The Mirror newspaper has been given a dramatic relaunch. The paper, which earlier this week reverted to its original title of the Daily Mirror, has dropped its red-top masthead, brought in new writers and launched a new advertising campaign.
Editor Piers Morgan said dropping the red-top masthead was an attempt to get away from a downmarket, sleazy image.
"To reflect what the Mirror stands for in 2002, a change in the masthead became inevitable.
"The new design acknowledges our past but also makes an emphatic statement about our future: neither redtop like the Sun and Star nor dull and boring like the Mail and the Express," he said.
As part of the relaunch, this weekend's editions of the paper will see the first of a new format for the Daily Mirror.
The Saturday paper will include a new Review section, with travel, homes, music and film reviews as well as Marco Pierre-White's food column, which has been relaunched. Saturday's listings magazine the Look has also had a makeover, and there will be an expanded racing pull-out called The Winner.
As well as the two core products the Daily Mirror and the Sunday Mirror there will also be key sub brands, including M, which stems from its three-year-old M Magazine.
From this week, the Sunday Mirror will include a new 72-page glossy magazine, M Celebs and a 16-page TV listings guide. Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver says: "Adopting the same cheeky and irreverent tone as M, it brings a completely fresh approach to the growing celebrity magazine market."
The paper is also to drop bulk distribution practices (sampling of the paper on airlines, hotels etc), announcing that it will divert those funds back into the paper.
Wally Cowley, circulation sales director, said: "An important strand of our strategy is to increase frequency of purchase and this must be great news for retailers who we hope will support this by providing eye-catching and strong displays.
"We have absolute confidence in the strategy and the initiatives that will underpin it and are withdrawing from bulk sale activity because of this.
"This will grow sales from existing readers because of increased frequency of purchase and new readers."
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