Mobile navigation

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

Lumen releases report from PwC
News

Lumen releases report from PwC

Lumen says it is the first company to be assessed by the global consulting firm PwC on the ROI of attention technology.

28/04/2023

UK ad spend grew 8.8% in 2022 to reach £34.8bn
News

UK ad spend grew 8.8% in 2022 to reach £34.8bn

The lastest Advertising Association / WARC Expenditure Report shows inflationary pressures persist with minimal growth forecast for 2023.

27/04/2023

AOP Digital Publishing Awards - finalists announced
News

AOP Digital Publishing Awards - finalists announced

The AOP have announced the finalists for the 2023 Digital Publishing Awards.

27/04/2023

IAB releases Digital Adspend 2022 report
News

IAB releases Digital Adspend 2022 report

According to the report, digital ad spend is resilient in face of challenging 2022 as market grows 11% to £26.1bn.

26/04/2023

EKCS appoints Jennifer Kisser
News

EKCS appoints Jennifer Kisser

EKCS has announced the appointment of Jennifer Kisser who joins the company as a strategic solutions consultant.

25/04/2023

IPA releases latest Bellwether Report
News

IPA releases latest Bellwether Report

Companies’ total UK marketing budget growth hits one-year high.

20/04/2023

PPA announces chair of PPA Next Gen board
News

PPA announces chair of PPA Next Gen board

The PPA has announced the appointment of Jane Wolfson as chair of the PPA Next Gen board.

20/04/2023

AdvantageCS launches Cider Plus
News

AdvantageCS launches Cider Plus

AdvantageCS has announced the launch of Cider Plus, the next generation of their Cider eCommerce solution.

12/04/2023

The PPA Awards 2023 – the shortlist
News

The PPA Awards 2023 – the shortlist

At the end of March, the PPA published the shortlist for its annual awards.

11/04/2023

Print & Publishing: 5 minutes with… Matt Carry
Q&A

Print & Publishing: 5 minutes with… Matt Carry

Three years of rising costs has put strain on the printer / publisher relationship. We grab some time with Acorn Web Offset’s Matt Carry to look at the current state of play and the outlook for the future.

By Matt Carry  |  28/03/2023

Adnami signs agreements with Schibsted and Amedia
News

Adnami signs agreements with Schibsted and Amedia

Adnami’s partnership with Schibsted and Amedia in the Nordics follows recent new appointments as it continues its expansion.

17/03/2023

Redactive Media Group becomes employee owned
News

Redactive Media Group becomes employee owned

Redactive has announced that it has become an employee owned business, and is now majority owned by the Redactive Media Group Employee Ownership Trust.

17/03/2023

PPA creates ‘Next Gen board’ to develop future leaders
News

PPA creates ‘Next Gen board’ to develop future leaders

A new official board of under-30s are being recruited to advance the publishing sector.

16/03/2023

CPUK Print Publishing appoints Polly Bibby
News

CPUK Print Publishing appoints Polly Bibby

CPUK Print Publishing, specialists in the design of print and digital magazines, has announced the appointment of Polly Bibby to join their design team.

15/03/2023

AOP and Deloitte release latest DPRI
News

AOP and Deloitte release latest DPRI

The latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index reveals that publishers’ digital revenue was up by 3% in Q4 2022.

14/03/2023

814 articles