Slovenčina Key insights
- Denník N defied expectations with a 72% retention rate after a 10-week 'pay-what-you-want' (even €0) trial.
- Even when offered for free, 78% of new trial subscribers chose to pay, proving the perceived value of Denník N's journalism.
- Months of research into reader needs culminated in 10 specific commitments that became the campaign's core driver, doubling the subscription target in mere days.
- Turning 70,000 existing subscribers into campaign ambassadors via referrals and gamification was key.
- Social media also played a crucial role with getting help from influencers.
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Essentially, we ran two different campaigns for two completely different audiences at the same time, told us Tomas Bella, co-founder & Chief Digital Officer of Denník N. The campaign performed far better than the team expected—exceeding their primary goal by more than double—but it wasn’t without risk.
“We wanted to do something big after a relatively long period of stagnation in subscriber numbers, and our reasoning was that we had to take some risks,” explained Bella the bold move.
Especially, the 10 promises that were part of the campaign together with reaching 10-thousand new subscribers is a thing that looks subtle but was fundamental in the whole thing and also took the team several months to prepare, Bella added.
“We invited our 70,000 existing subscribers to help strengthen the country and its fragile democratic system. Our request? Convince at least one friend to try Denník N for 10 weeks, and in return, we pledged to fulfil 10 key promises – each designed to make Slovakia, and European democracy at large, a better place,” wrote about the campaign Veronika Munk, Director of Innovation and New Markets at Denník N.
We weren’t ready for such success, Radoslav Augustín, Head of Product, told FatChilli in an interview. It might sound like bragging, but he was speaking in very practical terms - imagine having to redesign the campaign’s landing page and update all communications over a single weekend.
Denník N’s 10th anniversary subscriber campaign as seen by the public
REMP (Readers’ Engagement and Monetization Platform) Campaign module button banner on the homepage of Denník N with the campaign message and counter of new subscribers. Source: Denník N
They pressed on and, within two weeks, attracted more than 24 000 new subscribers (24 366, to be precise). Tomáš Bella later noted that the original plan had been to reach ten thousand in six weeks.
In January 2025 the independent Slovak news outlet Denník N planned to celebrate its tenth anniversary—and the fact that it had become a successful, financially sound, sustainable media business. Besides hosting a large gathering of hundreds of guests, supporters, influencers, and notable media personalities, the outlet launched an ambitious subscription drive with one bold goal: to gain 10 000 new subscribers.
The campaign's guiding idea, apart from hitting that target, was to motivate readers with ten promises to be fulfilled once the goal was reached. The pledges ranged from unlocking the entire archive of paid content—more than 100 000 articles—through producing more social‑media video to reach new audiences with independent journalism, to sending free printed copies of the newspaper to retirement homes, among others.
Even then, Denník N was already one of the most successful subscriber‑supported news organisations in Europe—indeed, worldwide—having persuaded more than one per cent of Slovakia’s population to subscribe.
Prospective readers could decide how much to pay for a ten‑week trial: the recommended €4 (half the standard rate), more than that, or even €0. According to Denník N, just over one‑fifth—22 per cent—chose the free option.
The team launched the campaign on Friday, 24 January, and by the following Monday had already met the 10 000‑subscriber target—in less than four days.
Months of research and preparation lay behind the campaign, and the strategy merits a closer look. Yet the most striking figure emerged only after the campaign had ended, and we are exclusively sharing it here with Denník N’s permission.
When the outlet announced the acquisition of 24 000 subscribers, media‑management insiders quickly pointed out that the real test would be retention once the ten‑week trial expired and every reader— even those who had paid nothing—switched to a €4 monthly fee for a year‑long, half‑price subscription.
Asked at the time how the team would tackle that challenge, Head of Product Radoslav Augustín said they had several ideas but would deploy them according to how this new cohort behaved.
And the result? An impressive 72% of the new subscribers kept paying after the trial period.
Writing a few days before the first renewals were due, Veronika Munk had warned that churn is inevitable—benchmarks suggest up to 70 per cent of new subscribers may cancel. Fortunately for Denník N, the opposite happened.
As with many campaigns, the biggest peaks are in the beginning and the end. The double bump in the beginning is caused by launching the campaign on Friday, a small drop during the weekend and return on Monday. Source: A snapshot from REMP CRM
The context: Navigating a challenging media landscape & crafting the promises
The campaign’s timing proved crucial. It launched just as widespread news fatigue set in after Slovakia’s 2023 elections and the formation of a populist government that increasingly looks to authoritarian regimes for guidance rather than deepening ties with the European Union.
Many Denník N readers, by the team’s own reports, were “switching off the news entirely because it felt too depressing.”
Instead of resisting that mood, Denník N leaned into it with its trademark dry humour. “We had to tell readers: even if you can’t face grim headlines every day, don’t cancel—let us track the depressing stuff for you,” explained Tomas Bella.
Recognising that emotional state was central to the campaign’s appeal.
“We’re asking a lot of our audience, so it’s only fair we offer a lot in return,” Bella added. To deliver on that, the outlet formed an internal “brain trust” specifically for the campaign. Radoslav Augustín noted that the group met weekly from October 2024 until the launch on 24 January 2025.
Long before those meetings, the team had researched successful referral models—most notably Zetland’s ambassador programme—and even consulted Zetland to grasp the mechanics.
The idea of promises, though, originated at Denník N. While Nko (read as “Enko”, a shorthand used to address the outlet in Slovakia) had previously used crowdfunding incentives as they had in the past crowdfunding campaigns that for example, promising to distribute magazines on disinformation to schools if enough readers chipped in, this was its first time deploying such pledges in a subscription drive.
“We began by mining existing reader feedback—what they asked for most, what they complained about,” Bella said. Those insights shaped the ten specific promises that ultimately powered the campaign.
10 campaign promises of Denník N
1. We will unlock all texts published in the first 10 years of Denník N.
2. We will give a free subscription to all future first-time voters.
3. We will significantly increase the number of free short videos on social networks.
4. We will send Denník N for free to all senior clubs.
5. We will conduct 100 interviews with people who have not given up on Slovakia.
6. We will dedicate special newspaper editions to at least five Slovak regions.
7. We will offer all our videos to regional television stations for free.
8. We will organize lectures about the dangers of social networks for 10,000 students.
9. We will start educating young journalists.
10. We will dedicate 10 million ad impressions to organizations that improve Slovakia.
The reader survey revealed several clear themes. A recurring concern was that, while existing subscribers paid for access, other groups—such as students—could not read full articles behind the paywall. Many feared that public opinion was “on a ticking clock,” vulnerable to Russian propaganda.
With those insights, the campaign brain trust asked itself one question: How can we solve our readers’ problems? “How do we fight Russian propaganda on TikTok? Could we hire more staff to debunk disinformation and deliver trusted, independent reporting?” recalled Bella.
Another issue was affordability: the paywall blocks some audiences, but removing it entirely could jeopardise the outlet’s finances. The team began brainstorming tangible fixes—free newspapers for seniors, free online subscriptions for students, free anti‑disinformation books for libraries—and the ideas kept flowing.
“At that point we visited every department,” Bella said, “to see what the newsroom could handle in practice, what the book division could contribute, and how our social‑media presence might improve.”
The first draft contained roughly two dozen potential promises. A small group of subscribers then ranked them: Which pledges are most appealing? Beyond journalism, what else should Denník N do to make Slovakia better?
Because a private news outlet must remain sustainable, the team made cost estimates for each idea—unlocking the archive, subsidising student access, and so on.
Finally, they cut the list to ten promises, ensuring that even the expensive ones were genuinely valued by readers.
Some pledges will demand significant new effort from the editorial staff, but the brain trust approved them only once the data showed readers truly wanted those changes.
In his February quarterly letter—sent shortly after the campaign passed 10 000 new subscribers—CEO Lukáš Fila announced that the archive had already been unlocked and the outlet would move ahead on the remaining promises.
On the homepage a top banner from REMP Campaign module always showed the current number of new subscribers with the goal next to it. When expanded, users could access their unique campaign link and see how many subscribers used it to get the subscription. Source: Denník N
A bold strategy: Flexible pricing, gamification, influencer marketing and the small things
During the campaign Denník N adopted an unusually bold pricing model: a ten‑week trial in which readers could pay whatever they wished—even nothing. This was a first for the publication.
Despite the free option, an overwhelming majority – four in five new subscribers elected to pay, on average, €4. Bella elaborated on this innovative approach: "We're trying something completely new here,” explaining that his team offered its subscribers a deal: make quality news accessible to more people if those who can afford it pay it forward. Only 22% of new subscribers chose the free option.
This is what Bella noted previously, they were in fact running two campaigns for two audiences. One aimed at their current subscribers, and the other aimed at getting new subscribers.
Augustín also shared with us that the team actually doubled down on the communication towards the existing subscribers and would likely try harder with ex-subscribers and all the registered users they have in the database next time.
Another novel element for the campaign and for Denník N was a gamification element where existing subscribers could track in real-time how many new subscribers joined through their unique referral links.
And not only subscribers, the competition spilled into the newsroom itself. Bella—despite his large social‑media following—finished second to journalist Monika Tódová.
Approximately 3,000 people used these special links, bringing in around 6,800 new subscribers. The most successful subscriber-influencer brought in 372 new subscribers. It was Sandra Sviteková, a YouTuber and influencer who has been creating videos about history since 2016 and amassed a large following both on YouTube and Instagram.
After the newsroom saw her success with bringing new subscribers, Tomas Bella wanted to thank her personally so he reached out to her and the conversation ended with Sandra becoming an external video creator at Denník N. In her first videos, she focused on the life in the newsroom and explained how things work which is especially valuable as the core of her audience are young people, and possible future subscribers, between 18 and 33 years old.
Social media played a crucial role in amplifying the campaign. Slovak influencers helped promote it on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Instead of going directly to chosen influencers as they tried in the past and ended up with a bunch of price quotes out of their financial possibilities, the social media team approached the ones that took part in the campaign organically and worked with them directly to amplify their message among the influencer’s audience.
Denník N also strategically used Manychat, a chatbot and marketing automation platform, to send personalised direct messages to followers who commented on campaign posts, automating replies and nudging them toward subscription.
In the meantime, Denník N has already started to gradually fulfil its campaign promises. Their publication essentially serves as a continuation of this effort, set to proceed for months after the campaign's official conclusion.
Head of Product Radoslav Augustín highlighted a subtle but important tactic: Denník N suspended all promotional or discounted offers several months before the anniversary drive to build pent‑up demand.
That decision is significant—larger outlets often run dozens of micro-campaigns at once, which maintain a trickle of conversions but seldom generate a big surge. At times, Denník N used to have hundreds of campaigns running in the REMP platform.
Another small but noteworthy detail: if any newly subscribed readers turned off the recurrent payment option, a bottom strip banner—set up in REMP—appeared. While not overly intrusive, readers could not hide it. This banner informed readers they could reactivate recurrent payments at the price promised in the campaign
The team also refined its onboarding flow, ensuring every new subscriber encountered the campaign’s central message.
In the long run, Denník N relies on quality journalism—the ultimate marketing asset—for retention.
Augustín also said they have optimized the onboarding process over the years and trusted it, as for many other successful outlets, they also saw the best results with getting subscribers hooked on newsletters.
New subsribers onboarding automation. Source: Denník N's REMP Scenario Builder
Key takeaways and lessons learned
Denník N's successful campaign offers several key takeaways for the media industry:
- 💡 High rewards start with big risks: Had Denník N played it safe, it would never have generated such momentum.
- 💡 Research and preparation are indispensable: Knowing your audience and their needs goes a long way in crafting the right messaging.
- 💡 Directly asking for support works: People are willing to invest in quality journalism and a better future when explicitly invited to participate.
- 💡 Existing audiences are powerful recruiters: Mobilizing current subscribers through referral programs and gamification can significantly boost new subscriptions.
- 💡 Value justifies payment: Even with a free option available, a significant portion of people will pay if they believe in the mission and see value in the product.
- 💡 Relevant promises matter: Crafting commitments that resonate with the audience's needs and address broader societal concerns is crucial. Remember, this part took Denník N the longest time to prepare and finalize.
- 💡 Strategic social media engagement is effective: Utilizing influencers and chat automation can create personalized connections and drive conversions.
Denník N's 10th-anniversary campaign stands as a testament to the effectiveness of a well-thought-out strategy that combines a deep understanding of audience sentiment, a bold and innovative financial model, and a genuine commitment to its mission.
By learning from others, like Zetland, and adapting strategies to their own context, Denník N not only achieved remarkable subscriber growth but also reinforced the value of independent journalism in a challenging environment.
The true measure of its success will lie in its long-term retention rates, but the initial results indicate a promising future built on a strong foundation of reader engagement and trust.
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