New Roper Report on Custom Media Shows Higher Impact on Purchasing Decisions

New York, NY (April 7, 2009) – Despite an increasingly diverse group of media sources, a new study shows that Americans’ enthusiasm for custom media has increased since 2005. The national poll, conducted by Roper Public Affairs on behalf of the Custom Publishing Council (CPC), showed 93% of respondents were familiar with at least one type of custom publication. More than two-thirds say that companies that provide information about their products in these magazines help them make better purchasing decisions – an increase of six points since Roper last conducted this survey in 2005. Overall, custom media is a preferred source of information with nearly three-quarters of respondents agreeing that getting information about companies from an interesting collection of articles is more appealing than getting information from advertisements.

“With the overwhelmingly positive reaction to print custom media, the growing acceptance of electronic custom media and the explosion of branded social networking sites, Twitter and blogs, consumers are clearly finding the time for custom media products –and they are substantially moving the ROI needle, which is particularly significant,” said Lori Rosen, executive director, CPC. “This new survey reaffirms what we all know: custom media works and that is why our members continue to deliver effective return for their clients, despite challenging economic times.”

Who said print is dead?

While the electronic options have increased, print still appears to have the edge when it comes to branded content. The study indicates that 36% of consumers at least occasionally look at the electronic custom publications they receive. This is significantly less than the 59% of consumers who said, at a minimum, they occasionally pick up and look through print custom publications. This preference is even more pronounced among respondents who receive custom publications related to their work. When asked whether they would prefer to receive publications in print or electronic form, 56% of these respondents said they would rather receive a print version, while 37% said they would rather receive publications electronically

“The survey shows that the explosion of electronic media has certainly not hindered consumers’ enthusiasm for print custom media,” said Rosen. “If anything, the wide variety of branded content now available has heightened public awareness of the inherent value of this marketing tool, regardless of the channel through which it is delivered—even in challenging economic times.”

Among the findings of the CPC/Roper Public Affairs survey:

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