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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

AOP and Deloitte release latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index
News

AOP and Deloitte release latest Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index

The Digital Publishers’ Revenue Index shows growth for display advertising for the first time since Q3 2022.

07/01/2026

News/Media Alliance releases report
News

News/Media Alliance releases report

News media and magazine audiences are as valuable as ever, according to a new market report from News/Media Alliance.

19/12/2025

Air Business expands its logistics offering to retailers
News

Air Business expands its logistics offering to retailers

Air Business, a long-standing supplier of subscription management and logistics services to publishers, has partnered with Metapack to provide global delivery solutions to retailers.

18/12/2025

WARC releases new report
News

WARC releases new report

Global ad market prospects upgraded to 8.9% (US$1.19trn) but growth concentrated in Big Tech platforms.

18/12/2025

impact.com and Evertune announce partnership
News

impact.com and Evertune announce partnership

The impact.com and Evertune partnership aims to helps brand influence AI search results.

18/12/2025

The BSME and Caitlin Moran launch Young Writers’ Prize
News

The BSME and Caitlin Moran launch Young Writers’ Prize

Journalist Caitlin Moran partners with the BSME to discover the next generation of writing talent from overlooked backgrounds.

10/12/2025

Adnami unveils Agentic Curation
News

Adnami unveils Agentic Curation

Adnami has unveiled its Agentic Curation product, enhancing media buying for the attention era.

10/12/2025

E-commerce Special
E-commerce Special

E-commerce Special

Welcome to our first e-commerce special. Having four or five viable revenue streams is the key to achieving long-term profitability, and for many publishers, e-commerce is now one of those streams.

By James Evelegh  |  05/12/2025

Adnami announces Benelux expansion
News

Adnami announces Benelux expansion

Adnami accelerates European growth with Benelux expansion.

04/12/2025

Preciso announces alliance with the Shenzhen Artificial Intelligence Industry Association
News

Preciso announces alliance with the Shenzhen Artificial Intelligence Industry Association

Preciso, a bid-smart adtech platform, has strengthened its ties with one of the world’s leading AI hubs.

02/12/2025

BSME Awards 2025 - winners announced
News

BSME Awards 2025 - winners announced

Some of Britain’s best editors, art directors and columnists were crowned last Wednesday evening at the BSME Awards 2025.

01/12/2025

How can publishers use AI to improve customer experience?
VIDEO

How can publishers use AI to improve customer experience?

In this Q&A, Paul Hatch, group customer director at Air Business, answers James Evelegh's questions about how publishers can use AI to improve their customer services.

27/11/2025

The PPA Independent Publisher Awards: winners announced
News

The PPA Independent Publisher Awards: winners announced

The winners of the PPA Independent Publisher Awards were announced last Friday afternoon in London.

26/11/2025

Government Communications Service endorses IAB UK’s Gold Standard as Advertiser Supporter
News

Government Communications Service endorses IAB UK’s Gold Standard as Advertiser Supporter

The Government Communications Service (GCS) has become an official Gold Standard Advertiser Supporter, demonstrating the UK Government’s commitment to promoting a responsible, transparent and safe digital advertising ecosystem.

20/11/2025

Adnami brings attention metrics to Meta as Sonar extends across channels
News

Adnami brings attention metrics to Meta as Sonar extends across channels

By extending Sonar to Facebook and Instagram, Adnami says it strengthens its mission to deliver scalable, attention-driven solutions across the digital ecosystem.

10/11/2025

814 articles