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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

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Publishing
COMMENT

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Publishing

Mike Sewell's article in the Publishing Partners Guide 2019

By Mike Sewell  |  07/02/2019

Get your paper working for you
COMMENT

Get your paper working for you

Danny Doogan's article in the Publishing Partners Guide 2019

By Danny Doogan  |  07/02/2019

What is different about reading a magazine in print as opposed to in a digital format?
COMMENT

What is different about reading a magazine in print as opposed to in a digital format?

Ranj Begley's article in the Publishing Partners Guide 2019

By Ranj Begley  |  07/02/2019

Mash Media launches publishing conference
News

Mash Media launches publishing conference

Mash Media has announced the launch of 2020Publishing – a new conference aimed at publishers looking to develop new revenue lines and products for their business.

04/02/2019

Q4 2018 Bellwether: Marketing budget growth hits zero
News

Q4 2018 Bellwether: Marketing budget growth hits zero

A six-year run of continuous overall UK marketing budget growth came to an end in Q4 2018, with a net balance of +0.0% of marketing executives signalling no change in budgets during the fourth quarter.

21/01/2019

Air Business partners with PPA for 10th consecutive year
News

Air Business partners with PPA for 10th consecutive year

Air Business, a supplier of global mail, fulfilment, distribution and subscription management services is to be a Strategic Partner of the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) for the 10th consecutive year.

18/01/2019

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

Print futures: 5 minutes with… Matt Carry

What role will print have in publishing’s future? Will it survive, should it survive? We grab five minutes with Matt Carry, sales director at Acorn Web Offset.

By Matt Carry  |  17/01/2019

Acorn invests in new 32pp Lithoman press
News

Acorn invests in new 32pp Lithoman press

Acorn Web, the magazine printer, continues its focus on short to medium run A4 and A5 magazines by adding a new 32pp Lithoman press from manroland Goss web systems.

10/01/2019

Wyndeham Group to rebrand as Walstead
News

Wyndeham Group to rebrand as Walstead

Walstead, the parent company of Wyndeham Group, today announces that all the companies in Wyndeham Group will be rebranded and integrated under the Walstead name in the first quarter of 2019 and the Wyndeham brand will then cease to be used.

08/01/2019

Air Business introduces new Customer Experience Director
News

Air Business introduces new Customer Experience Director

Air Business, a supplier of global mail, fulfilment, distribution and subscription management services, has appointed Lenka Booker as its new Customer Experience Director to ensure customers remain at the heart of all processes and future planning.

14/12/2018

Denmaur Launches New Amadeus Branding and Swatch
News

Denmaur Launches New Amadeus Branding and Swatch

Denmaur Paper Media has given a facelift to its flagship range, Amadeus, with new branding and imagery, and an addition to the range in the form of 400g/m² Silk.

12/12/2018

Fish Content Agency launches
News

Fish Content Agency launches

The River Group has announced the launch of Fish Content Agency, a new company dedicated solely to membership organisations.

07/12/2018

Intermedia expands management team
News

Intermedia expands management team

Intermedia Brand Marketing, a provider of circulation marketing and distribution services, this week announced a number of internal appointments.

06/12/2018

Stephens & George takes fourth Stahlfolder TH 82-P
News

Stephens & George takes fourth Stahlfolder TH 82-P

A fourth Stahlfolder TH 82-P (and the company’s 11th folder in total) is being added by Stephens & George to meet the significantly increased output from the “Push to Stop” version Speedmaster XL 106-8-P press installed in the summer.

28/11/2018

Roundtable: The Technical Challenges & Opportunities Facing Publishers
REVIEW

Roundtable: The Technical Challenges & Opportunities Facing Publishers

In September, InPublishing held its first roundtable event, in London. The event was sponsored by software solutions provider PCS Publishing and was attended by leading technology and digital executives at magazine media companies. The discussions we

By James Evelegh  |  27/11/2018

814 articles