20-page newspaper — visually indistinguishable from real press like USA Today, Wall Street Journal, etc. 
2. It Uses True Direct-Response Copy, Not General Advertising or
Editorial Copy.
Inside that newspaper is powerful direct response copy — meaning every headline, every paragraph, every sidebar is written to move the prospect to act, not just to “position” or “brand.” 
The sidebars support the main sales message, reinforcing the claims in multiple angles.
3. The USP (Unique Selling Proposition) Is Front-and-Center
We don’t bury your differentiator — we loudly proclaim it early and weave it through.
For this campaign, the USP was what separated Wasatch’s newsletter from every other — and we reminded the reader of it throughout. 
4. Long-Form Copy Wins When You Need to Persuade
This audience (investors, age 55+) needs information, proof, and trust — and that means length. The main article ran from page 1 through page 18 before the final CTA. 
The rule: the more you tell (when done well), the more you sell.
5. A Strong, Irresistible Offer + Multiple CTAs
It’s not enough to push the USP — you need a direct response offer prospects can’t refuse, with CTAs sprinkled throughout.
The newsalog employed multiple, well-placed calls to action, making it easy to respond at any point. 
6. Transactional Data Modeling (TDM) to Pick the Right Audience
Even the best mail piece can flop if it lands in front of non-interested people. We used a robust data model to identify “buy-alike” prospects with over 90% accuracy — i.e. people who had profiles similar to past buyers. 
7. Multi-Channel “Anchor” Effect – Raising Response by 89%
Because the newsalog is tactile and delivered to the home, it reinforces all your other channels (email, digital ads). It becomes the anchor in the customer’s mind — the “real thing” they can touch — boosting credibility and recall.
And it boosts the response of the digital and email as well.
8. Perceived Value & Trust
A physical “newspaper” gives authority. Recipients give it more time and treat it as real content, not junk. That credibility helps overcome skepticism, especially in financial, health, or high-trust markets.
9. High Engagement Time
Recipients dwell on the piece. Because it looks like “content,” they explore it at leisure — reading sidebars, main article, testimonials — increasing message absorption and persuasion.
10. Scarcity & Novelty (When You Use It Rarely)
Because few marketers use newsalogs, it retains novelty.
When your prospect hasn’t seen something like it… or very few, it’s more memorable.
It’s always good to be the first in your sector.
Few formats can deliver the combination of authority, tactile presence, longevity, and direct response power that a newsalog can — especially when executed precisely. In the Wasatch campaign, it outperformed every other channel in ROI.
Action:
If you’d like to see a real newsalog we built, dissect the creative, or explore how to build one for your next campaign, let’s talk. Our staff can create one for you to test.
Call Michael at CDMG today at 615-933-4647 or email him at [email protected].
FAQs:
Q: What exactly is a newsalog?
A: A newsalog is a direct-mail piece designed to look like a newspaper. It blends articles, sidebars, and ads with persuasive copy — giving the reader valuable content while driving them to take action.
Q: Why did this newsalog generate 80-to-1 ROI?
A: Because it was disruptive, trusted, and written in long-form direct response style. It also used Transactional Data Modeling (TDM) to target only the highest-probability buyers.
Q: How is a newsalog different from a brochure or catalog?
A: Unlike brochures (which are short) or catalogs (which push multiple products), a newsalog is a deep-dive single-focus piece. It feels like journalism, but every page is built to persuade and sell.
Q: Do newsalogs only work for financial products?
A: No. They’re effective for health, B2B, nonprofits, and consumer offers — anywhere trust, proof, and education are needed before a sale or donation.
Q: Isn’t long-form print outdated in the digital age?
A: Not at all. When paired with digital and email, a newsalog anchors your campaign, boosts credibility, and cuts through the clutter of inboxes and feeds.
Q: How expensive is a newsalog to create and mail?
A: It’s more costly than a postcard or flyer, but ROI often far outweighs the expense. Testing and proper targeting ensure maximum efficiency.
Q: How do I know if a newsalog is right for my campaign?
A: If you need to educate, persuade, and build trust — especially with older, affluent, or skeptical audiences — a newsalog may be your best performing format.
About Craig Huey:
Craig Huey is President of Creative Direct Marketing Group (CDMG), a leader in direct response and multi-channel marketing. With over 40 years of experience creating award-winning campaigns, Craig has pioneered innovative formats like the newsalog, magalog, and VSL, generating record ROI for clients in financial, health, B2B, and nonprofit sectors. He is the publisher of Direct Marketing Update and The Huey Report, author of several marketing books, and a frequent speaker on accountable advertising, AEO, and multi-channel strategies.
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