Leveraging the Power of Magazines in an Omnichannel Marketing Strategy

Magazines have long been a popular medium for advertisers to reach engaged and enthusiastic audiences. With the rise of digital media, the typical media planner isn’t wrong to wonder if magazines are still a relevant tactic in an omnichannel marketing strategy. The answer is, that they are more relevant than you know.

Even though digital marketing opportunities abound—offering expansive reach, enhanced targeting, and scores of performance data—this is still a place for print (and magazines in particular in your overall media plan. As the recent “Why Magazine Ads Still Belong in Your Media Plan” article in Forbes states, engagement is everything.

Unique Benefits of Magazines in Today’s Media Mix

1. Enhances public image and elevate credibility through the halo effect; associating your brand with the titles your audience trusts.
2. Drives the most effective ROAS of all media types, with added results from multi-media campaigns.
3. Establishes "realness" as a benefit of the medium's physicality, driving a 70% higher recall among individuals who are exposed to a print ad than a digital ad.
4. Provides a less competitive advertising environment, allowing your message to stand out from the rest.
5. Ads in magazines are a welcome and trusted part of the reading experience and are not subject to ad-blocking technology.
6. Provides longevity of message; magazines are kept in households for at least 17 days, providing opportunity for multiple moments of engagement.

 Sources: Adweek, MPA Factbook, Millward Brown, MRI-Simmons

Magazines Drive Consumer Actions

By embracing both upper and lower-funnel tactics, magazines engage consumers in unique ways.

• Consumers viewing a constant message across a series of channels can improve purchase intent by 90%, and brand perception by 68%.
• Adding desktop to a campaign raises aided brand awareness by 92%, desktop and print by 96%, and desktop, mobile web, and TV by 94%.
• Campaigns that used print and online together improve persuasion metrics by more than 10%.

Sources: IAB and Millwood Brown

Highly Targeted, Niche Audiences

By advertising in magazines that align with their target demographic or interest group, brands can engage with readers who are more likely to be interested in their products or services. For example, a clothing brand targeting young adults interested in streetwear and urban fashion may consider advertising in a magazine like Hypebeast, which is known for its coverage of streetwear and urban culture.

Magazines also offer a tangible experience for readers, which can help to create a stronger connection with the brand. Advertisements in magazines can be designed to complement the editorial content, this is sometimes called native advertising, making them less intrusive and more likely to be noticed by readers.

What is a Cover Wrap and How it Enhances Brand Experiences with Target Audiences

A Cover Wrap is a multi-page, high-impact ad that’s bound to the cover of premier national magazines and delivered to a niche audience on a personal, 1:1 level.

• Audience: Mail the issue to targeted audiences and locations using your own CRM mailing list or by securing a list from a trusted partner.

• Brand Storytelling: Use the uncluttered environment and expanded ad real estate of four-, six- or eight-page ads, to drive message impact and audience engagement.
• Relationship Building: Foster good will with your audience, as they will receive complimentary issues from you for the duration of the campaign.
• Digital Engagement: By including CTA’s and QR codes in creative, readers inspired to learn more will know where to go for more information or an exclusive offer.

Magazines Make a Difference

Ultimately, whether magazines are an effective tactic in an omnichannel marketing strategy will depend on the specific brand, target audience, and marketing objectives. The good news is that are data experts out there that have a terrific insight on how to align targets with titles. For example, MNI Targeted Media has access to a large swatch of magazines but better yet, MNI can simply place ads in specific regions to reduce waste and maximize impact. Maybe you know from firsthand experience just how fun it is to get a treat in your mailbox. And this my friends, is why magazines make a difference. Want to learn more, just say the word.