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Custom Publishing
2009 Characteristics Study: A Look at the Volume and Type of Custom Publications in America
The Custom Publishing Council (CPC) and Publications Management
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The custom publishing industry remains strong, amid the economic downturn and the challenges facing consumer media.
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Date: 2009
Type of Promotional Material/Activity Tested:
Custom Publishing
Sample Population:
More than eight thousand surveys were mailed, and approximately 350 were completed and returned, producing a +/- 6% degree of accuracy at a 90% confidence level [see what this means]. Among the responding companies: American Cancer Society, AOL, Booz Allen Hamilton, Clariant, Federal Bureau of Investigations, General Mills, Kaiser Permanente, Macy’s, Prudential, State Farm Insurance, University of California-Irvine, Volvo Trucks North America, Wells Real Estate Funds.
Methodology:
The research was conducted via a mailed survey targeting a random sample of companies across all industries.
Top Line Results:
UNIQUE CUSTOM TITLES
The overall number of unique custom titles being published decreased to 123,157, down from 143,000 in 2007 -- a 14% drop. While this represents a sharp change, the results are still 27.9% higher than when this metric was first studied in 1999. The number of unique custom titles published per company fell to 1.9, its lowest level since the survey was first conducted in 1999. Since 2001, the average number of unique custom publications had hovered between 2.2 and 2.4 titles.
UNIQUE PAGES
The total number of unique pages produced in 2008 was 25.8 million, a 9.7% decrease over the previous year. However, since the study began in 1999, unique page volume has expanded, with an average growth rate of 14.7% and an overall growth rate of 207.2%.
PAGES PER ISSUE
The average number of pages per issue for custom publications rose by one to 23.2 pages in 2008. Since 1999, average pages per issue have grown 68%.
ANNUAL FREQUENCY
The average annual frequency of custom publications remained steady at 9.0 times per year. Although average frequency remains lower than its 2003 peak (10.3%), frequency is still 43% higher today than it was in 1999, at 9 times per year versus 6.3 times a year.
MEDIUM USED
For the second year in a row, print newsletters had an edge over magazines, albeit it slight, as the preferred publication format in custom publishing (38% versus 37%). The use of online as a publication format was consistent from 2000-2007, at 18%, yet gained ground and jumped to an average of 22% in 2008. The survey found that larger companies are bigger users of e-pubs than smaller companies are. In addition, magazines are more heavily preferred at non-profits while newsletters are preferred at for-profits.
USE OF COLOR
More than eight out of 10 publications use some or all four colors.
CIRCULATION
Circulation per issue: The average circulation per issue for custom publications increased from 30,044 in 2007 to 37,340 copies in 2008, the second-highest total in the history of the survey.
Circulation per title: The average circulation per title per year has increased to 336,060 copies, up from 270,000 in 2007.
Circulation volume in the market: The total number of custom publication copies distributed increased 7.4 percent over last year. Since the survey was first conducted in 1999, circulation volume has grown 228.3%, from 11.9 billion units to 41.6 billion.
AVERAGE AGE PER TITLE
The number of years a title has been published continues to hover around 8 years on average. Publications produced for 11 or more years continue to represent the largest percentage of publications at both large and small companies. As in past years, there was very little movement in the average number of new launches (7%) in 2008.
PRIMARY AUDIENCE
For the sixth year running, titles targeting external audiences (B2B and B2C) exceeded those targeting internal audiences (69% versus 31%).
DISTRIBUTION METHOD
The USPS continues to be the preferred distribution channel for custom publications with 55% of titles mailed via the postal service, yet electronic delivery (Internet and e-mail) saw a 10% increase since the prior year, with a reported 27% of custom publications distributed online in 2008. Before 2007, the survey didn’t include Internet distribution as an option.
ADVERTISEMENTS
For the third year in a row, the presence of paid advertising in custom publications slipped backward, with less than 20% of custom publications carry paid advertising. Large companies report a shift toward the use of in-house ads. Also for the third year in a row, the percentage of custom publications carrying no advertisements increased, with 70% of companies reporting no ads in their publications.
MONEY SPENT
Overall, money spent on custom publishing is down by 20%, compared to 2007.
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Take-Away:
According to CPC Executive Director Lori Rosen, “The drop in spending appears to be a combination of several factors, most notably the growing use of less expensive electronic media for the presentation of branded content, coupled with an overall reduction in marketing spend because of the current economic climate. Clearly, some custom publishers have had to change their business models in the face of these forces, but it’s equally clear, based on both this study and the Roper study, that there is increased consumer interest in custom media and that the industry has been less affected by these changes than have other forms of marketing and content distribution. The fact that circulation is at an all-time high and pages per issue have increased reaffirms that custom publishers and marketers are committed to this valuable medium and are continuing to invest in their top titles.”
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Complexity rating: 1 out of 3
(Complex statistical analysis scale: 1= none, 2= moderate, 3 = difficult)
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Click here to view the 10th annual Publication Characteristics Survey - Overall Results.
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