OVERVIEW
Public Roads is the premier magazine of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), featuring articles that speak to transportation professionals, planners, academia, and students. This quarterly publication, established in 1918, addresses safety and equity, innovation and technology, and resiliency and sustainability to help strengthen our Nation’s highways, byways, and pedestrian areas.
PUBLIC ROADS’ NEEDS
Public Roads readership was at an extreme low. Subscriptions were declining, and the long-time publication’s relevancy was in question. FHWA set a goal to draw new subscribers while also re-engaging current readers by incorporating a new look and feel to the publication. They also aimed to eliminate redundancies with other federal organizations by developing new, original content customized to it’s reader base.
STRATEGY
To fully evaluate the publication, Schatz conducted an analysis of the magazine’s layout and design and launched a reader survey to gain insight into what readers liked about the magazine and what they would like to see changed or added. That evaluation revealed that the layout and visuals needed an overhaul to take on a more modern feel that incorporated large, eye-catching imagery, and the article topics needed to be broadened beyond the standard transportation initiatives that, at times, were also being covered in other FHWA publications. The publication’s online presence was also small and had a dated look that needed updating.
APPROACH
Schatz launched a brand refresh that included a new cover logo, enhanced graphics, and unique layout concepts. The Schatz team worked with FHWA staff to develop an editorial calendar that included timely article topics that had yet to be covered by other publications. Schatz also developed a more robust social media and email campaign that included article teasers and intriguing graphics. In-person promotions at major transportation conferences and targeted outreach campaigns were also conducted as part of Schatz’s strategy, including a student writing competition and initiatives partnering with state-level Department of Transportation (DOT) offices and other national-level transportation-related nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
RESULTS
- Starting with a meager base of 2,543 subscribers to Public Roads, Schatz successfully recruited more than 26,000 new subscribers, boasting a resounding increase of nearly 930 percent in a short span of 3 years and surpassing FHWA’s goal of 20,000 subscribers by 31 percent.
- The first student writing competition garnered in excess of 90 applications and more than 55 articles during its first 2 years.
- Promotional booths at conferences allowed for the distribution of more than 400 magazines and the addition of nearly 900 new subscribers during the events taking place at conferences in the first 2 years.
- Editorial calendars for Public Roads remain fully booked 2 years out, and state-level DOT and NGO engagement is at an all-time high: partners include 44 members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Research Advisory Committee and more than 180 state DOT contacts from all 50 states.
