Consumer Mags’ Ad Revenue Increases, Pages Slip

Consumer magazine publishers were buoyed by news from Publishers Information Bureau (PIB) earlier this week that total magazine rate-card-reported advertising through the first three quarters of 2007 climbed 5.6 percent compared to the same period of 2006. However, the number of ad pages during this time decreased by 1 percent.

Nine of 12 advertising categories saw increases in spending, led by a 16-percent increase in Food & Food Products and a 13.2-percent increase in Retail.

“Year-to-date, magazines have benefited from the boost in spending from top categories [including] Toiletries & Cosmetics, Drugs & Remedies, and Food & Food Products, with support from Retail and Media & Advertising,” says Ellen Oppenheim, executive vice president, chief marketing officer, Magazine Publishers of America. “… Unsurprisingly, economic conditions that affect consumer confidence—from fluctuating gas prices to a challenging real estate market—continue to influence advertiser spending in Automotive and Home Furnishings & Supplies, and even the Real Estate segment of Financial, Insurance & Real Estate.

http://www.magazine.org/pib