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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

The PPA Awards 2021 to Take Place Online
News

The PPA Awards 2021 to Take Place Online

The PPA Awards 2021 will be taking place online for the second year running, on June 23.

04/03/2021

Smiths News suspends carriage charge review
News

Smiths News suspends carriage charge review

The Federation of Independent Retailers has praised Smiths News for acting on its members’ concerns by suspending any review of its carriage charges for 12 months.

26/02/2021

Sampling and Free Distribution During a Pandemic
FEATURE

Sampling and Free Distribution During a Pandemic

Commuters, once so helpfully packed together, have scattered to the four winds. Yet, writes Magazine Heroes’ Dan Collins, those people are still out there and still want your title. You just need to find them.

By Dan Collins  |  25/02/2021

BSME appoints Hattie Brett as BSME Chair 2021
News

BSME appoints Hattie Brett as BSME Chair 2021

The British Society of Magazine Editors has announced the appointment of Hattie Brett, Editor, Grazia, as its 2021 Chair, succeeding Maria Pieri, Editorial Director, National Geographic Traveller (UK).

23/02/2021

BSME Awards 2020 – winners revealed
News

BSME Awards 2020 – winners revealed

The winners of the BSME Awards 2020 were announced last Thursday at the BSME Awards 2020 Online Celebration.

16/02/2021

JCA announces appointment of Simon Hassell
News

JCA announces appointment of Simon Hassell

Jonathan Collins & Associates has announced the appointment of Simon Hassell as Strategic Projects Director.

15/02/2021

AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2021 – new category added
News

AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2021 – new category added

The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) yesterday announced that its annual awards are open for entries.

12/02/2021

Alison Phillips takes over as WIJ chair
News

Alison Phillips takes over as WIJ chair

Alison Phillips, the new chair of Woman in Journalism, has vowed that the campaigning organisation, will be “a noisy advocate for trusted journalism” in an epidemic of fake news.

11/02/2021

Publishing outlook: 5 minutes with… Rich Cheary
Q&A

Publishing outlook: 5 minutes with… Rich Cheary

With the vaccine rollout gathering pace, what are the opportunities and challenges facing publishers? We grab five minutes with Rich Cheary, CEO at Publisher's Toolbox, to get his views.

By Rich Cheary  |  11/02/2021

In your head
FEATURE

In your head

Podcasting is an incredibly intimate medium that can add an exciting new dimension to your output. But, writes Meg Carter, you need to set realistic expectations and plan properly.

By Meg Carter  |  09/02/2021

Simplifying digital transformation. A quick guide.
FEATURE

Simplifying digital transformation. A quick guide.

The pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation. And going digital can bring cost savings and new revenue, writes Full Fat Things’ Stewart Robinson.

By Stewart Robinson  |  09/02/2021

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Media
FEATURE

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Media

In the most challenging year the content marketing industry has faced, our theme for the year has been agility, writes Cedar’s Clare Broadbent.

By Clare Broadbent  |  09/02/2021

Chris Spalding named CEO of Lineup Systems
News

Chris Spalding named CEO of Lineup Systems

Lineup Systems has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Chris Spalding as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.

27/01/2021

Passendo announces three more strategic hires
News

Passendo announces three more strategic hires

Passendo, an in-email advertising platform, has made three new hires in January spearheading its global business development in 2021.

18/01/2021

PPA introduces three new categories for its annual awards
News

PPA introduces three new categories for its annual awards

The Professional Publishers Association has launched The PPA Awards 2021, celebrating the best in magazine media and business information publishing over the past 12 months.

12/01/2021

814 articles