The publishing industry is highly competitive, and in order to remain successful publishers need to accept when a change in branding is needed in order to retain and or grow its readership base. Our client recognized this situation when readership for one of its signature specialty publications started to decline and a new competitor was introduced into the sector with similar coverage areas.
The Beta Approach
Beta Research conducted a series of focus groups around the country, reflecting current readers, non-readers and lapsed readers of the publication under study. Participants were asked to respond to the publication’s established platform and its new suggested platform. We tested layout, editorial content, typography, photos and the proposed new logo. We also had our focus groups compare our client’s publication with those of other magazines with a similar readership in order to gain a better understanding of our competitors edge.
Results
Our study provided a detailed roadmap for our publisher client to extend the longevity – and the readership – of the magazine in question.
Industry: Media
Methodology: Focus group