Magazine ABCs: look beyond old habits to understand sector’s growing influence
Above: Sue Todd. Source: Campaign
Measurement and analysis of magazine media’s power and influence moved beyond the ABC numbers alone some time ago; however old habits die hard, so it remains a point at which we often reflect on and try to understand the evolving nature of the sector.
The latest data released last week shows that total demand for magazines in both print and digital editions remains strong, with a -0.2 per cent change compared to a year ago.
At a headline level, consumers bought 3.4 per cent fewer print copies, yet the scale and importance of magazine brands in print remains significant with more than £1.2bn spent by UK adults over the course of a year. That’s four times more than consumers spent on Netflix content in a comparable period and significantly more than Frozen has taken at the box office worldwide.
In an era where free content is available 24/7, it is encouraging to see that the appetite for high quality, original and inspiring content remains strong.
So why are 75 per cent of adults in the UK still reading magazine content every month and what still makes this such a compelling business and advertising opportunity?
Immersive and influential
We know that when it comes to media experiences, which command people’s full and undivided attention, there are few left that enable such an immersive and deeply pleasurable moment as that offered by magazine media.
And when it comes to understanding what this means for advertisers, research from the likes of Adobe concludes time and time again that magazine brands are the most welcoming and receptive environments for messages. In an age when it seems cutting through the clutter is more difficult and ad avoidance is high, the value for brands of media experiences where minds are open and positive shouldn’t be underestimated.
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