Flyers are still big business for some retailers and brands, but reaching that coveted urban target can be tough.

FlyerGo, created by former Metro News president Bill McDonald and Consumer Media Solutions principal Phil Goddard, is a new flyer, FSI and sampling distribution venture in Toronto.

Launching Jan. 28, the company will be distributing flyers in sealed polybags within the TTC system, in part through a partnership with Gateway Newstands (to whom FlyerGo is paying a licensing fee).

As high-rise development has boomed in Toronto, reaching city dwellers has become more challenging, McDonald says. While some retailers will do lobby drops in buildings, it’s become increasingly difficult to reach that audience in a consistent way, he says.

The idea behind FlyerGo will be to reach Torontonians in a captive environment during their commutes.

Getting people to actually take the flyers isn’t much of a concern for McDonald. He notes that many commuters already have an “established habit” of picking up free print products (such as newspapers or real estate listings) at Gateway Newstands racks.

FlyerGo will also be employing ambassadors to hand out flyers at key stations during rush hours, such as hubs like Yonge and Bloor or Union Station. They will also work in outlying stations such as Finch and Kipling, which will help reach consumers commuting from outer suburbs.

The company will also use digital screens at Gateway locations to help promote its current flyers and products in it.

In terms of sampling, small products could be placed within the polybags, while larger ones can be handed out by the ambassadors themselves.

FlyerGo is currently in talks with retailers and QSRs, as well as the major agencies that work on flyers, about distribution.

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