The activity comes as the publication's owner, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, looks to roll out similar subscription charges across its sister newspaper sites.
The drive, by marketing agency Doremus, breaks this week and aims to highlight WSJE's investment in its editorial products. It will run across TV, print, online and outdoor. The activity will also include point-of-sale marketing and sampling, and carries the strapline 'News for news makers'.
Andrew Langhoff, publisher of WSJE, said the campaign 'is part of a focused circulation strategy aimed at Europe's business elite'. The European version of the business newspaper has a circulation of about 75,000.
The redesigned WSJE will provide more analysis, special reports and columnists, and will sport a refreshed front-page design.
Despite distributing 80,000 free copies to business executives to promote the relaunch this week, WSJE will maintain its online subscription rates. Subscribers to WSJE's online version pay £72 for a year's access.
'It is clear that our content has value,' said Langhoff. 'The Journal is at the front of the paid-content debate.' The paper has also introduced charges for its mobile content.
Next year, News Corp intends to revamp The Times Online and charge for access, using a similar model.
'Our corporate parent is very interested in Europe, so we are using that opportunity,' added Langhoff.
IN MY VIEW - EXPERT COMMENT
ABCs
The Daily Star was once again the only daily newspaper to increase its average circulation, according to the latest ABC figures. Between May and October, its circulation rose by nearly 19% year on year to 865,388.
The Sun's average circulation over the same period dipped by almost 2% year on year from 3.12m to 3.06m, while the Daily Mirror suffered a 9.1% fall to 1.3m. News of the World lost 3.9% of its circulation, which now stands at 3.06m.
The Daily Mail dropped by 2.9% to 2.2m, while The Mail on Sunday's circulation fell by more than 7% to 2m.
The Independent's circulation plunged by 15.2% year on year, from 226,907 to 192,383. The Independent on Sunday, meanwhile, lost nearly 17% of its circulation, which now stands at 160,621.
The Times' average circulation dropped nearly 7% to 580,324. However, The Sunday Times posted a 0.9% rise to almost 1.2m. Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph suffered a 4.3% fall in average circulation, to 812,906, while The Sunday Telegraph recorded a 3% drop in circulation to 604,303.
- Paid-content modelling is important to our members. Half already charge for content, and 19% plan to start charging in the next 12 months. Clearly, paid-content models will be bespoke to a publisher's business, with few 'off-the-shelf' silver bullets. However, the breadth of our membership gives us insight into how content owners and business sectors can best succeed. Members are already expanding into areas such as mobile apps, with more than half expressing desire to create paid-for apps.
- Lee Baker, Director, Association of Online Publishers.
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