Are magazines getting less advertisement than it really desreve

Yesterday, I got an invite from my friend Anurag Batra of Exchange4Media Group to be a part of discussion on the present and future of magazines. The venue, Blue Frog  was befitting to the kind of magazine marketeers and advertising top notches who are habitual of doing business with pleasure in exotic ambience with fancy drinks and food.


The dialogue was initiated by Association of Indian Magazines (AIM), who have recently come out with certain interesting findings based on a qualitative research by Quantum, followed by a quantitative survey covering 3600 people across 10 cities, the survey was conducted by IMRB. In nutshell the findings of survey are as under :

• 68 per cent readers read magazines when they are alone making it one of the few media that is high on ‘me’ time. The next to follow is internet, which is at 49 per cent

• 66 per cent readers turn to magazines when they want to relax. This is 25 per cent higher than the next medium that is television, where viewers are known to swap channels in ad breaks. Since there is no multi-tasking while reading magazines, it tend to occupy reader’s complete attention

• This is corroborated by another highlight that 87 per cent readers do nothing else while reading a magazine

• Magazines command undivided attention by at least 65 per cent readers, which is twice as much as a media like TV

• There is 12 per cent ad avoidance in magazines, which is the lowest amongst all media

According to the survey, magazine readers show a lot more involvement with this medium as against other media platforms. The industry thereby needs to come together to generate active interest in the minds of advertisers to invest on this ever evolving medium.       

This reminded me my discussion with an old stalwart of magazine publication business Late Viswanath almost more than 30 years back in Delhi. Vishwanath was responsible for bringing out magazines like Woman Eara, Caravan, Sarita, Mukta, Grihshobha, Saras Salil, despite all the marketing odds and threats from emerging media these magazines are still performing. How and why, this is not a subject matter of this blog.  30 years back this old stalwart of magazine told me that newspapers have started  borrowing magazines' contents heavily on day today basis and a time is not far when this trend will pose threat to the very existence of magazines. We have seen demise of iconic The Illustrated Weekly, Dharmyug, Saptahik Hindustan, a number of other magazines are struggling for their existence. But there is a silver line in the dark scenario  with the launch of so many niche, specialist and other interest magazines and some of them are doing well also.        

Tarun Rai of World Wide Media (WWM), who is now chairman of Association of India Magazines,  kickstarted the debate with findings of survey asked advertisers for bigger pie as magazines are capable of better engagement, connection and work.


It was Shashi Sinha, CEO of Lodestar Universal,  while agreeing with Tarun about the potential of magazines, pointed out that the magazines shy away measurement, ultimately the client want to know ROI so in absence of effective measurement mechanism.


K V Sridhar, National Creative director of Leo Brunett made some serious observations. He feels that effective communication and engagement with customer is possible when all means of advertising be it TV, Internet, Newspapers, magazines, OOH  works like speakers of a good sound system, they make different voices or different effects but the listener should have unified experience based of sound of different speakers merged into a cohesive and meaningful communication. In his presentation he tried to explain by showing TIDE detergent's magazine ads that how effectively and uniquely  magazines can provide better understanding about the product in the minds of customers.
        

Advertiser still have faith in the power of magazines to deliver their message as well as to weave brand magic. One example is L'Oreal of Paris , the  brand in existence from last 40 years. Their General Manager of Indian Operations Ms. Nathalie Gerschtein  made a presentation. They have tied up with Femina magazine in India  to celebrate 40th anniversary.


Anurag Batra worked as moderator and with his inborn humor and crisp remarks made the discussion more lively.

To me, any medium should not take market, customer for granted, it needs to invent, reinvent on day to day basis, understanding the changing taste, flavors, trends. Then only it may withstand in the market, combat with new medium.