WWW.MEDIAPOST.COM
Paid and Non-Paid Magazine Distribution Yields Similar Ad Action Response
by Jack Loechner, Wednesday, September 27, 2006 3 AM
Paid and Non-Paid Magazine Distribution Yields Similar Ad Action Response The Value of Magazine Readership study, from the Magazine Publishers of America, suggests that
many assumptions may not be accurate about the connection between consumers' reaction to magazine advertising and the price paid and circulation source for the magazines that they read. This report
shows that:
- Price paid and circulation source do not predict reader engagement or demographics
-
Differences in the ways subscribers, newsstand buyers and public place readers respond to magazines and to the advertising in them are often insignificant
-
Public place copies generate significant advertising exposure opportunities, often to readers with desirable demographic characteristics
Debbie Solomon Senior
Partner, Group Research Director, MindShare, said "What is important is how the reader reads the magazine, not how they obtained the copy or the price they paid..."
The analysis of MRI data by DJG Marketing, and, and Waiting Room Subscription Services shows that in 2006 approximately one-fourth of magazine reading is done in public places, up from 16% in 1996.
Rick Jones, of DJG Marketing, notes that "Public place copies are individually addressed and strategically targeted to specific locations. They are third-party auditable copies with proven readership
value for the advertiser." Their research found that "Public place distribution can and frequently does enable advertisers to reach a larger body of readers who are
involved, demographically qualified and responsive to their advertising message."
Estimated Readers Per Copy Generated by Public Place and Newsstand CopiesNewsstand Public Place Factor (Public Place/Newsstand)Total Readers (per copy) 4.0 30.0
7.5 Adults HHI $50,000+
2.4 16.0
6.7 Adults
HHI $75,000+ 1.6 10.0
6.2 Professional/Managerial 1.3
7.9
6.1
Women 25-54, HHI $50K+, Any College 1.2 8.3
6.9Source: Condé Nast
research incorporating MRI data, 2003Factor (Public Place/Newsstand) is the multiple of readers per copy that public place
copies offer as compared to newsstand copies. For example, among total readers in the titles studied, public place readers per copy are 7.5 times those of newsstand buyers. McPheters & Company conducted a study in which the subscriber base of multiple magazines was anonymously matched with the base of MRI respondents. According to Rebecca McPheters,
who led the analysis, "The price paid by a subscriber for a particular magazine does not predict the quality of the reader nor is reader quality determined by the method by which a reader acquires a
magazine. Quality is a function of reader characteristics..."
Reader Demographic Indices by Circulation SourceDemographicSubscriber Paid Less Than Average Net PriceSubscriber Paid More Than Average Net PriceBought Direct from PublisherDid Not Buy Direct from Publisher
College Degree+ 102
98 106
93
Employed Full-Time 99 101 102 102 Professional/Managerial
101 100
106 98
Any Children in Household
94 106
91 113
Sources: McPheters & Company analysis of MRI Doublebases 2003, 2004 and magazine proprietary circulation data. Reader Involvement
Indices by Circulation SourceDemographicSubscriber Paid Less Than Average Net PriceSubscriber Paid More Than Average Net PriceBought Direct from PublisherDid Not Buy Direct from Publisher Average Page Exposure 99
100 105
95 Average Publication Rating Score
100 99
103 97
Interest in Advertising
100 99
104 96
Frequency of Reading 100 101 101 97
Sources: McPheters & Company analysis
of MRI Doublebases 2003, 2004 and magazine proprietary circulation data. Mediaedge:cia and Time Inc. conducted a study of six
magazines in January 2006 to gain insight into the role and value of magazines in public places and to examine how the source of a copy impacts how people read magazines. The study yielded numerous
insights into public place readership, including:
- Reading magazines is the most commonly cited activity in each and every type of public place
analyzed (doctor's office, barber shop, business reception, etc.) except for libraries, where it is second to reading books
- Readers revealed a strong emotional
connection with public place copies. For example, almost all or 95% of public place readers report that they would be "upset, underserved or bored" if no magazines were available in public places
- Though readers spend less time with public place copies than paid copies, the time spent with public place is more focused. 71 of nonpaid readers read public
copies with time devoted to just reading, which exceeds 66% of readers of paid copies
- While 54% of readers are doing other things while reading paid copies,
only one-third, or 34%, are multitasking while reading nonpaid copies.
Tom Robinson, Managing Director, Affinity Research LLC, noted: "Based on interviews
with more than 60,000 magazine readers in 2006, on average, more than half took or plan to take action as a direct result of exposure to specific print ads. Reader action levels were similar for both
paid and nonpaid readers."
Actions Taken in Response to
AdvertisingPaid Nonpaid
Consider purchasing the product or service 20%
18% More favorable opinion about the advertiser
13 11
Gather more information about product or service 2 11 Visit advertiser's website 10
10 Purchase the
product or service 8 7 Visit a store, dealer or other location
8 7
Save the ad for reference
6 5
Recommend the product or service 5 5 Some other action 4 5
Took any action (net) 52%
51%Source: Affinity's VISTA Print Effectiveness Rating ServiceBase: Actions taken based on respondents recalling specific ads, multiple responses. For more information about the
value of magazine readership, please access this PDF file.