Speculation is mounting as to whether some newspapers may ban the OnTheMarket logo from publications.
Last night, Zoopla – which powers the property websites for a number of both local and national newspapers – neither confirmed the possibility nor ruled it out.
However, this morning a spokesperson for Johnston Press told Eye: “We are very happy to carry estate agents’ logos within the property pages of all our publications and already do so for all the property portals, estate agent associations and bodies.
“As such we will also be happy to carry the OnTheMarket logo.”
The confirmation follows a request by Eye for clarification after we spoke to a regional agent who is a Gold member of Agents’ Mutual.
The agent says he was told by his local Johnston Press newspaper rep that the OTM logo would be banned.
He says he was told at the same time that a “splash” about being OnTheMarket would also be disallowed.
The agent, who is the biggest property advertiser on two papers in his area, is not on Zoopla but does subscribe to Rightmove.
He said that his firm’s use of the Rightmove logo had never been questioned.
However, in accordance with Gold member rules on Agents’ Mutual, he said he would be taking down references to Rightmove, and adding in the OTM logo.
Zoopla powers a number of newspapers’ property websites.
Yesterday evening a spokesperson for Zoopla said: “We cannot comment on the advertising policy of Johnston Press or any of our other partners, but given that they have their own property search facility which we power, it would seem sensible that they would not be looking to promote a competitive offering.”
However, this morning’s statement from Johnston Press may well lay down a marker for other newspaper groups.
Comments (34)
Coincidentally I met with Senior Sales Person of Britain's Largest Newspaper Group to discuss my local newspaper advertising account and what deals were available for my spend next year. Absolutely no question of me being unable to promote OTM in my ads so I look forward to dropping Wrongmove & Co branding from my ad and replacing it with OTM. The newspaper industry do not make great income from property ads but it DOES see them as part of the local paper content for their readers. They also have very powerful digital media options which tie in nicely so I for one will explore those in addition to the printed newspaper which is certainly not dead in my areas. OTM will benefit from free co-branding within my ads so I can certainly help spread the word! @PeeBee mentions somewhere in his threads "don't say I didn't warn you…." swinging his spotlight of doom on OTM perhaps confirming his reliance on the Status Quo!…… I'll stick with the Agents Mutual Loudhailer thanks as I want to see an estate agency industry that is NOT controlled by the share profit makers. When I go to work, it is for my clients, myself, my company, my colleagues and hopefully as part if the thousands of UK estate agents seeking to fulfill their clients expectations honestly!….. and part of that now involves, just in time!….. Agents Mutual @ OnTheMarket! …… so roll up, roll up PeeBee take the soapbox and let's hear your further predictions of doom, gloom and disaster for OTM & AM? Is it so, that those who have joined don't know as much about the estate agency business as you! I met Alvin Hall yesterday in an Antiques Shop in Glasgow yesterday….. financial guru for the ordinary folk….. turns out he was lecturing in Glasgow. Maybe I will see you lecturing someday….. Or did I see you sitting there like a dusty antique clutching your Wrongmove & Zippy signs? Happy Days are OnTheMarket are coming days!
Oh, GPL – the LAST thing I wish for is "…doom, gloom and disaster for AM & OTM". The comment you refer to is one regarding my "prediction" (and it certainly didn't need me to be Mystic Meg to forsee the writing on the wall…) that the main portals would come out with their gloves on at some point. To repeat (just in case you've never read this from me before, GPL) previous analogy – the portals are animals. WE bred them: WE fed them: WE tickled their tummies and told everyone what clever animals they were… and now WE threaten to cut off their food and attention. Like any animal, they revert to wild instincts when the chips are down. Self preservation is the only acceptable result for them – survival of the fittest. You can't be surprised – it's written into every animal's DNA…
Erm… hang on a cotton pickin' minute… WHERE have I EVER claimed to "…know more about the estate agency business…" than ANYONE? You've got the wrong man, matey. I'm just a guy with an opinion… and like @r$£h01£$, we all have one. ;o)
Big tell will be if Zoopla really do cut up rough about papers they are involved with, back to the point of them disregarding http://www.onthemarket.com then switching to appearing worried. Also @Tuf Luv – good to have you here, you seem to be bordering on being as mad as a badger but I like it, more of your views please – Jonnie
"Also @Tuf Luv – good to have you here, you seem to be bordering on being as mad as a badger but I like it, more of your views please – Jonnie"…Have to agree massively….Ros can you give him/her a weekly column ?
Ok catch me up, AM’s logo might lose column space in certain Zoopla powered publications, hardly lightning in bottle. AM can take their lumps so hurt feelings are off the table dude, I figure they've got it covered so I’m not waiting around for benediction. I’m not here to judge either, ok I am because its hard to be indignant about this, especially on a sugar high but it does kind of take the shine off those 300 plus posts about the AM logo a while back.
Should be no surprise to anyone that AM is going to hit the big 2 hard. Everyone can see it. They are in panic mode. There are press rules regarding advertising and monopoly rules comes to mind with PLC.
Not a huge issue, publications have nearly had their day now, as sad as it is to say. Gone are the days when you would wait for the weekly local news paper and trawl through the property listings. The biggest advertiser of OTM will be the agents pushing the brand with word of mouth and co-branding on their details, letters and website. About time agents took a stand against the crazy price hikes from Rightmove and Zoopla. £1200 a MONTH.. for what??
Mr Morris – I would have to state that 'publications' are far from past their useful life – but I guess it is as much down to where you are as any other factor. Here 'oop North the local rags are still high on many people's priorities. I can tell which properties we advertise without looking, as their web hits spike by usually 25% or more – so as far as I'm concerned it works well for me and my clients. When it doesn't then I'll drop it in a heartbeat.
We used to spend roughly £450 a week advertising a full page of sales and lettings in the local paper. Yet every single person we have call us or turn up to viewings has viewed the property online. I agree that depending on the location the situation may vary however, from what we have seen, it is only the older generation who still use and favour the local paper. In the current rental market, by the time the paper comes out that week the 9/10 properties have been let already. We still have a presence in the local paper, albeit it in the form of branding and not property listings, for the same reasons agents use rightmove or zoopla – because we have too.
"… every single person we have call us or turn up to viewings has viewed the property online." And as I have learned over the years, once someone gives an expected response to a question, that is the deal done. I know for fact that many simply ask "Did you see the property on RM?" IF they indeed ask at all. Most assume and tick the relevant box. No disrespect meant here to you, but I seriously question the validity of such statements. But like I said, things differ from place to place – and no doubt whether you are letting or selling property has a bearing also.
I had a meeting with the senior marketing manager of Archant Group a few weeks back who are "powered by Zoopla" ie. they get paid for pushing traffic to Zoopla. I know that their publications will not be banning OTM advertising. They are also re considering their future, which I am lead to believe will not necessarily be an association with Zoopla. Many of you will have had calls from your local Archant rep recently asking you if you are backing OTM, as the realisation of its impact on launch became apparent to them as an organisation. The marketing manager in question said Archant was "shocked" by the amount of offices that had signed up for OTM in a relatively short space of time…..In general, I would say that most newspapers (that still exist locally) will carry OTM ads and if some don't then it only means that a handful of people (who still actually read the local rag) will not see the ad…….They will be able to see it, however when they pass participating agents windows whilst doing their shopping in the High Street…..so they won't miss out!
Well said, Wilko. Agents' windows: possibly the most powerful marketing tool available for a portal. After all, how would it look for RM & Z plastering adverts across buses etc, if estate and letting agents are predominantly marketing only OTM in their windows (and on their websites). Add to that a substantial drop in stock levels and OTM has got to have a serious chance of success.
Fair play for the Zoopla fightback but it's all a wasted effort. The revolt is from it's paying customers. Of course if Alex Chesterman was an agency man (as opposed to a tech man) then he wold have realised by now.
"Estate agents are the lifeblood of the British newspaper industry." Now I've heard it all…
I was thinking exactly the same, Fencesitter… but Mr Get-a-Gent and I don't see through the same specs on pretty much anything…
Laser eye surgery may help with your myopia…
Interesting one… especially considering the brouhaha currently being whipped up over the Quirkster's complaint to the CMA relating to OTM… The gloves are officially on, I guess – and don't say I didn't warn you months ago…
Morning PeeBee, what do you make of the CMA complaint, got any legs?
Matey I ain't a Legal Eagle – but at the end of the day it gets dark and this whole sorry shenanigans has no signs of brightness emerging from the gloom… does it?
There's a fine line (and only a few letter changes…) between "disruption" and "destruction" of a market. And now it is evident that the line is constantly moving.
I'm not sure it has any legs mate, just a lot of hot air being blown by certain people. Also you have to look at who is creating the so called "gloom", from where I'm sitting it's not people signed up or thinking of signing up to AM.
Well it's a given that none of 'The AM Collective ' ;o) are going to be the ones heralding the doom – that would be the ultimate case of cr@pping in one's own nest – it is pretty much typical of the species that those making their bellies rumble most are the ones saying "wouldn't advertise there anyway…"! I just wonder why it's taken so long to 'come up' with their arguments for their cases when we have been arguing the very same points to death here for months already. But it's clear that the long knives are now well and truly out – and the portals can pretty much sit back and watch what transpires for now. IF and WHEN they bring their own big guns to bear it will get proper messy – and THAT, as you know, is what I have always stated is my fear for both the industry and it's customers.
It's consumers suffering as agents using otm get restrained from other portal exposure and at the same time if the otm logo gets banned again agents are compromised to the detriment of consumers………..I thought the idea of portals was to increase exposure to help agents get best prices.
Mr Mealham… but by your interpretation it is the AGENTS who will be causing your perceived suffering to the customers, as it is the Agents' choice to 'leave' ALL of the other portals bar one and advertise on OTM+ one other… isn't it?
Hi PeeBee. No I'm not blaming agents. I'm saying portals are manipulating agents for their own gain be it otm, RM or Z or others. Understandably portals are commercial ventures. But it seems unfair portal fees are high (even otm charges) yet agents get restrained. Restraints that ultimately means the consumer suffers.
Equally, it is otm that set down restraints. You can't expect rm or Z to not place own restraints where they can. I said long ago rm and Z have many vertical platforms and these would be AM barriers……… With rm and Z profits they could both sink in £10-20m on consumer enticement like running competitions around agents who abort rm or z's offices. Competitions to pay the sellers agent bill if they advertise on rm or Z…… All rm or Z would have to do is given return discounted membership.
Just got my renewal from Rightmove another 12% increase for next year
and agent mutual dose not have a 1 portal rule im moving to Scotland
Blimey, at the rates I was paying that would mean another £1200 a month, how can online agents afford to keep going? Their fees stay the same, all keeping with the £299+vat I originally set years back.
Why don't EYE cover a story on membership fees and how they keep increasing for agents?
Because they pay an office rate say £300 per 50 listings rather than postcodes they cover.
When I was paying it was I think £600+vat for 50 properties a month.
I avoided any RM increases and, in fact got a reduction for next year. The alternative for RM was losing all our branches from their site. As I've said before, those that committed to backing AM have a much better bargaining position than those who are staying with the duopoly…..the latter will have to fund the shortfall from the exodus of offices to OTM, hence 12% increase mentioned.
Nice move Wilko, your branches gave you some leverage, I could never get a decrease even though I was probably paying more than you monthly (£11k some months with the vat).
"it would seem sensible that they would not be looking to promote a competitive offering.” – Unless it's Rightmove (and so presumably anyone else except OTM).
Sky advertises on ITV. This speculation won't pan out; estate agents are the life blood of the British newspaper industry.