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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

Media: 5 post-pandemic sales tips
FEATURE

Media: 5 post-pandemic sales tips

As things slowly get back to normal, publishers are expecting strong performances from their media sales teams. Martin Maynard has some advice for salespeople returning to the fray…

By Martin Maynard  |  30/09/2021

Digital advertising spend surges 49% in H1 2021
News

Digital advertising spend surges 49% in H1 2021

Digital ad spend saw huge year-on-year growth in the first half of 2021, according to IAB UK’s H1 Adspend update, released this week.

30/09/2021

White Bullet partners with Smart to tackle piracy
News

White Bullet partners with Smart to tackle piracy

IP protection company White Bullet and ad tech platform Smart AdServer have announced a global partnership designed to help eradicate the scourge of piracy from the global media landscape.

30/09/2021

Inskin Media makes four strategic hires
News

Inskin Media makes four strategic hires

Inskin Media, which specialises in multi-screen, high impact digital brand advertising, has made a number of key appointments across its client success and publisher services teams.

28/09/2021

Preparing for digital transformation? Don’t forget your people and processes too
FEATURE

Preparing for digital transformation? Don’t forget your people and processes too

People, processes, and technology are critical success factors in business transformation. Get them in sync and you’ll be ready to deliver work faster, more efficiently, and at scale, writes WoodWing CEO, Ross Paterson.

By Ross Paterson  |  16/09/2021

Express KCS rebrands
News

Express KCS rebrands

Express KCS, a production outsourcing specialist, has rebranded as EKCS.

16/09/2021

Cavai bolsters team with appointment of Group Agency Director
News

Cavai bolsters team with appointment of Group Agency Director

Cavai, a leading conversational advertising platform, has announced the appointment of Attique Rehman who joins the business as Group Agency Director.

13/09/2021

Adnami announces two senior appointments
News

Adnami announces two senior appointments

Emelie Malmquist will be joining Adnami, an adtech company, as the new Head of Marketing and Automation and Steph Miller has been promoted to Managing Director UK.

10/09/2021

PPA announces its ‘30 Under 30’
News

PPA announces its ‘30 Under 30’

Yesterday, the PPA unveiled its ‘30 Under 30’ list of rising stars in the publishing industry.

08/09/2021

Workflows: 5 minutes with… Tom York
Q&A

Workflows: 5 minutes with… Tom York

The way publishers create, manage and distribute content is changing rapidly. How can publishers avoid getting left behind? We grab five minutes with Tom York, general manager at Atex, to find out.

By Tom York  |  26/08/2021

First Mailing invests in eco-friendly paper wrapping solution
News

First Mailing invests in eco-friendly paper wrapping solution

First Mailing has invested in the latest environmentally friendly direct mailing solution, paper wrapping.

19/08/2021

EU VAT & Duty Changes: What Publishers Need to Know and the Action They Must Take
FEATURE

EU VAT & Duty Changes: What Publishers Need to Know and the Action They Must Take

On 1st July, VAT and duty regulations relating to the movement of goods (including magazines) into EU member states from countries outside the EU, changed. Air Business’s Adam Sherman looks at the implications for publishers.

By Adam Sherman  |  05/08/2021

Still using Excel to manage your ad sales? Why is that?
SUPPLIER INTERVIEW

Still using Excel to manage your ad sales? Why is that?

Too many publishers, PSC’s Laurence Cope tells James Evelegh, are managing their advertising sales using tools that are not fit for purpose. This means, he says, that they are making life unnecessarily difficult for themselves.

By James Evelegh  |  04/08/2021

You want a website? Why?
FEATURE

You want a website? Why?

Content marketing agencies rely on membership bodies and brands giving them work, ideally repeat work. To ensure a mutually beneficial long-lasting relationship, it’s important to ask the right questions of prospective clients right from the start.

By James Evelegh  |  04/08/2021

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.

By Ciar Byrne  |  04/08/2021

814 articles