WeightWatchers 2007 Annual Report Download - page 20

Media Advertising
Our advertising enhances our brand image and awareness and motivates both former and potential new
customers to join Weight Watchers. We have historically taken advantage of a range of traditional offline
advertising vehicles such as television, radio and print. Over the past six years, WeightWatchers.com has
developed a strong capability and presence in Internet advertising. Our advertising schedule supports the three
key marketing campaigns of the year: winter, spring and fall. We allocate our media advertising on a
market-by-market basis, as well as by media vehicle (television, radio, Internet, magazines and newspapers),
taking into account the target market and the effectiveness of the medium.
Direct Mail and Email
Direct mail is a critical element of our marketing because it targets potential returning members. We
maintain databases of current and former customers in each country in which we operate, which we use to focus
our direct mailings and email. During fiscal 2007, NACO sent over 26 million pieces of direct mail. Most of
these mailings are timed to coincide with the start of our marketing campaigns and are intended to encourage
former meeting members to re-enroll. WeightWatchers.com has made a substantial investment in developing
email targeting capabilities and its email promotional vehicles and programs are an important customer
acquisition vehicle for both our Internet and offline businesses.
WeightWatchers.com Website
The WeightWatchers.com website is an important global promotional channel for our brand and businesses.
The website has become an important vehicle for communicating our services and products in greater detail than
could be achieved in more traditional advertising vehicles. In addition to being a gateway for our Internet
subscription products, the website contributes value to our meeting business by promoting our brand, advertising
Weight Watchers meetings and keeping members involved with Weight Watchers outside of meetings through
useful offerings, such as a meeting locator, low calorie recipes, weight management articles, success stories and
Internet forums. In fiscal 2007, our Meeting Finder feature generated on average over 1,000,000 meeting
searches per month in the United States alone. The Meeting Finder makes it easier than ever for our existing and
potential members to find a convenient meeting place and time. WeightWatchers.com now attracts, on average,
over 6.0 million unique visitors per month in the United States alone.
National Accounts and At Work Meetings
We believe there is an increasing demand by companies for services and products that can improve the
health and well-being of their employees. In response, we launched our National Accounts sales and marketing
initiative. We believe our broad range of services and products uniquely positions us to serve this market and
help companies reduce their healthcare costs and improve the well-being of their employees. Our National
Accounts initiative typically leverages a company’s internal communications to promote our services and
products directly to its employees. As part of this strategy, we have built a dedicated national sales and account
management team focused on engaging national clients. This national approach to serving companies
supplements our existing local At Work meeting efforts to target the corporate market.
Public Relations
A key focus of our public relations efforts is through our current and former members who have
successfully lost and maintained their weight on our program. These leaders and members engage in local
promotions, information presentations and charity events to promote Weight Watchers and demonstrate the
program’s efficacy. We currently have over 450 trained media “ambassadors” in the United States as part of our
grass roots public relations network.
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