Clutter in Magazines

1. Clutter in Magazines Is anyone really seeing me ad?

2. The Debate • It is a truth universally acknowledged that there is more advertising clutter than ever before in today’s crowded media landscape • Consumers are also becoming more savvy at avoiding ads – and now they have the tools to do it with the advent of Sky+ et al • So what’s an advertiser to do? How do they know their target consumer is seeing their ad at all? And does it matter that their carefully crafted ads are nestling alongside a hundred others, all vying for consumers attention? • In particular, some magazines are often perceived as having a particularly high level of clutter, so how does this affect ad recall? • Perhaps most importantly, does clutter even exist in magazines at all?

3. Summary of Findings • There is undoubtedly more clutter now compared to even 10 years ago • However, advertising is not all bad – if it’s relevant, it’s seen as beneficial • Clutter doesn’t appear to exist in magazines: • - There is a difference between ad recall in magazines with low versus high levels of advertising. However, the difference is the reverse of what would be expected: the more competitive ads, the better the recall • This is due to: • - Magazines giving readers control over how they consume ads • - Ads having a high degree of relevance to the consumer • - The huge choice of magazines which makes them uniquely tailored to the reader

4. Contents • The growth of Clutter • - And how consumers are counteracting it • Advertising in Magazines • - Competitive advertising • - Ad:Ed ratio • - Consumer perception and needs • Secrets of Magazines’ Success

5. The Growth of Advertising Clutter

6. Media Was Once Pretty Simple It used to be defined as spots and insertions situated in the midst of our beloved sporting events, news, comedies and favorite magazines. Once the family would obediently gather around the TV set when the clock struck eight to watch a show they’d looked forward to all week. In those days, a phone was just a phone and mobile media was called a magazine.

7. Media Fragmentation UK Media 30 Years Ago UK Media Today 9,000 magazine titles 3 TV channels per home 58.4 TV channels per home 130+ Digital Audio Broadcast Stations 320+ radio stations 6 radio stations 3,500 Magazine titles 8.0 billion+ pages indexed by Google

8. Increase In Advertising Messages On average, consumers are exposed to over 3,000 advertisements per day

9. The Audience Have Taken Control • Developments in technology mean more editorial control than ever for consumers: • - VoD, EPG, PVR, iPod…. • We can now edit broadcast media and tailor it to our own individual taste

10. Empowering New Technologies PVRs Opt-in Regulation Pop-up Blockers Spam Filters • 5.2m UK households at end 2008 • 13.2m UK households expected by 2012 • Active since Dec. 2003 • European wide, covers both SMS and Online • Used by 30% of Internet users world wide • Will grow with integration into security suites • Used by 84% of U.S. businesses, nearing 100% by 2009 • Used by 54% of U.S. consumers at home

11. Avoiding Fast Forward • However, advertising can still be seen as beneficial and useful: • - When it’s relevant • - New News • Consumers do want to be advertised to, but on their terms • - Products they’re interested in • - When they’re interested in learning about them • - In the right media • Creative is the key to success • - Making it engaging, enjoyable, informative and appropriate to the audience and the medium

12. Advertising In Magazines

13. The Perception • Magazines contain a very high volume of advertising • - This is particularly true of fashion magazines (though the ad:ed ratio will never be above 40:60) • Much of it is in competing categories • - Fashion • - Beauty • - Hair • Therefore, it’s impossible for advertisers to cut through this competitive “noise” and be noticed • However, recent research dispels this myth

14. Adverts In Close Proximity Adverts in close proximity make no difference to recall In broadcast media, the inference is that ads in a ‘bank’ interfere with each other, thus the demand for first in break and shorter ad breaks. Magazines hand the exposure framework over to the reader so ‘breaks’ do not occur PLUS research suggests all adverts are regarded as valuable. Source: Medialogue Stop|watch

15. Competitor Activity Increasing numbers of competitors are no detriment to recall In broadcast media, it’s presumed that competitor ads interfere with each other, hence just one advert per category per break. Magazine research suggests competitive adverts ‘make a market’ and each advert is equally valuable. Source: Medialogue Stop|watch

16. Ed:Ad Ratio A higher number of adverts per magazine issue is no detriment to recall As broadcast media carry an increasing number of adverts, ad avoidance occurs and impact reduces. Research suggests this is not the case in magazines. Stop/watch suggests an increase in recall. Note: magazines with higher pagination tend to be women’s monthlies with very relevant advertising Clutter does not impact upon magazine advertising effectiveness

17. Why Is This? • Starcom found out that when readers were asked to tear out 10 pages of a magazine which described its essence 1/3 were ad pages: • Advertising is seen as an integral part of the magazine • - It’s providing a service telling readers about new things they might be interested in • - High relevance of advertising to the editorial content and reader means that it’s well received • The reader is in control • - They can choose whether to skip over an ad if they don’t think it’s relevant; read it now or go back to it later • - Pages can be torn out for reference – to call a number or go on the web, or even take into a shop

18. Control=Acceptance How acceptable do you find each of the following advertising methods?

19. Consumers Are Happy With The Amount of Advertising In Magazines Consumer Perceptions About the Amount of Advertising in Different Media TV Radio Magazines Internet Too much 81% Right amount 18.9% Not enough 0.1% Too much 55.2% Right amount 43.3% Not enough 1.4% Too much 50.4% Right amount 48.7% Not enough 0.8% Too much 50.4% Right amount 48.7% Not enough 0.8%

20. In Fact, Consumers WANT Magazines Advertising To Keep Them Informed Where do you get information about a product you’ve never bought before?

21. Secrets of Success

22. Secrets of Success Choice Participation Relevance Control

23. Secrets of Success Actively chosen from a huge variety catering for very specific attitudes, values and needs Relevance Control

24. Secrets of Success An investment of money and time - generates an emotional link …“my favourite magazines is like a close friend” Choice Control

25. Secrets of Success Choice Control Readers target their magazine. Buying into the, information, advice, entertainment, attitude and values of the brand.

26. Secrets of Success Choice Participation Control Where, when, for how long and who with … its all up to the reader. There is no interruption and no clutter

27. Summary of Findings • There is undoubtedly more clutter now compared to even 10 years ago • However, advertising is not all bad – if it’s relevant, it’s seen as beneficial • Clutter doesn’t appear to exist in magazines: • - There is a difference between ad recall in magazines with low versus high levels of advertising. However, the difference is the reverse of what would be expected: the more competitive ads, the better the recall • This is due to: • - Magazines giving readers control over how they consume ads • - Ads having a high degree of relevance to the consumer • - The huge choice of magazines which makes them uniquely tailored to the reader