These are the research studies that we've found to be most useful and most interesting. And the price is right, no question.
Are they just what the doctor ordered? You be the decider.
General Reference Compiled from various sources (HTML) Source: Central Intelligence Agency. (WinZIP) “They’ve given you a number…” Yep. Just about every known fact about every known country. Source: MPA (.pdf) Source: Compiled by the NAA (Excel) Downloadable data on ad spending in a variety of media Source: MRI (.pdf) Source: MRI (Interactive)
One of the slickest and most useful online tools available to publishers. MRI Plus consolidates many of the databases used to measure and evaluate magazines. Includes robust search and access capability, plus a cost-planning module. Useful for planning, audience research, competitive analyses, and a wide range of other purposes. Requires no-cost registration. Data can be downloaded and saved in a variety of formats. Managing Your Brand in a Recession What Makes an Ad Persuasive? Source: MRI (.pdf)
Seventy-three pages of survey questions and ways to segment audiences. Not exactly light reading… but it would be hard to find better place to borrow from when designing your own reader research. Don’t invent the wheel when you can hitch a ride. Internet Site Metrics and Print Media Measurement – From Dissonance to Consonance Source: MRI A serious look at measuring the combined effect of online and print advertising. Not light reading, but very thought-provoking. Source: MRI What makes some magazine readers “more equal” than others? In this paper MRI researchers identify 11 qualitative metrics... and how these metrics are applied to an audience can be very instructive to publishers. Source: MRI (Online video) Source: MRI (.pdf) Imagine if nine percent of your readers attributed your content to your closest competitor. If the name of your competitor's magazine is similar to yours, that may well be the case. This is an intriguing study with serious implications--at least in some markets. How What Are the Main Influences on Purchase Decisions? Source: MRI (.pdf) Serious research showing how different age cohorts use various media. The findings reinforce conventional wisdom in some cases, contradict it in others, and demonstrate differences that are fundamental to connecting successfully with consumers in an expanding media landscape.
Top 300 Magazines
Source: Ad Age (Excel)
Don't look back... they may be gaining!
Price's List of Lists.
The top of the pyramid when it comes to pretty much everything.
CIA World Factbook
This remains the best introduction to magazines available--especially for marketers.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (2008)
Source U.S. Census Department (Excel and .pdfs)
The venerable STATABUS has expanded this year, although it's hard to imagine where they found more data. Publishers may be interested in the following sections:
-Table 1098: Media Usage and Consumer Spending: 2000 to 2010
-Information & Communications: Publishing Industries
A quick-reference table of audience data on 230 consumer magazines. Information is summarized from the "Survey of the American Consumer," MRI’s flagship study based on in-person interviews with 26,000 participants. A pretty amazing little compendium.
MRI Plus
The Value of Magazine Advertising
Magazines, the Safest Bet in Advertising
Source: MPA (.pdf)
The benefits of magazine ads
Business-to-Business Media Study
Source: ABM with Yankelovich (.pdf)
Makes the case for advertising in B-to-B media.
Corporate Decision Makers' View of Business Media
Source: ABM with Forrester (.pdf)
Executives' outlook on business media
The Value of Advertising During an Economic Downturn
Source: ABM (.pdf)
This one-page summary sheet might come in handy when advertisers say they're cutting back. See also...
Source: Millward Brown (.pdf)
Useful with the above... with the added cachet of independence.
The Art and Craft of Advertising
Measuring Media Effectiveness
Source: MPA (.pdf)
How Do I Maximize My Print Budget?
Source: Millward Brown (.pdf)
Useful for salespeople and helpful to advertisers.
Can Copy Testing Accurately Predict Advertising Effectiveness?
Source: Millward Brown (.pdf)
Informative summary on ad creation
Source: Millward Brown (.pdf)
Well-written and valuable to advertisers
The Art and Craft of Research
Online Advertising
A Framework for Thinking About Online Advertising
Source: Dynamic Logic (Millward Brown) (.pdf)
Profile of the Internet User.
Source: Simmons. (.pdf)
Research examining some demographic, behavioral and attitudinal differences between home users with low-speed and high-speed Internet access.
Magazines Drive Results Online
Source: MPA (Downloadable .pdf)
Synergistic Effects of Cross-Platform Ads
Source: Dynamic Logic (Millward Brown) (.pdf)
An interesting case study with Forbes magazine that could apply anywhere.
Circulation
The Value of Magazine Readership
Source: MPA (.pdf)
How to Read a Magazine’s Publisher’s Statement (video)
Source: ABC
It's remarkable how many advertisers (and salespeople!) have never been taught how to read a Publisher's Statement. Here's the remedy. See also:
-Understanding ABC Reports for Business Publications (.pdf)
-How to Use an ABC Consumer Magazine Publisher's Statement (.pdf)
MRI’s Qualitative Measures
Audience Behavior
Intermedia Dimensions.
Source: Simmons and Media Dynamics. (.pdf)
Engagement scores for magazines, TV shows, and Web sites. Guess which medium scored highest?
Media Multiplexing in the
Source: Simmons (.pdf)
A good introduction to the subject of concurrent media exposure (CME) . See our feature on the same topic, Buying Time. , and below.
An interesting video presentation on MRI’s time-use study, MediaDay. Another good starting point on the subject.
Audience Aggregation and Audience-Based Selling
Source: Scarborough (.pdf)
Slideshow presentation on the benefits of aggregating audience data. Designed for the newspaper industry but applicable to magazine ad sales.
Book Industry Statistics
Source: AAP (.pdf)
How people buy books is analogous to how they buy magazines. Potentially useful to magazines with single copy sales.
Editorial
Dazed and Confused: The Characteristics and Behavior af Title-Confused Readers
Production
SWOP Downlaods (and other resources).
Source: SWOP (,pdfs)
One-stop, no-cost shopping for All Things Production.
Consumer Behavior
Source: NAA with MORI Research (.pdf)
Data on consumer retail spending
American Time Use Survey
Source: U.S. Department of Labor (.pdfs)
How do Americans use their time? You can benefit from knowing.
Source: Millward Brown (.pdf)
Beneficial for advertisers
Consumer Expenditure Survey
Source: U.S. Department of Labor (.pdfs and .txt)
Advertisers have a vested interest in knowing how consumers spend their money. Show 'em here.
Media Consumption Pathways in an Evolving World
Consumer Demographics
Understanding the Digital Savvy Consumer
Source: Scarborough (.pdf)
Analysis profiling American high-tech consumers, including buying habits and media use.
The Affluent Survey: 2008
Source: Ipsos Mendelsohn (.pdf)
The gold standard for insght into the lives of wealthy Americans.
The Affluent Survey Periodical Summary
Source: Ipsos Mendelsohn (.pdf)
The periodicals wealthy Americans read. Separate document complements above.
Targeting Teens
Source: NAA (.pdf)
Consumer behavior research from the NAA
Markets and Market Sectors
Service Annual Survey
Source: U.S. Census Department (.pdf)
Detailed economic data on service industries
Annual Retail Trade Survey
Source: U.S. Census Department (Excel and .pdfs)
Detailed economic data on retailers
Monthly and Annual Wholesale Trade
Source: U.S. Census Department (Excel and .pdfs)
Detailed economic data on wholesalers.
Occupational Employment Statistics
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (HTML)
The starting point when describing just about any business market.