Magazines have a unique set of attributes, which explains why readers connect with this medium like no other:

• magazines are truly portable, in a way that even a wi-fi connected laptop can never be
• magazines can impart multiple messages, in a way that a single TV, radio or cinema advertisement cannot
• magazines are a 'permissive' medium which readers select, unlike most other forms of marketing that 'broadcast' information at the consumer
• magazines are aspirational, appealing to an individual's self image or professional status

People love magazines, and while readers understand that a custom magazine is partly a marketing tool, they welcome and enjoy reading branded content that stimulates, informs and entertains them.

The reader relationship

Custom magazines use the medium's positive attributes to best advantage, overlaying a client's marketing and communication objectives on to well crafted content that appeals to readers.

There are four principles that are integral to every successful magazine - trust, support, status and reader interaction. Here's how they work.

Trust

Our trust in traditional sources of authority has waned, and increasingly we put our trust in our closest, immediate networks of family and friends.

Unlike other media, magazines are considered trusted sources of information, and a person's favourite magazines often become part of their personal network of trust.

Readers describe magazines as being like a 'close friend'. Magazines embody trust, support our decisions, reflect our personalities and aspirations. The dialogue is two way - the magazine's content tempts the reader with information and ideas, but the reader chooses where to go, what to read in detail and what to respond to.

Support

As part of the reader relationship, magazines can act as a coach and mentor. They can provide advice, guidance, tips and solutions, both practical and emotional. In a custom magazine, content can also reinforce a purchase decision or reward membership.

Status

The magazines we choose say something about who we are as individuals; we often select a title because it offers something which we are inspired by or which we aspire towards. With a custom magazine, the positive relationship is extended further when content provides 'the inside track' or added value 'club benefits'.

Reader interaction

In an age of information overload, where search engines provide a wealth of data within seconds, magazines have a unique ability to filter out, to sort the wheat from the chaff. Magazines can be advisory, the information they contain can be time-saving, and the net effect is that the reader is more inclined to act upon content.