LONDON: Magazine media brands online deliver a significantly stronger impact on brand KPIs than other online environments, new research has claimed.

A study undertaken by Magnetic, the marketing agency for magazine media in the UK, in partnership with media agency Carat, used the latter's Integrated Communications Evaluation (ICE) approach to look at the impact of magazine media assets across both print and digital, including display and advertorial and native solutions.

This found that online magazine media was 41% more effective at delivering brand KPIs such as purchase consideration, purchase intention and recommendation, than other online environments.

The ability to drive associations of quality and relevance for brands was also particularly strong for magazine media, building on their trusted environment and credible content, the study added.

Separate research conducted by Magnetic with digital analytics company Moat, produced similar findings, with Magnetic member sites found to have an interaction rate 18% higher compared to other online environments, with interaction times 30% higher.

Major advertisers are well aware of the potential value of magazines. On the other side of the world, Procter & Gamble has also been extolling the virtues of magazine brands, a spokesperson telling Ad News that "a strong media brand is incredibly valuable to advertisers as it has strong connection and trust with its readers and the power to influence them and encourage trial".

They added: "We've seen great success in partnering with print and magazine brands on bespoke campaigns to drive trust and advocacy of our brand benefits and promise."

When Magnetic looked in more depth at the ways advertisers can work with magazine media, it found that campaigns with both display and advertorial or native activity were 20% more impactful on brand KPIs than those with purely display.

"Magazines achieve deep human connections with their audiences, leading to a more attentive consumer who is more open to commercial messaging and more inclined to trust what they discover there," said Sue Todd, CEO of Magnetic.

"In an age of adblocking and declining receptivity to advertising, this is a powerful environment for brands." 

Data sourced from Magnetic, Ad News; additional content by Warc staff