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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

BSME Talent Awards 2017 – shortlist announced
News

BSME Talent Awards 2017 – shortlist announced

The British Society of Magazine Editors has announced the shortlist for its 2017 Talent Awards.

04/04/2017

Tell us what we don’t know
SUPPLIER PROFILE

Tell us what we don’t know

Publishers love the killer insight – that nugget of knowledge that propels a step-change in performance. As James Ormiston, managing director of subscriptions bureau Circdata, tells James Evelegh, having the data infrastructure and analysts in place

By James Evelegh  |  28/03/2017

Archant partners with The Gadget Show for new content creation strategy
News

Archant partners with The Gadget Show for new content creation strategy

Archant has announced a multi-platform partnership with Channel 5 and North One Television to develop ‘The Gadget Show’ brand in the publishing space.

13/03/2017

New InStyle UK Revealed
News

New InStyle UK Revealed

Fashion and beauty brand InStyle has unveiled the relaunched, digital-first InStyle.co.uk.

10/03/2017

MG Promotions wins ABC accreditation
News

MG Promotions wins ABC accreditation

MG Promotions Ltd, a provider of field marketing solutions for publishers and distributors, has been accredited as a Bulk Distribution Associate by ABC.

23/02/2017

New client win for ATG Media
News

New client win for ATG Media

ATG Media, the Peterborough based company providing magazine design and production services to publishers, is now working with the British Promotional Marketing Association (BPMA) on their membership magazine.

07/02/2017

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Publishing
COMMENT

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Publishing

Nicola Murphy's article in the Publishing Partners Guide 2017

By Nicola Murphy  |  03/02/2017

Bloomberg joins CMA
News

Bloomberg joins CMA

The Content Marketing Association (CMA), the industry body for the content marketing industry, yesterday announced Bloomberg Media as its latest member.

15/12/2016

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?

By Mike Sewell  |  27/11/2016

International Content Marketing Awards – the winners
News

International Content Marketing Awards – the winners

On Tuesday night, at a ceremony at The Roundhouse in Camden, London, the Content Marketing Association announced the winners of the International Content Marketing Awards 2016.

24/11/2016

CMA appoints new Chairperson
News

CMA appoints new Chairperson

The Content Marketing Association (CMA) has announced the appointment of Matt Adams, CEO of Havas Media UK and Havas Media International, as its new Chairperson.

23/11/2016

Scottish Magazine Awards 2016 – shortlist
News

Scottish Magazine Awards 2016 – shortlist

PPA Scotland has announced the shortlist for the Scottish Magazine Awards 2016.

04/11/2016

Measurement budgets increase as content marketers see issue as critical, finds study
News

Measurement budgets increase as content marketers see issue as critical, finds study

Measurement is critical to content marketing with dedicated spend set to grow over the next year, according to a new study by the Content Marketing Association.

17/10/2016

CMA International Content Marketing Awards - shortlist revealed
News

CMA International Content Marketing Awards - shortlist revealed

The Content Marketing Association (CMA), the industry body for the content marketing industry, has revealed its shortlist for the International Content Marketing Awards.

07/10/2016

Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg
SUPPLIER PROFILE

Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg

Two trends underpin the global newspaper market today: sales of print newspapers are in decline but revenue from print far outstrips that from digital. Should publishers axe their print operations and focus on digital or should they nurture print and

By James Evelegh  |  03/10/2016

814 articles