Ever since I can remember, The New York Times has provided a quarterly report on whether advertising pages 
within key magazine sectors have increased or decreased during a given three month period. (see link below). This data always represented a trusted and important gauge on how specific market segments (such as automotive, financial services, consumer goods and technology) are faring. It also provides those in the marketing world with a snapshot view of growth indicators in the publishing and advertising world (i.e. if ad pages are down across the board, then advertisers are typically spending less money on marketing).
There aren’t any surprises in this recent report. Generally, the number of magazine ad pages has continued to decrease over the last two years. And, while a few lone categories are bucking the trend, the recession has really beaten this industry down. Putting the economy aside though, I question whether magazine ad pages will ever really see significant growth again. And, that makes me question the relevance of using this data anymore as an indicator of how marketplace sectors are faring.
Most people now understand that the Internet has leveled the playing field for small businesses and consumers, alike. I'd say that it has also leveled the magazine world in a completely different manner.
You and I receive our news, trends and popular culture information digitally for free now. So, naturally magazine subscriptions are down across the board and it's hard to believe that those numbers will ever significantly rise again (even when our economy begins to grow). Advertisers focus their $$$ on the mediums that will have the most impact on reaching their target audiences. While magazines are still viable (for now), there are a plethora of more innovative and engaging ways to reach prospects and customers including search engines, mobile phones, blogs, online ezines and even offline, experiential advertising modes (where people go, eat, work, etc.). Even now, a paradigm shift is taking place because mobile technology is fostering the ability to localize content. No doubt, advertisers will start to move in groves to test this opportunity shortly.
It's all pretty logical, actually. It seems to me that those reporting on this soon to be antiquated and irrelevant data should start to think about a new barometer that is inclusive of so many other advertising mediums. Sure, magazine sectors can make up one small sliver of this possible index. But, as $$$ continues to flow out of the magazine publisher’s coffers and into the hands of these newer channels, the data we care about needs to evolve as well. My guess is that this might finally happen in a year or two when reporters covering the magazine world eventually see that magazine growth does not directly correlate with economic growth any more.
There aren’t any surprises in this recent report. Generally, the number of magazine ad pages has continued to decrease over the last two years. And, while a few lone categories are bucking the trend, the recession has really beaten this industry down. Putting the economy aside though, I question whether magazine ad pages will ever really see significant growth again. And, that makes me question the relevance of using this data anymore as an indicator of how marketplace sectors are faring.
Most people now understand that the Internet has leveled the playing field for small businesses and consumers, alike. I'd say that it has also leveled the magazine world in a completely different manner.
You and I receive our news, trends and popular culture information digitally for free now. So, naturally magazine subscriptions are down across the board and it's hard to believe that those numbers will ever significantly rise again (even when our economy begins to grow). Advertisers focus their $$$ on the mediums that will have the most impact on reaching their target audiences. While magazines are still viable (for now), there are a plethora of more innovative and engaging ways to reach prospects and customers including search engines, mobile phones, blogs, online ezines and even offline, experiential advertising modes (where people go, eat, work, etc.). Even now, a paradigm shift is taking place because mobile technology is fostering the ability to localize content. No doubt, advertisers will start to move in groves to test this opportunity shortly.
It's all pretty logical, actually. It seems to me that those reporting on this soon to be antiquated and irrelevant data should start to think about a new barometer that is inclusive of so many other advertising mediums. Sure, magazine sectors can make up one small sliver of this possible index. But, as $$$ continues to flow out of the magazine publisher’s coffers and into the hands of these newer channels, the data we care about needs to evolve as well. My guess is that this might finally happen in a year or two when reporters covering the magazine world eventually see that magazine growth does not directly correlate with economic growth any more.
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