It is an accepted fact that covers influence magazine purchase. As the number of titles on the UK market continues to increase, competition intensifies for shelf space, and the importance of a good cover becomes greater, While theories on cover design abound, in the final analysis the cover is usually a matter of editorial/artistic instinct, without the backing of evidence from objective research into purchasing influences and behaviour in a competitive situation. We felt that it should be possible to draw up some guidelines to improve the effectiveness of cover designs. Our specific objectives were to determine the importance in the purchase decision of the cover picture, the overall design and use of colour, the masthead and the cover lines - and to discover how value for money was judged. This paper discusses, in general terms the findings from a major piece of research, commissioned by Comag, as a service to their clients.
The success of "EL PAIS" is due to the combination of a series of factor which have coincided in the newspaper since beginning. The first of them, its particular system of owner ship, gave "EL PAIS" some features which made it different from the traditional Spanish newspapers, which are generally connected with a particular religious or ideological group. In the second place, is the factor of technical equipment. Having - come into being during a fervent renovation in printing industry,"EL - PAIS" used photocomposition and offset from the very beginning. In 1981 video terminals were installed in the editing department. Beginning in - October of 1982, a system of tele-facsimile using laser was used, which made possible the simultaneous publishing of the paper in Barcelona and Madrid. Thirdly, there is a team of professionals, a team which is characterised by the youth of its members (the average age is 34) and connecting with what could be referred to as the new generation of Spaniards.
Sanoma bought Tecnopress in the beginning of 1983 with the aim of broadening its range of publications, which consisted largely of family and women's magazines. Negotiations between Tecnopress and Sanoma produced agreement to the effect that there was beginning to be room on the market for a home computer magazine, and because Tecnopress had the editorial resources to publish one more magazine, we decided in January 1984 to launch a basic magazine aimed at home computer users.
The paper examines the printed media in Europe from the point of view of the advertiser and his advertising agencies, with reference to the emerging importance of the electronic audio-visual media. It attempts to trace shifting consumer priorities between printed and audio-visual media forms, evidenced by increases in television viewing time and shorter reading time. The paper looks at some of the unsuccessful reactions of the print sector to this changing picture and suggests that these lead to loss of consumer trust, with no compensating improvement in business. Examples of more constructive reactions include the streamlining of print technology and costs, product upgrades, launches of new print products which emulate (rather than copying) TV, and the switch of publisher investment into television ventures. A suggested action plan follows in summary form.
The objectives of this paper are to detail the experiences in developing and using scanner-based systems and to demonstrate how these systems have influenced marketing and marketing research in general. The central focus of this paper is a discussion of the applications, advantages and disadvantages of scanner data and the ways in which this new information source can aid publishers in marketing decision making. A number of relevant, new developments and their possible effects on the media industry in the USA will also be highlighted.
This paper discusses the way readers ensure that the things they read in magazines and newspapers are well adapted to their individual needs - and how close the relationship often is between the reader and the publication.
This paper is not so much about magazines or micros as about management, and in particular the use of information in management decisions. It just happens that the writer's business is magazines and he has found in the microcomputer the ideal tool for handling marketing and financial information in a disciplined, but flexible and imaginative, way.
In January, 1985, McGraw-Hill Inc a $1.4 billion publishing and information supplier, underwent a dramatic reorganisation. The corporation had moved into the 80's with a myriad of broadcasting, print and other information products, organised under six divisions or companies. Then following several years of extensive internal evaluation, management began to emphasise markets and moved into a market focus mode.
Abroad the economic conditions of Denmark are considered to be favourable, compared with many other European countries, a truth with many modifications, participated in the general economic growth of the western societies, bringing the standard of living of the ordinary household up to a level, being almost unique in the world. However, the first and especially the second oil crisis brought Denmark to the edge of the economic catastrophy. A deficit in the balance of payment of 20 billions, a foreign debt of almost 300 billions, a deficit in the Government budget of more than 50 billions per year, and an enormous Government debt, totally at 420 billion D.cr. placed Denmark in a position, where there were no degrees of freedom in the economic policy. Therefore, for the last few years, a tight economic policy has been executed by the Government. The automatic regulation of salaries in accordance with prices has been abandoned, wage negotiations have been restricted to 2 per cent increase per year, new taxes have been introduced, and in 1987 a total new tax system will be introduced.
The advertising industry is rapidly changing. Advertisers are looking for immediate results; often at a very short notice. Advertising agencies try to expand their service functions from merely creative to overall marketing services. The recession period didn't only slow down the growth of advertising expenditures, but lead to a further shift from above the line towards below the line activities; direct marketing being the big winner. It also lead to an increased pressure on prices and margins via media broking and media buying instruments. The real or perceived value for money no longer was determined by value but merely by price/discounts. In the publishing industry the not to be stopped growth of TV time available decreased the market share of print dramatically. One of our studies shows per product category a direct decline of the marketshare for magazines, where the share of TV swings upwards.
In consultation with the Magazine Division it was definitely decided in May of this year to start and implement a comprehensive continuous (readership) survey of the magazine market. For the time being this survey will be restricted to developments on the readers market, though some analyses, being deductions thereof, can also be used to support decision-making processes on the advertisement market.