7/16/09
On June 26, 2009, the MPA (Magazine Publishers of America) published a white paper on the state of the business which shows that the number of magazine readers has actually grown +5.7% over the past 5 years. And, even young readers, i.e. Adults 18-34, are showing a +2.6% increase over the same period. (“Consumers value magazines in their media mix. Do You?”, 2009)
A study from McPheters & Co., published in 2007, indicated that Gen X and Gen Y are in fact reading more magazines monthly than do Baby Boomers and The Silent Generation. Specifically, 19-24 year-olds reported reading an average of 18.3 titles in the previous 6 months. 25-34 year-olds read 18.9, while those 45-54 said they read 16.7, and people over 65 said they read 14. (Ives, 2007)
So, why were magazine ad pages down another -29.4% in 2nd quarter 2009? (Sass, 2009)
I sense a disconnect here. Do you? Are you still reading magazines? Do you want your favorite brands to continue to support them?
(2009, June 29). Consumers value magazines in their media mix. Do you? magazine.org. Retrived, July 15, 2009, from
http://www.magazine.org/advertising/advertising-white-paper.aspx
Ives, N. (2007, May 22). Young Adults Bigger Mag Readers Than Their Parents. adage.com. Retrived, May 24, 2007, from http://adage.com/print?article_id=116831
Sass, E. (2009, July 10). Magazine Ad pages Tumble 29.4% in Q2. mediapost.com. Retrieved, July 15 from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=109601
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I definitely agree that companies should continue to advertise in magazines. I subscribe to 3 magazines and am always tempted to subscribe to others. I have noticed that the Dolce & Gabbana cologne ad in my GQ magazine is in every issue. As we discussed in class that it is wise to advertise in spurts, I wonder weather the magazine companies lower their prices to keep the few companies interested in magazines.
I think the "print is dying" hysteria has been self-fulfilling. I think it's kind of like the economy; once we hear people are panicking, the more the rest of us panic.
I still read magazines, but a lot of my favorites have folded. I do wish they received better support from brands. I think the effectiveness of print ads is always debatable, but at least in mags you are often advertising to a very specific niche who is at least willing to pay for a magazine (and maybe your product) unlike many web surfers who are looking for free content and to whom banner ads are virtually invisible.
Post a Comment