Case Studies
Advanstar Communications Chooses ABC Multimedia Reporting to Represent ‘Right Content, Right Person’ Approach
Situation
MotorAge and Auto Body Repair News (ABRN) are monthly business publications published by Advanstar Communications Inc. Advanstar’s Automotive Group recently changed its approach to reaching the marketplace. Four topic channels—service repair, technicians, collision repair and distribution—were created to reach specific segments of MotorAge and ABRN’s audiences with targeted multimedia content.
Issue
Each of the four topic channels includes a print magazine (either MotorAge or ABRN), e-newsletters, breaking news alerts and e-zines, which feature greater access to multimedia content than their sister print magazines. All also share one website, SearchAutoParts.com. The Automotive Group needed an audit report to verify those channels and represent its brand reach.
Solution
Last year, MotorAge and ABRN became ABC members because of the multimedia reporting options for business publications. Each chose to issue Multimedia Publisher’s Statements to present data on the audiences that accessed their range of print and digital channels. “ABC offered the best option for what we wanted to do. It was the best fit for MotorAge and ABRN,” said Jim Savas, vice president of the Automotive Group at Advanstar.
Results
“We wanted to be able to engage our audience hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and then illustrate how we do that to our advertisers,” Savas said. The ABC audit, in fact, has helped sell advertising for the print and digital products in the four channels. The audit has also helped build relationships with advertisers and agencies because they trust audited data.
When Advanstar’s Automotive Group revamped its communication and selling
processes for MotorAge and ABRN, it also needed to change the way it reported its
circulation and usage data. Their “right content, right person” approach included
multiple media channels, which all needed verification by a trusted third party.
ABC’s multimedia reporting options for business publications fit their new
philosophy.
What can be included on the Multimedia Publisher’s Statement?
- Qualified paid and/or non-paid circulation
- Digital replica and/or nonreplica edition circulation
- Pass-along receivership data
- E-mail newsletters
- Text alerts
- Mobile distribution
- Website traffic
ABC staff will work with business publications to test the reporting and auditing of any product you wish to include on the report.
The business publication Multimedia Publisher’s Statement is designed to provide publishers with the utmost flexibility and encourage customization. There isn’t a standard format for the report, but ABC has drafted a sample of what a multimedia statement might look like for a business publication.
"We’ve spent a lot of money and time identifying and organizing our audience,” Savas said. “We’re delivering content to specific needs which helps our users/readers find what they need for better business decisions in any automotive channel. The audit helps back up our efforts.”
Business publications use ABC’s comprehensive multimedia reports to represent their brand. These flexible reports can include multiple products, such as website traffic, e-newsletter distribution, mobile messaging, qualified paid and nonpaid circulation, digital replica and nonreplica editions, and pass-along receivership information.
Advanstar’s Automotive Group adopted the flexible reporting options. For example, the service repair channel includes the MotorAge print magazine, breaking news alerts, e-newsletters, and a MotorAge How2 digital e-zine enhanced with video and other multimedia content.
ABC’s Multimedia Publisher’s Statement reports these products on one report. ABC independently verifies audience information included on the report, giving advertisers confidence in the data as they consider those products for their media plans.
“Advertisers like that we’re audited,” Savas said. “As the digital revolution began to grow, there was a bit of a black hole. Advertisers were interested in digital products, but they needed to be measured. It’s the reason why we chose a company like ABC.”
Savas plans to continue using the Multimedia Publisher’s Statement to report the Automotive Group’s expanding distribution channels.
“As we get farther down this road, I think we’ll see more of the ‘right content for the right user’ approach,” Savas said. “And we’ll have that audited. That’s the future of audience engagement, and we’ll communicate that in our statements.”
For More Information
If you are interested in multimedia reporting options for business publications, please contact your magazine marketing manager. More information is also available on ABC’s website.
