MPA’s “Magazine Media 360°” September Brand Audience Report Reveals 10.6% YoY Increase in Consumer Demand for Magazine Media Content across Platforms and Formats

Newly Created Measure of Magazine Media Vitality Captures Consumer Demand for Print, Digital and Mobile Platforms – a First for Any Industry

Video and Mobile Web Consumption Demonstrate Biggest Growth Rates with Print/Digital Editions also Increasing

September 2014 Top 10 Magazine Brands (Graphic: Business Wire)

NEW YORK--()--Consumer demand for magazine media in September 2014 increased 10.6% over September 2013, according to the Magazine Media 360° Brand Audience Report, released today by MPA - The Association of Magazine Media. This industry measure captures consumer consumption for magazine content across multiple platforms and formats including print/digital editions, websites (laptop/desktop/mobile) and video.

The Magazine Media 360° Report reveals a gross audience for magazine brands of 1.514 billion in September 2014, compared to 1.369 billion in September 2013. This significant growth is largely attributable to a 90% rise in mobile web use, a doubling of video consumption and the steady performance of print/digital editions, which were up 2.1%. The complete report is available at www.magazine.org. The brands that experienced the most growth during this time period* were:

       

1.

New York Magazine (+67%)

6.

Brides (+32%)

2.

Fit Pregnancy (+44%)

7.

Cosmopolitan (+31%)

3.

Harper’s Bazaar (+44%)

8.

Forbes (+30%)

4.

The Atlantic (+42%)

9.

Bon Appétit (+30%)

5.

Golf Digest (+35%)

10.

OK! Magazine (+27%)

 

Introduced in September 2014, Magazine Media 360° marks the first time any media has measured and communicated its cross-platform consumer demand by brand. Issued monthly, Magazine Media 360° currently covers 150 magazine brands from 31 companies, representing 95% of the reader universe. Using data from leading third-party providers, GfK MRI, Ipsos, comScore and Nielsen Online, Magazine Media 360° provides a substantially more comprehensive and accurate view of magazine media wantedness than pre-existing metrics that only consider one platform or format in isolation.

Commenting on the September magazine media performance, Mary Berner, President and CEO of MPA noted, “We are not only encouraged by the very positive consumer trends that Magazine Media 360° is affirming, we are gratified by the reception to this new measurement. Advertisers are already embracing its ability to provide essential directional insight, which is particularly valuable when approximately 80% of advertisers who invest in magazine media buy multiple platforms. The Magazine Media 360° data is also proof positive that the industry’s unique strategy to offer platform-specific content that gives consumers enhanced – and expanded – experiences is not only resonating, it is growing our audience. With this new measurement tool, we will finally be able to fully monetize that growth.”

Magazine media have a distinct ability to leverage the equity forged out of print products with platform-specific content that offers consumers new or enhanced experiences. Magazine Media 360° highlights and aggregates these multiple engagement points to provide a more complete snapshot of the vitality of magazine media brands and their current and future business potential.

Around the 20th of each month, MPA releases Magazine Media 360° industry highlights and posts detailed data on its website (www.magazine.org) for the previous month. The report includes total 360° industry numbers as well as an alphabetical listing showing each individual brand’s year-over-year audience in total and by platform/format.

About Magazine Media 360°

Magazine Media 360° is a newly created industry metric that captures demand for magazine media content by measuring audiences across multiple platforms and formats (including print/digital editions, websites and video) to provide a comprehensive and accurate picture of magazine media vitality. Magazine Media 360° uses data from leading third-party providers and currently covers 150 magazine media brands from 31 companies, representing 95% of the reader universe. The data is released around the 20th of each month at www.magazine.org in the MPA Magazine Media 360° Brand Audience Report. This effort, which launched September 2014, marks the first time ever any media industry has measured and communicated cross-platform consumer demand by brand.

Magazine Media 360° Methodology

Data for the MPA Magazine Media360° Brand Audience Report is collected by MPA – The Association of Magazine Media from participating brands who provide their third-party data to MPA around the 15th of every month for the previous month’s activity. Participating brands must be tracked in GfK MRI's Survey of the American Consumer® (print/digital editions) or the Ipsos Affluent Survey USA (print editions only) as well as any or all of desktop/laptop, mobile web, and/or video as tracked by comScore or Nielsen Online.

About MPA

MPA – The Association of Magazine Media is the primary advocate and voice for the magazine media industry, driving thought leadership and game-changing strategies to promote its vitality, increase revenues and grow market share. Established in 1919, MPA represents 200 domestic, associate and international members. MPA is headquartered in New York City, with a government affairs office in Washington, DC.

*Brand audience data based on percentage growth vs the same month in the prior year

Contacts

Press:
Meredith Wagner, 212-872-3732
mwagner@magazine.org
or
Louisa Holmberg, 212-872-3724
lholmberg@magazine.org

Release Summary

Press release for the Magazine Media 360 Brand Audience report with September results. Released by MPA -- The Association of Magazine Media.

Contacts

Press:
Meredith Wagner, 212-872-3732
mwagner@magazine.org
or
Louisa Holmberg, 212-872-3724
lholmberg@magazine.org