What is the single most important thing for media buyers and planners to know about magazines in 2008?
Well, it’s the age-old story. Buyers and planners are young people in the early parts of their careers, and they’re trained to look at the numbers. But if they’re going to get their clients to stand out from the pack of their competitors, they have to start learning to look at the magazines themselves and understand the differences. For example, Time and Newsweek have similar numbers, but they’re very different magazines. They need to go beyond the numbers and know a little more about each title. They also need to stop complaining about public-place distribution and verified distribution and understand that if they’re going to demand issue-based guarantees on circulation, ultimately they’re going to have to pay for the circulation that’s actually delivered. What are three trends to watch for in 2008 in magazines? Well, the biggest trend you’ll probably see is magazines trying to be more consultative sellers, and sellers that package integrated programs that go beyond just print. That w
