“Academia Catavencu” or “The Catavencu Academy”

1. “Academia Catavencu”or“The Catavencu Academy”

2. What is this 'Academia Catavencu'?- background- • Romanian satirical magazine & foundation started in 1991, famous for its investigations. Established by a team of humourists and literates headed by poet and former dissident Mircea Dinescu, it developped its own sterotypes and nicknames for local politicians (1) • It has an 'ironical style, humour – elitist and objective' (like www.uncyclopedia.org) • Also sponsors / organizes some cultural/environmental initiatives (2) • Used to be a 'source of energy' for the transition period Romania was going through. (“We'll be there, even when times get tough”). Hard to describe, the times were awful. Believe me on that one. The communist regime had just fallen 2 years before.

3. Not intriguing at all... • To outsiders it might seem bizarre. So does 'Life on the Playstation' seem to us, for that matter.(1) • Ion Iliescu (former president) aka "Nelu Cotrocelu" or "Granny" ("Bunicuţa") - associated with the Cotroceni owl • Adrian Năstase (former prime minister) aka "Candy" ("Bombonel") – due to a rumour that he might be a homosexual • Traian Băsescu (actual president) aka "Popeye the Sailor" (Popeye Marinarul) - from former job as a navy captain • Theodor Stolojan (member of the leading party) aka "The robot" or "Frankie" - comic resemblance to Frankenstein(2) • Save the Danube Delta • Save Vama Veche • Cu papucii prin deşert - a humanitarian expedition through Sahara. (The normal translation would be 'In slippers through the dessert – papuci = slippers, but papuci is a local name for a car model – The Dacia Papuc)

4. So you see... • Things aren't and were never really bright. • After the 1989 revolution, corruption spread, some certain few oddly got rich over night, the middle class had almost gone. Just very rich and very poor. Some made a run for it, others who fraternised with the ex-regime decided they should rule the country. Why so? Because 'the regime made them dumb, so we'll act like the “good guys”.'. • Lots of libertine actions and mentalities in the West were (are) frowned upon here. Not meaning to rub it in, but we're somewhere 50 years late compared to any other country. • Being designed by and for the elites (=honest, hard-working people, who haven't tried dishonest ways to get rich, unlike our leaders that I've mentioned above), it had a tremendous succes among the ones not contaminated with the 'being stupid and lazy at the same time' (not only those well-off). • No 'hate something, change something' for us, but let's make fun of what we hate. We were always humourous (the name is inspired from a satirical play written in the 19th century) • How can you not be funny when strangers think • Romania is in Asia • Our capital is Budapest • 'Dragostea din tei' is cool (We all hate it. Catavencu readers do.) • All romanians are gypsies (Even if we don't want that, but it just goes to show how efficient we are) • Romania is the only country in the world with absolutely no speed limits

5. Where we are • The front page always has a photoshop-edited picture and a popular saying / rhyme /advertising slogan to reflect the past week happenings • Notice on the left 'How to fraud the elections and who are the culprits'

6. This was all good and interesting stuff but I think it’s way too much information. You need to summarise more. What are the really key points to make? Brief communication history • Had a decrease in sales (18.9% in 3 years) • Readers no longer had benefit. Too cynical, sophisticated and distant to them. No longer their friend, but their superior. • Same old news and politics. Too predictable. • An advertising campaign revived their sales 2 years ago • The main message was 'smarter readers' • It was a finalist at Golden Drum 2004 (Best TV ad, Best Print, Best Campaign) • Won a Bronze Effie in Media & Entertainment (2005)

7. Relationships • Who are the customers after all? • How important is the newspaper to them? • Why do they buy it?etc.

8. Brand overview • The first, one and only satirical newspaper • Since 1991, several attempts to copy the format / content, unsuccesful (3) • Strong brand running, no competitors, stable market, loyal customers • The group founded • 'Tabu', a magazine for emancipated women • 'Cotidianul'(4) (a daily newspaper) • 'Superbebe'(for young parents) • 'Radio Guerrila'(5) (radio station for Bucharest and Cluj)(3) : The 'Plai cu Boi' magazine (Playboy parody) & 'Aspirina Saracului' (=Poor man's aspirin aka sex)(4), (5) : www.cotidianul.ro | http://www.eliberadio.ro/ This seems out of order. Shouldn’t this be in the first section? You just said you were doing the audience bit.

9. That first point is great. Absolutely the best thing so far - a really good way of illustrating the character of a relationship. That point on its own is more interesting and useful than everything up to here. Consumers & Brand • A focus group revealed that at 12 o'clock at night, lost in the subway, if a girl sees someone reading 'Catavencu', she'd rather ask that guy directions than anyone else. (Safe - the readers you can trust) • The readers haven't changed in 14 years • The obvious target : • Young people, both men and women, 20-35 years old, urban areas, medium and high income, (at least) medium studies. • Intelligent, highly critical, with a sense of humour, appetite for irony, open-minded, that understand subtle jokes • What's in it for them? In a country so bad, it's entertaining, distracts your attention from daily worries • Emotionally : highly rewarding, boosts your morale. • They're expecting consistency and less politics. (“No matter how many jokes you tell, everybody is sick of politics & scandals”) • Most of them highly loyal : they were given a very good reason to love the brand • Its strength comes from its content; weaknesses appear when it tends to be irrelevant or forgets where it comes from. And talks too much about politics.

10. The consumers • Are aware that it must be read in a certain way • Are happy because their intelligence isn't insulted • Have huge egos, are sensitive about what they read. • Strikingly oppose the ones satirized in the newspaper; we're talking to mannered people, who don't long for the ex-regime, who have plans for the future, the 'expected people', who have the chance to change something. • Are aware of the 'big picture'

11. The PROBLEM • The satire isn't funny anymore, it's becoming vulgar (even for the commited and passive loyal readers)

12. A few thoughts • Content won't change unless a few changes are made among the editors • Number of (satyrical) blogs is increasing, so they might be a source of humour and insights – even hire some of the best humorous bloggers out there or invite them to write columns for the newspaper (after all, they readers guided the content all along) • Always avoid distribution gaps (happens sometimes, decisive though) • Once a year organize a meeting with the editors: the readers will share the relationship with the brand with like-minded people.

13. Few words... • Reader-oriented and focused content • Increasing the competitive spirit among readers by putting a great value on the content they could generate • Keeping the other publications in a safe place (engulfing them under the same umbrella would generate confusion) • Keeping its 'independent' aspect : you read this newspaper alone, not likely to share its content with others. • ..and all by maintaining the former 'smarter readers' idea previously implemented

14. This was interesting and written with passion. And your strategic ideas seem smart. And there was a great illustration of the relationship. This could have been a lot shorter and would have been a lot better. This assignment doesn’t have to have been x pages. It could all have been done in two pages. The end. ... of attracting wrong people for the wrong reasons.