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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

Four firms accused of defrauding Royal Mail
News

Four firms accused of defrauding Royal Mail

Nine people from four companies appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in December accused of involvement in a fraud operation on the Royal Mail worth £81 million.

12/01/2021

John Innes appointed to PPA Scotland Chair
News

John Innes appointed to PPA Scotland Chair

John Innes, Executive Director of Think Publishing, has been confirmed as the new Chairman of the Professional Publishers Association in Scotland.

08/01/2021

PPA launches diversity and inclusion survey
News

PPA launches diversity and inclusion survey

The PPA has announced the launch of what it says is the first-ever industry-wide diversity and inclusion survey.

07/01/2021

Publishing 2021: 5 minutes with… Adam Sherman
Q&A

Publishing 2021: 5 minutes with… Adam Sherman

What do the next twelve months have in store for the publishing sector? We grab five minutes with Adam Sherman, CEO of Air Business, to get his take on the challenges and opportunities facing publishers.

By Adam Sherman  |  07/01/2021

The BSME Awards 2020 – shortlists announced
News

The BSME Awards 2020 – shortlists announced

The BSME announced, on 18 December, the shortlist for their 2020 awards.

29/12/2020

Copyright revenues: 5 minutes with… Matt Aspinall
Q&A

Copyright revenues: 5 minutes with… Matt Aspinall

It’s really annoying, isn’t it, when someone uses your content for their benefit, and you get absolutely nothing in return. We grab five minutes with NLA media access’ Matt Aspinall to find out what publishers should be doing about it.

By Matt Aspinall  |  10/12/2020

Argonon acquires branded video agency Nemorin
News

Argonon acquires branded video agency Nemorin

James Burstall, CEO of Argonon, has acclaimed the UK and US-headquartered global production group as the world’s first “hyper-converged superindie” with the strategic acquisition of Nemorin Film & Video.

07/12/2020

PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2020 – winners announced
News

PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2020 – winners announced

PPA Scotland announced the winners of their annual awards in an online ceremony.

04/12/2020

And then came Covid… the story of 2020
REVIEW

And then came Covid… the story of 2020

At the recent PPA Independent Publisher Conference, the seven editors shortlisted for the ‘Editor of the Year’ award, gave attendees their perspective on 2020.

By James Evelegh  |  03/12/2020

What we’ve learnt in 2020: 5 minutes with… Lucy Howard
Q&A

What we’ve learnt in 2020: 5 minutes with… Lucy Howard

What a year it’s been, with lots of challenges, but also opportunities. Ahead of next week’s Campaign Publishing Summit, we grab five minutes with Lucy Howard, head of marketing at Haymarket, to discuss the key takeaways from this year.

By Lucy Howard  |  03/12/2020

Air Business wins Industry Partner of the Year
News

Air Business wins Industry Partner of the Year

Air Business has been awarded the ‘Industry Partner of the Year’ in the PPA Independent Publishers Awards (IPN) 2020.

27/11/2020

My Publishing Life – Darren Coxon
MY PUBLISHING LIFE

My Publishing Life – Darren Coxon

Darren Coxon, managing director of Pensord Press, answers our questions about his life in publishing.

By Darren Coxon  |  26/11/2020

What it took to succeed in 2020
COMMENT

What it took to succeed in 2020

The PPA has announced the winners of this year’s Independent Publisher Awards. James Evelegh looks at what the winning entries had in common.

By James Evelegh  |  19/11/2020

PPA Independent Publisher Awards – winners announced
News

PPA Independent Publisher Awards – winners announced

The PPA has announced the winners of the 2020 Independent Publisher Awards.

19/11/2020

Media’s Third Phase
News

Media’s Third Phase

As consumers enter the Second Wave of the pandemic, the media business is moving into its Third Phase in 2020. That is one of the key findings of Wessenden Marketing’s latest mediafutures report.

05/11/2020

814 articles