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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

Tim Moscow takes up the reigns at Rhapsody
News

Tim Moscow takes up the reigns at Rhapsody

Rhapsody, the cross-media production agency, has announced that Tim Moscow has been appointed as Managing Director of the business following Les Pipe’s decision to step down.

05/09/2017

Moana Magazine launches into UK market
News

Moana Magazine launches into UK market

Moana Magazine voyages to the UK retail shelves with a regular monthly magazine.

09/08/2017

Acorn unveils new website
News

Acorn unveils new website

Acorn Web Offset, the Yorkshire-based magazine printers, has unveiled a new-look website.

28/07/2017

Redactive to publish The Environmentalist for IEMA
News

Redactive to publish The Environmentalist for IEMA

Redactive has won the contract to publish The Environmentalist, IEMA’s monthly membership magazine, after a competitive tender.

30/06/2017

DARE magazine relaunches its app
News

DARE magazine relaunches its app

Superdrug’s DARE magazine has undergone a digital overhaul and now serves up daily health and beauty news and trends.

29/06/2017

Public sector members’ club chooses Immediate Media to publish Boundless
News

Public sector members’ club chooses Immediate Media to publish Boundless

Immediate Media Co has won a three-year contract to produce the members’ magazine for Boundless, the events and experiences club for the Civil Service and Public Sector.

29/06/2017

Redactive to re-launch EIC’s Energy Focus
News

Redactive to re-launch EIC’s Energy Focus

Redactive has won the contract to re-launch the Energy Industries Council’s (EIC) flagship magazine, Energy Focus.

27/06/2017

Mandarin Oriental appoints Cedar
News

Mandarin Oriental appoints Cedar

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has appointed Cedar as publisher and content provider for both its in-room and online magazine.

12/06/2017

New Community Practitioner website goes live
News

New Community Practitioner website goes live

Community Practitioner (CP), the official journal of the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA), part of Unite the Union, has launched a new website, designed, built and managed by Redactive.

30/05/2017

Cedar unveils new magazine for P&O Ferries
News

Cedar unveils new magazine for P&O Ferries

Yesterday, P&O Ferries launched a new onboard retail magazine, The Collection, across its European network.

23/05/2017

River Group appoints Director of Editorial Content
News

River Group appoints Director of Editorial Content

The River Group, the content agency, has appointed Joely Carey to the role of Director of Editorial Content.

22/05/2017

Airbus awards magazine contract to Cedar
News

Airbus awards magazine contract to Cedar

Cedar has announced that Airbus, a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services, has appointed Cedar to create the brand’s new global internal communications magazine.

16/05/2017

Redactive wins Chartered College of Teaching contract
News

Redactive wins Chartered College of Teaching contract

Redactive has won the contract to develop, design and publish Impact, the Chartered College of Teaching’s new membership journal.

16/05/2017

Circdata appoints head of strategic insight to help clients get GDPR-ready
News

Circdata appoints head of strategic insight to help clients get GDPR-ready

Circdata, the subscriptions and event registration company, has appointed Hellen Beveridge to the new position of head of strategic insight, a connective marketing and data role.

05/05/2017

CMA announces new MD
News

CMA announces new MD

The Content Marketing Association (CMA), the industry body for the content marketing industry, this week announced the appointment of Catherine Maskell as its new Managing Director.

28/04/2017

814 articles