●The Lowdown on Magazine Advertising

The Lowdown on Magazine Advertising

You’ve heard the phrase before. “I just
bought the magazine to look at the
pictures.” There is a kernel of truth to
that statement. Consumers are naturally
drawn to the unusual graphics and
pictures often used in magazines. It
follows that magazine consumers are
more likely to read those magazine ads
that carry compelling images.
As with newspaper advertising, there will
be intense competition for the “mind
share” of the consumer. The option of
using two- or four-color printing in
magazine advertising gives the advertiser
an opportunity to create a lasting image
of his or her product that has no equal in
any other print advertising vehicle save
direct mail. To further entice the reader’s
desire for your product, some magazines
even offer advertisers an opportunity to
include product samples with their ads.
For example, witness the proliferation of
“scratch and sniff” perfume ads.
Naturally, all of these wonderful ad
enhancements come at a premium. The
cost of placing a full-page ad with all of
the options in a magazine can be
staggering. After all, the advertiser is
actually paying for the production costs
associated with printing a glossy, four-
color publication.
Costs for placing magazine ads will vary
from publication to publication. They will
also depend upon the size of the ad
placed and the positioning of the ad.
Magazine ads are sold by the page or
page increment—full page, half page,
quarter page, etc. Rates also depend upon
the frequency with which an advertiser
places ads over the period of a year.
Typically, advertisers offer one-time,
three-time, six-time, and twelve-time
rates. Twelve-time rates are usually
significantly lower than one-time rates.
But, of course, you are paying that rate
times twelve ads.