AMPS store magazine results on hold
At an AMPS scrutiny meeting held last week, SAARF informed representatives of its councils that it was concerned about the reliability of the store magazines' readership figures in AMPS 2009AB (fieldwork period Jan - Dec 2009). It has therefore decided to withhold the results to give the advertising, media and marketing industries the opportunity to evaluate this sector's results carefully.
Mastheads prompt higher readership
In 2009, PMSA (Print Media South Africa) requested that separate mastheads be shown for all individual magazines and store magazine prompts were expanded in line with this decision.
Now, instead of measuring 10 store magazines as in previous surveys, AMPS 2009AB measures 23 store publications. The result of this change has been an increase in readership for many of the store magazines, against circulation trends.
Confusion between catalogues, magazines
A possible contributing factor is that respondents are confusing marketing material with the actual store title. Many of the stores in question produce prominently branded catalogues and inserts, in similar formats to their magazines, which are distributed not only to club members but also to the public.
AMPS contractor, Nielsen, supports this view, saying that where the chain's name is prominent in the store magazine's title, or is visually dominant in the masthead, readership figures have grown substantially.
Awaiting input
SAARF is contacting the publishers of magazines in this sector to ensure they are aware of the issue and that they contact the PMSA with their suggestions and comments.
The PMSA will also take up this issue at its next research committee meeting. After discussing the way forward with its stakeholders, it will revert to the SAARF Print Council with recommendations on future actions in this regard.
In the meantime, SAARF and Nielsen will study the outcome of the latest AMPS wave and come up with proposals on how these publications should be handled on AMPS, if at all.
