Customer Publishing Across The Globe

Customer publishing is an effective way of reaching consumers, with the market thriving in the UK. Julia Hutchison, COO of the APA, examines the sector, taking a snapshot look at the international market…

Customer publishing in the UK continues to thrive. Last year customer magazines were named consumers’ preferred form of marketing communications by the DMA’s Participation Survey. It is therefore not surprising that in 2006 the industry enjoyed a 16% increase of new titles entering the market. And the signs are extremely encouraging for 2007, with a number of large contracts in the pipeline.

But what of customer publishing markets elsewhere? Across the pond custom publishing, as it is called, is also flourishing. This might seem unsurprising given the vastness of the country, which sets the perfect scene for distributing magazines via the post to customers unlikely to interact face to face with a brand on a regular basis.

But only five years ago producing a customer title was considered vanity publishing. Opinion has shifted however and customer magazines are now seen as a measurable and engaging route to market. American consumers are responding well, with almost two thirds saying that they had purchased a product or service featured in a customer title.

Whilst turnover is extremely healthy, there is enormous scope for growth. Customer publishers in the US can follow the lead of their UK counterparts and supplement the printed offering, by taking the branded content across other channels such podcasts and PFTV.

The German speaking sector, encompassing Germany, Switzerland and Austria, aside from the UK, is the most dynamic publishing market in Europe with more than 3,100 titles. However, Scandinavia is fast catching up with its burgeoning market. In Finland for example, customer magazines are deeply embedded within people’s way of life, representing the second largest magazine sector.

As a result FPPA is increasing its research budget to demonstrate the medium’s effectiveness. The picture is similar in Sweden, which although only a small industry produces a sizeable number of titles, with a combined circulation of more than 25.2 million (an average of 2.7 magazines per person) according to the Swedish Institute of Advertising and Media Statistics.

In addition, many developing overseas customer publishing markets are being supported and grown by successful global titles. For example Volvo Magazine, which has a circulation of 1.3 million and is distributed across 70 countries in 25 languages. It carries out a global readership survey on a regular basis, the most recent of which found that 61% of readers were more likely to consider buying another Volvo and 27% bought a Volvo accessory as a direct result of the magazine. Such results are very hard to ignore and are providing customer publishing agencies across the world with compelling ammunition to grow this extremely effective medium.