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Customer & Contract Publishing

Customer publishing is the part of the industry most readers never think of as publishing. Membership magazines, airline and supermarket titles and the content agencies behind them reach millions of people, often with circulations that consumer titles would envy.

The purpose is different too. A membership magazine is usually there to keep members renewing, and a brand title has to show a return for the client paying for it. That creates a running question about independence, and the strongest titles tend to have an editorial identity of their own rather than sounding like the organisation behind them.

If there’s something customers don’t need more of today, it’s content.

Jackie Scully Customer media

The agencies have changed shape around this. They produce fewer print editions and more digital content, and put far more effort into distribution and income generation, while publishers' own branded content studios compete for the same budgets. Print still matters, though. Members continue to rank the magazine among the benefits they value most.

Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on customer and contract publishing, from membership magazines and in-flight titles to content agencies and branded content studios, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.


Essential Resources

Customer media
Best Practice in Publishing

Customer media

We asked Jackie Scully, managing director at Think, what does best practice publishing look like in customer media? This is what she said…

People, passions and places
INTERVIEW

People, passions and places

The National Trust is a treasure trove of historic and beautiful places, and, unsurprisingly, it has a huge membership. One of the benefits of membership is its highly regarded magazine…

The River Group
PUBLISHER PROFILE

The River Group

Content marketing is all the rage, and companies like River, that have been doing it for over twenty years, are highly expert at it. River CEO Nicola Murphy tells Jo Bowman that while quality content is the bedrock of the company, it’s the marketing

Membership publishers wrestle with content conundrum
RESEARCH

Membership publishers wrestle with content conundrum

Content has become mission-critical for many membership organisations. But, Mike Sewell asks, should this valuable asset be regarded as an exclusive member benefit, or used as a marketing tool?

Join the club
FEATURE

Join the club

Lots of publishers are now offering club style membership schemes, looking to generate extra revenue and deeper engagement. Dickon Ross looks at the membership model.

Customer media
The Digital Transformation Journey

Customer media

Ann Hartland, group business and strategy director, Cedar Communications, tells Ciar Byrne about how the customer media sector is managing the digital transformation journey.

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Media
FEATURE

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Media

What does the future hold for customer media? CPL One’s Sarah Simpson, looks ahead.

AOP CRUNCH: Driving growth through branded content
REVIEW

AOP CRUNCH: Driving growth through branded content

Spring hasn’t sprung until CRUNCH takes place, writes Richard Reeves, MD of the Association of Online Publishers, which recently held its first CRUNCH event of the year. The mood was suitably optimistic for a change of season.


All Articles

Redactive wins IET publishing contract
News

Redactive wins IET publishing contract

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has outsourced production of its global media brand E&T to content and publishing agency Redactive.

18/07/2023

Magazine printing: 5 minutes with… Chris Ferrari-Wills
Q&A

Magazine printing: 5 minutes with… Chris Ferrari-Wills

For many publishers, the printed magazine remains their flagship offering. In challenging times, what can they do to get the best possible return on their print investment? We ask The Manson Group’s Chris Ferrari-Wills.

By Chris Ferrari-Wills  |  13/07/2023

Brand lift for publishers: 5 minutes with… Sean Adams
Q&A

Brand lift for publishers: 5 minutes with… Sean Adams

As publishers begin to shift away from a reliance on viewability and attention metrics alone, we grab 5 minutes with Sean Adams, global insights director at Brand Metrics, to talk about another important metric: brand lift.

By Sean Adams  |  12/07/2023

The Stationers’ Company announces shortlist
News

The Stationers’ Company announces shortlist

The Stationers’ Company has announced the shortlist for the 2023 Innovation Excellence Awards.

07/07/2023

The Stationers’ Company elects Tony Mash
News

The Stationers’ Company elects Tony Mash

The Stationers’ Company has announced the election of Tony Mash as Master.

07/07/2023

PPA Awards 2023: Winners announced
News

PPA Awards 2023: Winners announced

The PPA have announced the winners of the PPA Awards 2023.

04/07/2023

SeenThis ANZ announces partnership with Adform APAC
News

SeenThis ANZ announces partnership with Adform APAC

The adaptive streaming tech platform and the global integrated ad specialist will enable emissions minimization and increased efficiency for clients’ campaigns.

28/06/2023

PPA selects inaugural Next Gen Board
News

PPA selects inaugural Next Gen Board

The PPA has announced the selection of its inaugural Next Gen Board.

20/06/2023

Digital Publishing Awards 2023: Winners announced
News

Digital Publishing Awards 2023: Winners announced

AOP has announced the winners of the Digital Publishing Awards 2023.

16/06/2023

Latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index published
News

Latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index published

AOP and Deloitte have released the latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index.

15/06/2023

The Jewish Chronicle chooses Atex for digital publishing
News

The Jewish Chronicle chooses Atex for digital publishing

Atex has announced that The Jewish Chronicle has adopted Desk and the Atex headless Web CMS to build a unified content workflow.

22/05/2023

PubMatic partners with SeenThis
News

PubMatic partners with SeenThis

PubMatic has agreed a new partnership with SeenThis to deliver digital advertising while minimising carbon emissions.

19/05/2023

SeenThis launches Emissions Dashboard
News

SeenThis launches Emissions Dashboard

Clients can now measure data transfer and related carbon footprint, with performance insights, at creative, campaign and agency level.

10/05/2023

Nemorin appoints Darren Smith
News

Nemorin appoints Darren Smith

Argonon branded content label Nemorin appoints Darren Smith as chief content officer.

05/05/2023

For publishers, efficiency must go hand in hand with proving value
FEATURE

For publishers, efficiency must go hand in hand with proving value

Publishers have to work hard to convince brands to spend their advertising budgets with them. A key part of this is being able to demonstrate brand uplift whatever the size of the campaign.

By Kristen Friesen  |  04/05/2023

814 articles