20 Under 40 - 2001 Profile: Jeffrey Owen Noble

PRESSTIME

By Presstime Magazine

First Published: November 2001

Jeffrey Owen Noble, advertising director at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise, operates in Texas' only metropolitan statistical area to lose population and important retailers since 1990. Despite the negative trend, in the past 12 months under Noble's leadership, advertising linage grew 41.7 percent. And he began the job just 18 months ago.

From day one, Noble moved creatively and aggressively. He introduced rates that enabled mom-and-pop businesses to advertise more frequently: If an advertiser runs an ad, unchanged, for seven days straight, without much fuss about placement, the cost decreases progressively from the full rate on the first day to a dollar per column inch by day seven.

The pull from a week's worth of ads has been tremendous, with some companies experiencing 40-to-50 percent spikes in sales. Such results have prompted many to shift dollars out of radio and television and into the newspaper.

Noble also raises the 55,364-circulation newspaper's profile through promotions. They range from boat and bridal shows to "extreme events." One August weekend, the Enterprise sponsored the Hot August Nites Car Show and 11th Street Cruise. Some 45,000 people turned out to watch dragsters, stock cars, classics and other cars cruise 11th Street.

In house, Noble's monthly meetings include team-building games and performance awards, and outside, his energy spills into the community.

Education: 1982-85, attended Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas, studied music and financial management.Career: 1985-99, account executive, advertising director, Plainview (Texas) Daily Herald; 1999-present, advertising director, Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise.
Personal: Age, 38. Born, Lubbock, Texas. Married, wife K'Lin; twin sons, from left, Tyson and Parker.
Diversions: Singing and playing the guitar, hunting, fishing.
Connections: Beaumont Enterprise, 380 Main St., Beaumont, Texas 77701, (409) 838-2819, jnoble@hearstnp.com.