News-on-paper initiative demonstrates the power of paper

Submitted: The Two Sides Team October 30, 2013

A Domtar-sponsored news-on-paper initiative putting the latest Associated Press (AP) headlines on restaurant receipts in Washington, D.C. offers further proof that paper has value, the key message in the company's award-winning "PAPERbecause" advertising campaign.

via Domtar, Inc. – October 22, 2013

After testing whether diners would read the latest news on printed receipts in two of the capital's most famous restaurants – the Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton – the Clyde's Restaurant Group has decided to implement this initiative in all of their locations. Clyde's operates 14 of the best known restaurants in the Washington area.

"The news updates have made it onto our menus, they've become part of our DNA," said David Moran, Managing Director of the two restaurants. "At first we thought their initial acceptance might just be the novelty of having the top headlines printed right out of the receipt system, but we can see that diners find the updates compelling," Moran said.

"The 'news receipts' have worked despite diners' access to their smartphones, a demonstration of the power, speed and convenience of paper," said Kathy Wholley, Domtar's Director of Communications and Strategy. "This news-on-paper initiative goes to the heart of what we're trying to convey in our 'PAPERbecause' advertising campaign."

The software that weaves the AP headlines into the restaurant work stations was written by MICROS Systems of Columbia, Maryland, which supplies software to more than 300,000 restaurants worldwide. When a waiter punches up a meal receipt, a separate news ticket comes out. The system looks for an update every two minutes.

Washington journalist Frank Mankiewicz, one of the people behind the initiative, said, "Many experts told us to get a life and go digital. But our argument is based on the same reasons newspapers keep publishing ink-on-paper: There is a wonderful human connectivity to paper that works."

The news receipts update the top dozen AP news stories from around the world, including the weather and stocks. Each receipt flags Domtar's award-winning ad campaign at www.paperbecause.com and delivers one of its signature messages, "Paper is Good. Pass it On.