(Almost) Everything You Want to Know About Positioning in Magazines: The Six Questions That Starch is Most Likely to be Asked

(Almost) Everything You Want to Know About Positioning in Magazines:

Definitions: Noted: The percent of readers who said they saw any part of the ad – attention-getting power Read Most: The percent who said they read more than half of the ad’s copy – involvement

Definitions:

Noted: The percent of readers who said they saw

any part of the ad – attention-getting power

Read Most: The percent who said they read more

than half of the ad’s copy – involvement

Q . Do ads on the right-hand page earn higher scores than ads on the left- hand page?

Left Right Food Ads 54% 56% Toiletries & Cosmetics 51% 51% Automotive Ads 48% 48% Computers & 42% 43% Computer Equipment Drugs & Remedies 46% 46% Apparel 52% 55% Financial 44% 42% NOTED SCORES A . Over a number of product categories, Starch finds little or no difference between the two.

Q . How important is size?

Toiletries Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, 4-Color 51% 19% 20% 26% Two-page, 4-color 61% 24% Automobiles Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, 4-Color 48% 17% 15% 24% Two-page, 4-color 55% 21% A . It depends on the product category.

Toiletries

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, 4-Color 51% 19%

20% 26%

Two-page, 4-color 61% 24%

Automobiles

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, 4-Color 48% 17%

15% 24%

Two-page, 4-color 55% 21%

Financial Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, 4-Color 43% 14% 12% 14% Two-page, 4-color 48% 17% Drugs Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, 4-Color 46% 16% 9% 6% Two-page, 4-color 50% 17%

Financial

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, 4-Color 43% 14%

12% 14%

Two-page, 4-color 48% 17%

Drugs

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, 4-Color 46% 16%

9% 6%

Two-page, 4-color 50% 17%

Q. How important is color?

TYPICAL FINDING Computers Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, B&W 36% 13% 19% 19% One-page, 4-color 43% 16% BIG DIFFERENCE Drugs & Remedies Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, B&W 29% 12% 59% 33% One-page, 4-color 46% 16% A . Generally, fairly important. But not always.

TYPICAL FINDING

Computers

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, B&W 36% 13%

19% 19%

One-page, 4-color 43% 16%

BIG DIFFERENCE

Drugs & Remedies

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, B&W 29% 12%

59% 33%

One-page, 4-color 46% 16%

NOT-SO-BIG DIFFERENCE Toiletries Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, B&W 49% 19% 6% 0% One-page, 4-color 51% 19%

NOT-SO-BIG DIFFERENCE

Toiletries

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, B&W 49% 19%

6% 0%

One-page, 4-color 51% 19%

Q . Do far-forward ads have a substantial advantage over those in the back?

A . There is some drop-off from back to front with certain products, but the difference is probably not as great as some expect :

Q . Does clutter (thickness of issue) have any effect on readership scores?

A . If there is any effect, it is negligible. Starch data suggest that a small advantage exists for only the very thinnest of issues. Definitions: Thin: Fewer than 200 Pages. Medium: 200-249 Thick: 250+ Toiletries Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 53% 20% 54% 20% 52% 19% Two-page spreads 65% 24% 61% 23% 61% 25%

A . If there is any effect, it is negligible. Starch data suggest that a small advantage exists for only the very thinnest of issues.

Definitions: Thin: Fewer than 200 Pages.

Medium: 200-249

Thick: 250+

Toiletries

Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues

Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 53% 20% 54% 20% 52% 19% Two-page spreads 65% 24% 61% 23% 61% 25%

Food Ads Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 58% 24% 58% 26% 56% 23% ( Insufficient Number of two-page spreads) Automobiles Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 49% 19% 49% 16% 48% 17% Two-page spreads 55% 19% 58% 23% 53% 20%

Food Ads

Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues

Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 58% 24% 58% 26% 56% 23% ( Insufficient Number of two-page spreads)

Automobiles

Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues

Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 49% 19% 49% 16% 48% 17% Two-page spreads 55% 19% 58% 23% 53% 20%

Computers Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 41% 15% 42% 16% 41% 14% Two-page spreads 51% 18% 51% 18% 48% 16% Financial Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 43% 15% 40% 13% 40% 13% Two-page spreads 51% 18% 49% 17% 48% 17%

Computers

Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues

Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 41% 15% 42% 16% 41% 14% Two-page spreads 51% 18% 51% 18% 48% 16%

Financial

Thin Issues Medium Issues Thick Issues

Noted RM Noted RM Noted RM One-page ads 43% 15% 40% 13% 40% 13% Two-page spreads 51% 18% 49% 17% 48% 17%

MORAL: If you have questions about the power of your creative, avoid the thickest issues.

MORAL: If you have questions about the power of your creative, avoid the thickest issues.

Q . Do cover positions offer a readership advantage – and are there differences among the different cover positions?

Index: 100 =average for ROB, 1-Page, 4-Color ads *Note: Fewer than 10 ads Toiletries & Cosmetics Automotive Computers * A . Ads in cover positions generally score higher than run-of-book ads, and there are substantial differences among the three different positions.

Index: 100 = average for ROB, 2-Page, 4-Color Ad Toiletries & Cosmetics Automotive Apparel

Positioning in an average Women’s Service Magazine

Pages vs. Spreads Cosmetics & Beauty Aids Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, 4-Color 55% 18% 16% 22% Two-page, 4-color 64% 22% Automobiles Noted Difference RM Difference One-page, 4-Color 43% 13% 23% 15% Two-page, 4-color 53% 15%

Cosmetics & Beauty Aids

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, 4-Color 55% 18%

16% 22%

Two-page, 4-color 64% 22%

Automobiles

Noted Difference RM Difference

One-page, 4-Color 43% 13%

23% 15%

Two-page, 4-color 53% 15%

Women’s Service ROB Pages

Left-Hand Pages vs. Right-hand Pages in Women’s Service Publications

Probability of success depends more on research than on luck.

Probability of success depends more on research than on luck.