One organization takes a deeper look at what people want out of life, and how content can help provide that.
Brands are caught in a vicious cycle. They need their customer base to hear them just at the time when device fragmentation and short attention spans are working against them.
“We are currently in the eye of a perfect storm. Our advertising environment has its own limited and precious resource: consumers’ attention and receptivity,” writes Sue Todd of Magnetic.
How can marketers understand what works? Part of Magnetic’s mission is to “ensure magazine media is properly understood and embraced by advertisers.” To make that happen, they needed to better understand the impact magazine content has on readers.
“Magnetic’s starting point is to consider what people want from their lives and the role that content plays,” Todd explains.
“Only then can we truly understand how we can help brands be listened to. To this end, we have been inspired by the work of Professor Paul Dolan, a renowned expert on happiness. Our aim is to develop a deeper understanding of the link between subjective well-being, attention and receptivity,” she continues.
Through their research they’ve made some remarkable discoveries, especially about Millenials and digital natives. What they’ve found is a 12% increase in positivity among their research subjects after they read their favorite magazines.
“Much has been written about the rise in anxiety among this digital-first generation but less has been said about what experiences could potentially reduce that anxiety. Magazine content is clearly valued and helping this group feel happier,” Todd notes.
“We know from this new study that magazine content drives well-being and that audiences are receptive to the advertising, but there’s more we can do to ensure all of the experiences and environments we operate in keep the needs of publisher, consumer and advertiser in balance.”
If advertisers are looking for ways to engage with their customers in positive ways, it seems the pages of a magazine is the place to be.