A Powerful Ad Medium That Will Soon be 150 Years Old & is a Well Kept Secret - Steve Blacker

By Legends & Leadership Archives
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1. Its ABC audited magazine has a sub price of $40 and an astounding 81.4% long time renewal rate. With a highly targeted circulation of 150,000; this magazine reaches more key decision makers who influence defense & national security and the economy & finance than either Harpers or The Atlantic. Of note Harpers has 33% more circulation and The Atlantic is three times this publication's size. That's according to a recent Erdos & Morgan Opinion Leader Study. That same study shows this magazine to have more credibility with its readers than those of The New Yorker, Harpers, Newsweek and Time, to mention just a few.

2. Its editorial team is not only on many major TV news programs but has achieved journalistic recognition receiving awards ranging from the National Press Club , Polk Award in Journalism, Daniel Pearl Award For Outstanding Investigative Journalism, an award for excellence in sports journalism to an Ellie National Magazine Award for its film reviewer.

3. According to its most recent MediaMark subscriber study the readers of this publication are not only very smart; 52% hold a graduate degree but have done well financially having a median net worth of $528,000. And they have corporate influence with 17% serving on a board of directors.

4. This magazines readers are extremely proactive. 59% have written or called an elected official and over a third (35%) have written a letter to an editor or called a live radio/TV show.

5. Though the average issue size is 42 pages the readers of this magazine spend an average of 71 minutes reading each issue. And almost 90% (89%) read at least 3 out of the last 4 issues. An ad is virtually guaranteed to be seen and noted; and does not compete with scores of other ads.

6. Their affiliated Web site has grown over 50% in the past year and delivers over one million unique visitors a month. And 23.5% of their readers come back 10+ times a month. They have nearly twice as many Twitter followers (148,000) as the Atlantic (76,165) and three times as many as Harper's (43,698). The quality of this Web site has earned them the Shorty Award for excellence in Twitter & Short Form Journalism.

7. A just completed survey found that 81% of their print readers find ads to be of interest; especially if they appeared in their magazine. Nearly one third (30.8%) stated that if a new advertiser were to appear in the magazine it would make them feel more positive about the advertiser.

8. The editorial focus has led to Congressional investigations and legislation; and the resignation of unethical government and corporate officials. Its writers have included Albert Einstein, James Baldwin, Hunter S. Thompson and Martin Luther King Jr. Many of its readers are well known in the arts and entertainment; such as Robert Redford who said: "It's intelligently written and provides extremely interesting food and fact for thought."

9. The few savvy advertisers who have appeared in this publication and its web site include: Allstate, AT&T, Coca-Cola, National Geographic Films and The Economist. And a four color page won't break the bank as one can be purchased for under $7,000.

10. Next to last clue. In 1865 this publication was launched by anti-slavery abolitionists at the end of the Civil War. Answer: The powerful ad medium is The Nation and TheNation.com.

Steve's most recent book You Can't Fall Off The Floor - The Insiders' Guide to Re-Inventing Yourself and Your Career chronicles his 50 year career working for over 25 different companies with 189 lessons learned and insider tips from Gayle King, Cathie Black, Chuck Townsend and 28 others; Blacker is still going strong today as a partner in Frankfurt & Blacker Solutions, LLC. His web site is blacker-reinventions.com and e-mail address is blackersolutions@aol.com

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