Inside, Outside – Positions Oh Please!
By Laurie Dieball, Media Director
There has been a lot of discussion around our agency on which position is most effective. Sure that statement alone can make the mind wander, but we’re talking magazine ad positions here! According to research by Magazine Publishers of America*, the position in the magazine really doesn’t matter – but if a good position doesn’t matter then why spend a premium to put it there in the first place? In fact, position alone generally doesn’t dramatically affect readership of an ad or increase awareness of a brand. Bad creative will not perform well no matter where you put it in the magazine. A strong creative execution will perform well regardless of its placement!
That being said, there are still those who will argue the numbers tell a different story. The 2007 MPA* study shows that a print ad placed on a back cover position receives about a 10% lift in ad recall over an inside cover full page position, and up to 17% more ad recall than a full page general placement position. That in theory sounds positive and could prompt someone to push for a contract with premium ad position. But wait, what if you’re buying People Magazine, one of most recognized magazines in the country; you’re spending 92% more for a back cover ad – that’s crazy! The point is, most magazines see the back cover as a premium position but the position in terms of ad recall doesn’t matter. The benefits simply don’t outweigh the additional costs. Running your creatively designed ads in magazines that are relevant to your target and engages your audience is far more important then a premium placement. The only back cover that I see paying a premium for is Playboy Magazine – just because it probably spends most of its time upside down … back cover facing up!
* October 2007 Magazine Publishers of America
By Fruchtman on February 23, 2010 :: Filed under Think
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