LONDON  —New research, launched by IPC Media, has found that magazines drive consumers toward purchase, are highly engaging and trusted, and are the medium most likely to hold consumers’ sole attention.

The study—titled “AdSense”—sought to test the effectiveness of magazine advertising and understand its role in the overall media mix. Thirteen brands, including Persil, Clarks, Howdens, Veet, Boots, Corsodyl, Ribena, Vera Wang fragrance, E45 and Batiste, across six categories were included in this collaborative project. “AdSense” evaluated two different advertisements for each brand and analysed the impact the ads had on consumers.

The study found that magazines are highly engaging, with 49 percent of respondents turning to magazines for “me time” and 45 percent to treat themselves. It also discovered that regardless of the age of the consumer magazines are trusted. The study found that:

• 18 percent of all magazine readers said they trust magazine advertising and amongst heavy magazine readers this rises to 24 percent, and
• overall, magazine adverts are 80 percent more likely to be trusted than newspaper adverts and 125 percent more trusted that radio adverts.

“AdSense” also looked at the action that consumers took after seeing a campaign in a magazine. It found that:

• 46 percent of women were more likely to purchase a product that they’ve seen advertised in a magazine,
• 14 percent actually purchased the brand advertised,
• 10 percent had recommended the brand, and
• nearly 1 in 5 (18 percent) had talked about the brand.

The study also found that magazines are an ideal partner for cross-media campaigns, and when magazine advertising is used alongside online or TV, brand recall and understanding is increased. Of those surveyed:

• 56 percent remembered the brand more after seeing both online and magazine adverts, and
• 61 percent were more likely to remember the brand after seeing magazine and TV advertising

Amanda Wigginton, IPC Insight director, says,“‘AdSense’ is the largest study of this kind that IPC has undertaken in over 17 years and proves magazines generate results. As well as driving purchase, our study found that magazines prompt other actions, including encouraging footfall in-store, driving traffic to brand websites, in-store trial and online search. The results confirm that not only is magazine advertising incredibly effective on its own, but also that it is an important element in cross-media campaigns.”

The study was conducted over a four-month period amongst a nationally representative sample of over 6,500 U.K. women aged 16-65 years.

About IPC
IPC Media produces more than 60 iconic media brands, with print alone reaching almost two thirds of U.K. women and 42 percent of U.K. men—almost 26 million adults—while its websites collectively reach over 20 million users every month. IPC’s diverse print and digital portfolio offers something for everyone, with a focus on three core audiences: men, mass market women and upmarket women.

Source: IPC.

Research Reveals Power of Print Magazine Advertising