The Ontarion has roots here at the University of Guelph, where it has connected students with information about their campus, city, and beyond since 1951. Students are engaged, selective, and critical thinkers and The Ontarion has the credibility students demand. They read our newspaper because we are a part of the fabric of campus life: our office is in the heart of campus, we do weekly outreach, and have been a staple of campus life for 75 years.
Our readers are creating a lifestyle for the first time in their lives and cultivating a sense of independence. Whether discovering their sense of fashion, their taste in food, looking for new and unique experiences, or discovering the obligations that adulthood brings, students consume a variety of products and services. They are making a lot of new decisions and by running an ad in The Ontarion you can help them navigate this new world of choice.
And that’s where we come in: by providing relevant, dynamic, interesting, and entertaining content, we’ve done the hard work of catching their attention for you already. The Ontarion enjoys a strong and devoted readership, which sets us apart from other advertising choices. Other forms of advertising rely on many unpredictable events: that someone in your target audience is near the ad, that they notice it, that they remember it, and that they care about it. A lot needs to go right to make an impression. When you advertise with The Ontarion, you can be sure that your ad is seen by students who are actively engaging their minds, by learning and thinking about their community, while also considering what to do with their free time.
By advertising with The Ontarion you can ensure your business appears alongside the content that: students want to look at, is created by their peers, and connects with them in a way that most other forms of advertising just can’t.
Portability: Your ad will follow our readers as they bring their copy of The Ontarion with them to class, coffee shops, and eventually into their home or campus residence.
Efficiency: Our readers share and pass along their copy to their peers, often leaving it in shared spaces for the next reader.
Attention: Our average reader spends 24 minutes reading our newspaper! They are not in a rush, and they are not distracted by their phones. Reading The Ontarion represents a break from the stress and noise of the daily grind, not only giving your message the best chance of being sent, but also received.
Relevance: Your ad appears alongside articles and content that help students navigate their campus, city, and life. When our readers pick up The Ontarion, they are intentionally seeking information about their community. What better setting could there be to show them your message?
Reach: Not every student visits campus every day and many of those that do only visit one or two buildings. With over 80 strategically placed pick-up locations around the University of Guelph campus as well as the city of Guelph, The Ontarion is an effective platform to give your message a targeted campus-oriented audience across a broad geography.
Transparency: Our reported readership figures are a conservative estimate based on our total copies printed, minus any copies not picked up, and multiplied by the number of readers per copy based on one-on-one interviews with our readers. We strive to ensure that our numbers can be relied on. We encourage our clients to ask as many questions as they like about our distribution and audience numbers!
Expertise: Have an idea for an ad but don’t know your way around design software? We can help transform your vision into reality with our free design assistance. Even if you don’t have an idea, we can help you determine the best message and elements to get the most out of your ad. Please note, free design assistance is only available with sufficient notice. Contact our Marketing Manager to confirm details.