The advertising boom petered out at the end of the ’80s, the PR bang fizzled at the close of the ’90s. Now a marketer’s secret weapon in the 21st century is a strategic whisper: the customer magazine. Sure, straightforward advertising has a role to play, so too does PR, but the trend is to more subtle associations between brand and customer.
Custom magazines, both print and digital, are growing globally at an astonishing rate as enlightened companies recognize the value of the dialogue this medium is able to offer. In the UK the industry is currently valued at £385 million and is expected to grow to £530 million in the next five years. This trend is reflected in the South African industry: custom publishing is the only publishing sector showing growth. In 2008, AMPS research revealed a 4,65 percent growth over 2007 figures, brilliant news in an economic downturn. The last quarter of 2008 saw six new titles launched locally, and more still in 2009.
Why the enthusiasm? Well, quite plainly, customer magazines deliver measureable results, both as a brand enhancer and in driving sales. UK research by the Association of Publishing agencies shows that customer magazines increase brand loyalty by 32 percent. Customers value the independent editorial content, which significantly enhances brand image. They spend time with the magazine – a priceless advantage in our time-pressured age. This means they engage with your brand with relaxed and friendly associations. Consequently, custom magazines impact on customer behaviour: 44 percent take some form of positive action as a result of reading a custom magazine.
The upshot of all of this: your customer feels rewarded, they’re more likely to respond and this delivers results.
Rewards + Response = Results.
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