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 In This Issue

Commentary:

Behind the Numbers:

New and Noteworthy:

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 Magazine Watch

Ad Pages May be Down, but Magazines Increase Readers

While consumer magazines battle competitive media for scarce advertising dollars, readership remained strong over the past year. MRI’s Spring 2002 Study shows a total audience gain of two percent, across the 206 consumer titles reported in both MRI’s Spring '01 and Spring '02 Study. Of these titles, more than half (59 percent) increased their readership year-to-year, while 41 percent lost readers.

To read more, go to:

• Media Buyers Daily: "Magazine Readers Gains Give Advertisers More Reach Per Buck"
• Folio First Day: "Magazines Tick Up"

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Accumulation - A Tool for Better Print Planning
By Cynthia Evans, S.V.P., Director of Print and Outdoor Research, Mediaedge: CIA

If I ran a magazine ad in a March publication, why did a customer come to the counter asking for my product in mid-February? Why did another customer come in five months later, with the same March issue pointing to the same ad?

This happens because magazine audience accumulation patterns -- the speed with which magazines build their audiences for advertising purposes -- vary since many magazines are circulated well before their actual issue date and others may not be read until well after publication. With the recently released accumulation study from Mediamark Research -- representing the first major update of print audience accumulation data since the 1970’s--magazines have a new tool to use when competing with other media for marketers’ budgets. And, understanding audience accumulation patterns, in general and by title, can enhance print planning and facilitate more effective plan execution.

Readership: Before and After

• According to MRI’s accumulation study, reading begins up to 18 days prior to issue date. On average, across 194 publications examined by MRI, reading begins 12 days prior to the published issue date. For advertisers, this can have considerable ramifications if the purpose of the print ad is to drive customers to purchase a product that won’t be available in stores until a specific date, or to attend a promotion that will only be in effect for a specified period of time.
   
• The average issue audience continues to accumulate beyond the date that publications become available. It took an average of approximately four to five months, across 194 reported titles, to accumulate 95 percent of the average issue audience.

Magazine Audience Accumulation Information Yields Better Plan Design and Evaluation

Accumulation numbers help us to be more sensitive to specific scheduling opportunities and maximize exposure during key selling periods. In addition, audience accumulation data can help distinguish between magazines that supply maintenance levels of message delivery (on-going) vs. quick sales/action response message delivery. And, by allocating print message delivery more precisely along a timeline, it can be correlated more closely to sales, or to a desired response such as phone-in, mail-in or store visit. This gives magazines a more even footing in their ongoing battle with electronic advertising media, which are measured more frequently.

Most important for magazines in the planning process is that the data can be used for the “time planning” of print as it is currently done for TV. One can now plan print for weekly reach goals as we do with TV.

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What's for Dinner? Try Asking Dad
More Men Than Ever Claim Household Principal Shopper Title

If you don’t find Dad puttering in the shop or working in the yard, you might try looking for him in the grocery store.

More men are making shopping decisions today than ever before. Between 1985 and 2001, households in which the principal shopper is male almost doubled (from 13 percent to 24 percent), according to MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer. The principal shopper is defined as the adult in each household who does most of the shopping for household items, such as groceries and children’s clothing.

Women still represent the majority of those hanging the homemaker shingle, with more than three in four (76 percent) earning principal shopper status. But that’s down ten percentage points since 1985.

“The increase in the percentage of men who are principal shoppers creates opportunities and challenges for marketers,” says MRI President/CEO Kathi Love. “To be effective, advertising needs to consider this gender shift to reach men both in the message and the medium. For example, package goods marketers and other advertisers might consider expanding their campaigns beyond traditional CPG targets, such as Women 18-49.”

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New Product Categories

• Mutual Funds
• Flavored Alcoholic Beverages/Coolers

Revised/Improved Categories

• DVD Players - added category brands
• Securities - updated range for amount invested

Updated Brand Listings for:

• Beer
• Prescription Brands
• Video Game systems
• Pet Food

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The Source
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