PPA Magazine Conference To Unveil New Research

This year’s Magazine 2005 conference, will see results from several industry research reports unveiled, with a variety of issues addressed covering consumer media, B2B, supply chain, interactive and legal matters.

On Wednesday 4 May, Jim Bilton from Wessenden marketing will present the initial findings from a new report, Magazines in a Supermarket Economy.

The study centres on the issues raised for publishers resulting from the rise of the British supermarket and the ongoing debate about whether potential Office of Fair Trading led changes to the distribution network will give the supermarkets more power.

Earlier this year, the OFT ruled that existing distribution agreements are not compatible with existing competition law (see Magazine Distribution Faces Shakeup Over New Laws). The decision was made by the OFT because exclusive regional distribution arrangements between magazine publishers and large-scale wholesalers such as WH Smith and John Menzies are likely to contravene competition regulations by excluding rival wholesalers from supplying specific retailers outside their own area.

The research show cased at the PPA’s conference looks at the future environment for consumer magazine publishing with reference to the supermarkets’ agenda and discusses the options the challenges facing publishers as a result.

A new study entitled, Magazines Uncovered will be of particular interest to consumer magazine publishers and advertising agencies, with the results looking at how effective the medium is at generating sales.

The research is being launched in three sections, with the first part, Sales Uncovered, being started by Richard Hemming, Emap Advertising head of magazine marketing, at the PPA’s Marketing Conference on 4 May.

The results mean that advertisers can confidently be told the return they can expect for each pound they spend in magazines, but also suggest best the best ways to maximise this return.

The third major report to be revealed will be on the B2B focused opening day on the 3 May, with the Connecting Business study mapping the business information and communications industry and outlining the size and scope of products and services available.

Other issues covered will look at the power and influence of B2B media, as well as the launch of the PPA/Olswang editorial contents handbook.

PPA: 020 7404 4166 www.ppa.co.uk