Advertising clutter is a problem in most media, and magazines are no exception. The average consumer magazine has ads on nearly half of its pages, and in some publications the percentage is even higher.Some companies are dealing with the clutter problem by publishing their own custom magazines. Custom publications started more than 10 years ago; some of the latest include No Boundaries, a quarterly publication from Ford that is sent to owners of the company’s sport utility vehicles; Everyday Pictures, which is published by Kodak; Nikegoddess, which is an important part of Nike’s efforts to reach women; and Mary Beth’s Beanies & More, a bright bimonthly that quickly sold out its 100,000-copy premier issue,which cost $5.Marketers spend nearly $1.5 billion a year producing their own magazines, according to the Custom Publishing Council, and more companies are entering the fray. Custom publications offer marketers a way of dealing with the clutter problem, but there are also other reasons why companies with big brand names are publishing their own “admazines.” Marketers have total control of the editorial and advertising content of these publications and view them as a way of providing valuable information to their customers that can help with retention and loyalty. Kodak’s new custom magazine, Everyday Pictures, is sized to fit in supermarket checkout racks and provides the average person with tips on how to take better pictures. A Kodak consumer-imaging-product manager notes: “There was nothing in the photography category that spoke to the average soccer mom.”
Ford feels that its new publication, No Boundaries, can play an important role in creating owner loyalty. The magazine contains seasonal outdoor-adventure and travel stories and provides owners of Ford SUVs, such as Explorers, Expeditions, and Excursions, with the opportunity to purchase gear and clothing brands. Ford’s advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, suggested the customer magazine because “it can take us to places where advertising would never let us” in developing owner loyalty. The magazine also complements Ford’s move into television programming,which will include a TV program with the same name. Nike’s new custom publication, Nikegoddess, is sent to select subscribers of women’s magazines such as Sports Illustrated for Women, In Style, Self, and Teen People and is also available at the company’s Nike Town stores and retailers such as Nordstrom and Finish Line. The quarterly publication is part of the company’s effort to communicate better with women and showcases Nike’s women’s products as well as providing lifestyle fitness and sports information. In early 2002 Nike launched another custom publication, Brand Jordan, in partnership with Hearst Custom Publishing. Nike plans to publish the magazine four times a year and will use it primarily to promote the company’s new Jordan brand.
Many in the publishing industry feel that the number of custom publications will increase in the future. Publishers are interested in doing deals with major companies and brands to lessen the financial risk of launching a new magazine, and marketers see such publications as another means of communicating with their customers and connecting them to their brands. As new technology makes it easier for companies to build databases and track their customers,many are looking to custom magazines as a way of communicating with their most valued customers and building long-term relationships with them.