Sanoma engagement measurement discussed at FIPP Research Forum
Sanoma’s approach to engagement measurement was discussed today (23 May) at the FIPP Research Forum in Barcelona.
Veronique Couvreur from Sanoma, Belgium and Jan Drijvers from TNS, Belgium, explained how Sanoma firstly distinguished between ‘media engagement’ (relationship you have with the title) and ‘advertising engagement’ (direct relationship with advertiser), before embarking on research to discover how its audiences engage with each.
Sanoma then decided to measure engagement across different types of media channels – a single approach that allowed them to compare platforms. Included in this study were TV, radio, dailies and magazines (including free supplements).
According to Drijvers, there are three dimensions/components of engagement:
- Quality of contact – frequency, intensity and duration of contact gives indication of quality of contact.
- Relationship between consumers and media – readers trusting title, would miss if it wasn’t there, and which is their favourite.
- The media experience – feelings, emotions triggered? What the medium does with consumer? ‘Impact’ of the contact?
With a sample size of more than 3,000, more than 13,000 media experiences were recorded in the study. Top-line results showed that media engagement winners were dailies, followed by radio and then magazines. Advertising engagement winners were magazines, followed by dailies and then radio. Couvreur said these results show that “advertising in magazines is in context, low irritation, offering ideas, tips or advice, showing products or services that are of interest and are inspirational.”
“Media consumers fall in love with the brand, not the medium”, she said, “and media brands have clear identities or personalities and specialise in a certain theme or trigger interests from specific target audiences.”
Women’s mags achieved best result for advertising engagement, concluded Couvreur, because they’re not considered to be as disruptive as others.
The FIPP Research Forum is a two-day event for publishers, researchers and marketing executives in the magazine business. It has attracted some of the world’s leading magazine research professionals, who meet to discuss the latest issues and developments in the industry worldwide.
